OTTAWA – With the Liberal brass poised to let interim leader Bob Rae run for the job permanently, some in the party are upset that the rules could be changed for the benefit of one person.
Rewriting the rules for Rae jeopardizes what one senior Liberal called a “fairly solid” succession plan.
Penny Collenette, the former national director of the party and lifelong Liberal organizer, expressed disappointment the party could have to find yet another interim leader.
“That for a lot of us is a real shame because it would have been, in my opinion, much better to have the person who was interim leader last year remain the interim leader until the convention. That was the plan,” Collenette said.
The plan – one that Rae agreed to last May – stipulated that he would not run for the leadership and would serve only as an interim leader. But a year and a new executive later, party officials are widely expected to change the rules so that Rae can run when they meet next Wednesday.
Renewed discussion about Rae’s leadership ambitions has reignited discontent amongst some party members that say the interim gig gives Rae an unfair advantage over other candidates.
Meanwhile, a new poll suggests Rae’s performance during a tough time for the party has earned him some muster within the ranks of Liberal supporters.
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The Ipsos-Reid poll done exclusively for Global News suggests 59 per cent of Liberal supporters think the former Ontario premier would make a good prime minister.
Ironically, the same survey suggests Rae’s biggest competition comes from the other man who said he doesn’t want to run this time around – Justin Trudeau. Trudeau publicly ruled out a run at leadership, saying that he wants to focus on his young family.
The survey suggests thirty-four per cent of Canadians have a positive impression of Trudeau, while 18 per cent said the same for Rae. Among Liberal supporters those numbers jump to 60 per cent for Trudeau and 39 per cent for Rae – numbers that put them ahead of the pack of other potential contenders.
“I don’t think anyone can deny there’s a lot of buzz and possibly magic around the Trudeau name, but more than that I think almost Justin himself has developed his own persona in a way, unintentionally in a way,” said Collenette.
Thanks in part to his high-profile charity boxing victory over Conservative Senator Patrick Brazeau, Collenette said Trudeau is consolidating his reputation as a fighter, both for Canada and the Liberal party.
The numbers and possible rule change could prompt some interesting weekend conversations in the Trudeau and Rae homes as the politicians reconsider their leadership futures.
Collenette said she thinks the party is reconsidering the rules for Rae based in part on his ability to keep the Liberals afloat after a historic electoral defeat.
“I suspect there is a bit of a feeling that perhaps the party owes it to Mr. Rae to say ‘Well look if you want to get out of your earlier promise here are the conditions,’” she said.
Rae has already tried twice unsuccessfully for the leadership of the party. Once in 2006 when he lost in the third round of voting that eventually crowned Stephane Dion leader.
Rae contemplated leadership again in 2008, but withdrew from the race, leaving Michael Ignatieff to lead the party.
Some say this time around could be different since Rae has had a chance to prove himself under heavier fire than the Liberal party has ever faced.
“Just the fact that he’s been our leader over the past year, he’s demonstrated what a real leader is all about,” said Massimo Pacetti, a Liberal MP from Saint-Leonard-Saint Michel.
Over the past year, according to Pacetti, Rae has earned the respect of the Liberal caucus and other MPs.
Pacetti said he would like to see a number of Liberals run, and if Rae is the right candidate then the leadership results will reflect it.
Veteran Liberal MP John McCallum said he would not be unhappy if the party changed the rules and let Rae run.
“I would be very happy to see Mr. Rae run. I think he’s done a good job as interim leader and I think he would make the race more exciting,” he said.
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