Possible contenders for the Liberal leadership (according to CTV

Possible contenders for the Liberal leadership

Phil Hahn, CTV.ca News

Updated: Mon. Feb. 6 2006 6:30 PM ET

As Liberals don the uniform of the opposition in the House of Commons for the first time in over 12 years, the question of who will become their captain looms largely over them.

Prominent Liberals and leadership hopefuls, including Frank (Captain Canada) McKenna, John Manley and Allan Rock have said thanks, but no thanks.

The race is now "wide open" for new blood and new ideas, as Paul Martin said in his last news conference on Feb. 2.

"There are a number of stellar candidates who I think are going to bring in very different perspectives . . . to take us into the next generation."

Even before Martin announced his decision to step down after losing the 2006 federal election, there were rumours and whispers in the Liberal ranks about who would be the party's next leader.

Martin's successor will take control of a solid opposition party with more than 100 seats, and a base of support spread across the nation.

But whoever takes the Liberal helm will face the task of reuniting a deeply fractured party, according to Stephen Clarkson, a writer who has chronicled the party's ups and downs.

Infighting that started in the 1980s and exploded into a virtual civil war between Martin and Chretien loyalists must be stopped, he told CTV.

"They need to be united. That tradition of vendetta and feuding is what is at the core of the decline of the Liberal party, in my view," Clarkson said.

While the party recoups, re-energizes and lays out the ground rules for a leadership transition, CTV.ca has handicapped some potential candidates for the leadership of the Liberal party.

MICHAEL IGNATIEFF

The first-time MP was elected in the Toronto riding of Etobicoke-Lakeshore.

PROS: The 58-year-old Harvard professor is erudite with an engaging speaking style. He caught people's attention when he delivered the keynote address at the March 2005 Liberal policy convention. He's respected for his writings and scholarship on human rights issues, and is fluent in English, French and Russian. Often compared to Pierre Trudeau.

CONS: He's a political neophyte with zero experience in the House of Commons. Most of his life has been spent in the U.S. Although he has touted the left-leaning values of Trudeau, Ignatieff raised eyebrows in recent years by supporting the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

BELINDA STRONACH

The high-profile MP for the Ontario riding of Newmarket-Aurora was human resources minister in Martin's government. When asked on CTV's Canada AM whether she would run for the leadership, Stronach simply said with a smile: "You know, I'm here to serve."

PROS: The former auto-parts heiress is a star in the Liberal fold and, at 39, the youngest potential candidate next to Scott Brison. She could attract new blood to the Liberals and heal rifts between the old Chretien and Martin loyalists.

CONS: Many consider her a turncoat, after her unsuccessful bid for the Conservative leadership and her initial victory running as a Tory MP for Newmarket-Aurora in 2004. Although she has a vast network of connections, most of her bid team from her Conservative years have stayed with the Tory party. She's inexperienced, with less than two years under her belt in the House of Commons.

BOB RAE

Former New Democratic premier of Ontario from 1990 to 1995.

PROS: Rae has earned a reputation as a statesman, having handled high profile assignments such as the federal government's review into the Air India bombing, as well as advisor to the new Iraqi government. The Rhodes scholar was also considered a front-runner last year to succeed Adrienne Clarkson as governor-general. As a former NDPer, Rae could be a beacon to attract more supporters from the left.

CONS: . Many Ontarians are still left with bitter tastes in their mouths from Rae's premiership during recession years in the early 90s. Out of politics since 1995, Rae lacks an organizational base.

MARTIN CAUCHON

Justice minister under Jean Chretien.

PROS: Cauchon has deep roots in Quebec. The business lawyer seems to have strong support among many Quebec Liberals; there's even a blog dedicated to promoting him as next leader. He has a team of organizers ready to jump into a leadership race. Being a Quebecois can work in his favour, as Liberals usually alternate between English and French leaders (Martin, although he's from Quebec, is considered English).

CONS: Being from Quebec could also work against Cauchon. The past two Liberal leaders have represented Quebec ridings, and the party might want to go with a candidate from a different province. Further, as a Chretien loyalist, his experience in the Chretien cabinet -- and his past ties to some of the players in the sponsorship scandal -- could be seen as a liability.

SCOTT BRISON

Former Liberal public works minister and MP for Nova Scotia riding of Kings-Hants.

PROS: Brison could run as the sole, fiscally-conservative, socially progressive candidate from the Maritimes, now that Frank McKenna and Brian Tobin have bowed out. The 38-year-old MP for the Nova Scotia riding of Kings-Hants is very popular. As an openly gay politician, he's also considered by some Liberals to be an ideal symbol of a "progressive" platform. Brison once noted he's "not a gay politician, but a politician who happens to be gay."

CONS: Like Stronach, Brison is seen as a Tory turncoat who unsuccessfully ran for the Conservative leadership. He doesn't possess deep roots in the Liberal Party.

JOE VOLPE

The Toronto MP (Eglinton-Lawrence) served as minister of citizenship and immigration as well as human resources minister under Martin.

PROS: Lots of experience at the federal level, having been first elected to the House of Commons in 1988. Speaks several languages, French, Italian, Spanish, and even some Mandarin and Punjabi

CONS: Not widely known outside of big cities. He seems to a long shot among the other potential contenders. He's a holdover from the Martin-Chretien wars and was reportedly kept out of Chretien's cabinet for being too close to Martin.

STEPHANE DION

The former environment minister under Martin and intergovernmental affairs minister under Chretien has represented the Quebec riding of Saint-Laurent-Cartierville since 1996.

PROS: Dion, considered a strong federalist, would dedicate himself to rebuilding the party in Quebec. He played a major role in the province promoting national unity and fighting off the Bloc in his duties as intergovernmental affairs minister.

CONS: His grasp of English isn't perfect, and he may struggle to win support across the country.

OTHER POSSIBLE CANDIDATES:

Maurizio Bevilacqua: The Toronto-area MP was chairman of the Commons finance committee under Martin.

Denis Coderre: former immigration minister and President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada.

Ken Dryden: the hockey legend is a Toronto MP (York Centre) and served as Martin's social development minister.

WON'T RUN

Frank McKenna: He was considered the frontrunner for the job, but Canada's former ambassador to Washington announced Jan. 30 that being PM has not been " a burning ambition for me."

John Manley: Considered another strong contender, the former deputy prime minister and finance minister once ran against Martin for the party leadership. "I was ready for that three years ago when I sought the post, but you know times change and life moves on," said Manley. "It may not be forever but right now it wasn't the time to go back."

Brian Tobin: The man once known as "Captain Canada" for his defence of the East Coast fishery while he was a Chretien cabinet minister, said he thought it was time for "new blood" to enter the Liberal party.

Allan Rock: Canada's ambassador to the UN said after considering a run for the leadership and discussing it with his family: "We've decided that there are many ways to serve Canada and I am not going to take part in the leadership race."