Federal Liberal Party Leadership Race

[jlousa]

As a former liberal and a current conservative, I hope the Liberal party can regroup and recover. I hope they avoid making the mistake of going further left and stick just to their traditional just left of centre.
Who should lead them, I don't know but hopefully someone that isn't from the old guard, but not Justin.
My opinion is Canada will benefit by having a strong Liberal party keeping a strong Conservative party's feet to the fire. It would keep both party's relatively close to centre which is where most Canadians tend to be.

[PoscStudent]

Here's my take on the possible leadership candidates lsited earlier:

Irwin Cotler - Too old, would be 76 when contesting his first election.
Marc Garneau - Too old again.
Denis Coderre - He pissed a lot of Liberals off 2 years ago but in the end it seems as though he was right. Definite possibility.
Justin Trudeau - Will very likely be on the ballot, frontrunner.
Dominic LeBlanc - In his victory speech he sounded like he was declaring his candidacy, frontrunner.
Scott Brison - A possibility.
Bob Rae - He still wants the job but he's also too old. His goal seems to be to unite the left so it's possible he may run to do just that. Possible interim leader.
Mauril Bélanger - I know nothing about him.
Ralph Goodale - Old and could have ran three times now, I also hear he's quite dull. Most likely interim leader.

Possible leadership candidates who weren't originally mentioned include:

David McGuinty
Kirsty Duncan
Kevin Lamoureux
Massimo Pacetti

There's the potential for outsiders as well. Dalton McGuinty may put several potential candidates out of work this Fall, or there could be someone in the Quebec government or elsewhere in Canada. They may be able to attract someone from the business community.

My thought is that Dominic LeBlanc and Justin Trudeau will battling it out.

[Pavlov]

I'm likely in the minority, but I'm sad to see Mr. Ignatieff go. I think he could have been a strong leader with a little more seasoning. However, after the disaster yesterday, I suppose there was no hope that he would stay as leader for another five years.

[SteelTown]

Having an Acadian background myself I wouldn't mind Dominic LeBlanc as leader.

[PoscStudent]

Denis Coderre is calling on Bob Rae to become interim leader for the next two years.

[Gerrard]

Hopefully someone gorgeous with a lot of charisma.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Reesonov

I'm likely in the minority, but I'm sad to see Mr. Ignatieff go. I think he could have been a strong leader with a little more seasoning. However, after the disaster yesterday, I suppose there was no hope that he would stay as leader for another five years.

I don't think he was that bad but the negative tactics worked; he was branded as an intellectual (how terrible!) and a foreigner.

Liberal prospects are pretty dismal and Ignatieff didn't even win his own riding. The resignation was pretty much a given.

[samne]

alot of younger talent in the Ontario Provincial Cabinet. Many of them will be clearing out over the next few years.

Same way Mike Harris' gang filled the important posts for the Cons.

[osmo]

Originally Posted by Reesonov

I'm likely in the minority, but I'm sad to see Mr. Ignatieff go. I think he could have been a strong leader with a little more seasoning. However, after the disaster yesterday, I suppose there was no hope that he would stay as leader for another five years.

I agree with you, He impressed me through the campaign. His problem was that he only had 5 weeks to learn how to ride this bike, you could see week by week he was improving personally. But he could never make a breakthrough and when he tries to be "Mr. Ignatieiff" he seems fake and odd, the debates ruined him because he tries to be to much of a politician when hes just good at talking to people. Layton learned this along time ago, he tried being to prescribed and just looked like an idiot, he found the balance of professionalism and being able to plug in your speaking points without looking like a robot. Harper is a robot, but it does give a mystique of credibility because he has been PM for so long and people view that as being "PMish" even tho he;s just a cyborg.

When Iggy is Iggy hes a likable man and his words are easy to digest, he was the most transparent of all the candidates by far. It's sad because the one dude who resonated to me as a PM worthy guy stepped down. Iggy was a classy guy and got a bad deal, the Cons slaughtered him and left him for dead with a pack of wolves. I hope he re-surfaces in the future. If he continues to teach up here and get on TV a lot to stay relevant it could easily happen.

[PoscStudent]

Originally Posted by samne

alot of younger talent in the Ontario Provincial Cabinet. Many of them will be clearing out over the next few years.

Same way Mike Harris' gang filled the important posts for the Cons.

Eric Hoskins ran federally in 2008, he would have been an interesting choice for leader.

The Liberals probably could have made out better in a Spring 2012 election because whether McGuinty is defeated or not his caucus will be reduced and there may have been some talented MLA's who could have ran federally.

[Vaillant]

Originally Posted by SteelTown

Possible candidates:

Irwin Cotler
Marc Garneau
Denis Coderre
Justin Trudeau
Dominic LeBlanc
Scott Brison
Bob Rae
Mauril Bélanger
Ralph Goodale

Denis Coderre could be a great chief!

[Coldrsx]

It is Justin's time to do what his father did.

[whatnext]

The Liberals aren't dead yet.

The NDP runs a very strong risk of a spectacular implosion in the new parliament. Just reading about some of their newly elected MP's is hours of entertainment. Add to that there is now a huge QC contingent that is going to be demanding things diametrically opposed to what the traditional NDP base wants, and things are going to be pretty interesting for Jack (assuming his health holds for the next 4-5 years).

If the Liberals play it right, I can see them reclaiming a lot of their seats next time lost to the NDP or NDP vote-splitting next time. Forming government? Less likely, but you never know what can unfold in the Tory camp either. You have to imagine there are some senior Tories disappointed there won't be a leadership opportunity for them in the near future. Human ambition doesn't have party boundaries.

[SpikePhanta]

I have a feeling that the liberals and NDP will have some agreement in place to not split the vote. Like certain ridings will have only a NDP candidate and the others with liberal

[PoscStudent]

Originally Posted by SpikePhanta

I have a feeling that the liberals and NDP will have some agreement in place to not split the vote. Like certain ridings will have only a NDP candidate and the others with liberal

They would be better off merging if they were going to do that.

[PoscStudent]

Liberals choose Rae as interim leader

Bob Rae, chosen as the federal Liberal interim leader Wednesday, says his party has a bright future and needs to rebuild to again become "a movement for change."

Rae was picked over Marc Garneau to fill the void left by Michael Ignatieff's resignation as Liberal leader the day after the May 2 election that dropped the Liberals down to only 34 seats and third party status in the House of Commons.

The Liberal caucus of MPs and senators held a meeting Wednesday morning where Rae was elected and the choice was quickly confirmed by the party's executive board, which had final say over the interim leadership.

The Toronto MP and former Ontario premier said he was honoured to accept the position.

...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/stor...im-leader.html

[SpikePhanta]

Does this mean he won't touch the permanent leadership with a ten foot pole?

[PoscStudent]

Originally Posted by SpikePhanta

Does this mean he won't touch the permanent leadership with a ten foot pole?

he's now disqualified.

[Pimpmasterdac]

I don't know, Rae could be making a play to become more than just intern leader.

He DEMANDED to have at least a 18 to 24 month term as intern leader, as a condition. Whoever is eventually picked as the next leader will be in a shadow of Rae, since it's "not a summer job" for him. This should be up to the party to decide how little or long Rae is intern leader, not King Bob.

It is fitting though, Rae jumped from the NDP since they seemed to be in perpetually third party status to go to the Liberals as the natural governing party. Now that he finally has the leadership, the Liberal party is seeming in perpetual third part status

[SpikePhanta]

YES! I don't mind Bob but the Liberals need to reinvent themselves.