Liberal leadership: Possible candidates
Mar. 21st, 2006 09:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tyresiasMany good names hopefully running. Come on Grits! Many females, one openly gay under 40... *crosses fingers*
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/liberals/leadershiprace.html
The Liberals have been called Canada's "natural governing party," but their opponents have accused them of getting too comfortable in that role. Canadians appear to have agreed, giving the Liberals a break from heading the country.
Many are saying the party now has time to rebuild. The meaning is clear: new blood and a clear separation from the scandal-plagued previous governments. After coming under fire during the campaign leading up to the Jan. 23, 2006, election for lacking focus and vision, the party can do some soul searching. Even before the election, whispers had begun within the party about the need for a change at the top.
Paul Martin surprised many by his election night promise to resign. Stepping down so quickly is unusual, especially for a party that retained more than 100 seats. But announcing his decision immediately may have saved the party a lot of infighting and unhealthy sniping.
On Feb. 1, Martin named Toronto MP Bill Graham as the interim party leader. Martin's resignation became official on Mar. 19 when the Liberal executive decided to hold a leadership in convention in early December in Montreal. The former prime minister remains an MP until the next election.
Graham was elected for a fifth term as an MP in his Toronto Centre riding and has been a member of the Liberal Party since 1970. He has served as the minister of foreign affairs and is the outgoing minister of national defence.
As his first act in the new position, Graham named Lucienne Robillard as deputy leader. Robillard first entered politics with a win in 1995 and is also a five-time MP. She has served as minister of intergovernmental affairs. Neither Graham nor Robillard have expressed any interest in leading the party. Martin also announced Calgary Senator Dan Hays would become the Liberal leader in the Senate, taking over from Sen. Jack Austin.
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The article goes on to show who has already said they'd run, who's expected to and those who have already said they wouldn't.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/liberals/leadershiprace.html
The Liberals have been called Canada's "natural governing party," but their opponents have accused them of getting too comfortable in that role. Canadians appear to have agreed, giving the Liberals a break from heading the country.
Many are saying the party now has time to rebuild. The meaning is clear: new blood and a clear separation from the scandal-plagued previous governments. After coming under fire during the campaign leading up to the Jan. 23, 2006, election for lacking focus and vision, the party can do some soul searching. Even before the election, whispers had begun within the party about the need for a change at the top.
Paul Martin surprised many by his election night promise to resign. Stepping down so quickly is unusual, especially for a party that retained more than 100 seats. But announcing his decision immediately may have saved the party a lot of infighting and unhealthy sniping.
On Feb. 1, Martin named Toronto MP Bill Graham as the interim party leader. Martin's resignation became official on Mar. 19 when the Liberal executive decided to hold a leadership in convention in early December in Montreal. The former prime minister remains an MP until the next election.
Graham was elected for a fifth term as an MP in his Toronto Centre riding and has been a member of the Liberal Party since 1970. He has served as the minister of foreign affairs and is the outgoing minister of national defence.
As his first act in the new position, Graham named Lucienne Robillard as deputy leader. Robillard first entered politics with a win in 1995 and is also a five-time MP. She has served as minister of intergovernmental affairs. Neither Graham nor Robillard have expressed any interest in leading the party. Martin also announced Calgary Senator Dan Hays would become the Liberal leader in the Senate, taking over from Sen. Jack Austin.
---
The article goes on to show who has already said they'd run, who's expected to and those who have already said they wouldn't.
