Liberal Party of Canada leadership convention, 2006

The Liberal Party of Canada leadership election of 2006 was prompted by Paul Martin

Paul Martin

Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , also known as Paul Martin, Jr. is a Canadian politician who was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....

's announcement that he would not lead the Liberal Party of Canada

Liberal Party of Canada

The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...

into another election, following his party's defeat in the 2006 federal election

Canadian federal election, 2006

The 2006 Canadian federal election was held on January 23, 2006, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 39th Parliament of Canada. The Conservative Party of Canada won the greatest number of seats: 40.3% of seats, or 124 out of 308, up from 99 seats in 2004, and 36.3% of votes:...

in Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

. The party's biennial convention, already scheduled to occur from November 29 to December 1, 2006 in Montreal

Montreal

Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...

's Palais des congrès

Palais des congrès de Montréal

The Palais des congrès de Montréal is a convention center located in the Quartier international de Montréal at the north end of Old Montreal in Montreal's borough of Ville-Marie....

, was followed by the party's leadership convention at the same venue occurring December 2 to December 3, 2006. As the winner, Stéphane Dion

Stéphane Dion

Stéphane Maurice Dion, PC, MP is a Canadian politician who has been the Member of Parliament for the riding of Saint-Laurent–Cartierville in Montreal since 1996. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Leader of the Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons from 2006 to 2008...

led the Liberal Party into the 2008 federal election

40th Canadian federal election

The 2008 Canadian federal election was held on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 40th Canadian Parliament after the previous parliament had been dissolved by the Governor General on September 7, 2008...

.

The party constitution set out a process by which the party leader would be chosen by several thousand delegates, who were elected by riding association

Riding association

In Canadian politics a riding association , officially called an electoral district association is the basic unit of a political party, that is it is the party's organization at the level of the electoral district, or "riding"...

s, women's associations, and Young Liberal clubs in proportion

Proportional representation

Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...

to the number of votes they received at a delegate selection meeting of the general membership of that association. Hundreds of other ex-officio delegates were automatically awarded delegate spots at the convention, including Liberal Members of Parliament, Senators, riding association presidents, past candidates and members of provincial or territorial association executive boards.

As stipulated by the party constitution, the selection of delegates for the convention had to occur 35 to 59 days prior to the convention, and only Liberals who had joined the party at least 90 days before the delegate-selection meetings could vote for delegates, although there was no deadline for becoming delegates themselves. As a result, the early months of the leadership race were dominated by competing drives to sign up members who were likely to back the various candidacies.

The convention date was approximately three years after the 2003 convention, in which Paul Martin

Paul Martin

Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , also known as Paul Martin, Jr. is a Canadian politician who was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....

was selected after years of conflict between his faction of the party and that of outgoing Prime Minister Jean Chrétien

Jean Chrétien

Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien , known commonly as Jean Chrétien is a former Canadian politician who was the 20th Prime Minister of Canada. He served in the position for over ten years, from November 4, 1993 to December 12, 2003....

.

After four ballots, former cabinet minister and dark horse candidate Stéphane Dion

Stéphane Dion

won the leadership on December 2, 2006.

Parliamentary leadership until the convention

On February 1, 2006, outgoing Prime Minister Paul Martin announced that he would like to continue as leader of the Liberal Party until his successor was chosen but that he would not serve as Leader of the Opposition

Leader of the Opposition (Canada)

The Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition , or simply the Leader of the Opposition is the leader of Canada's Official Opposition, the party with the most seats in the House of Commons that is not a member of the government...

. Later that day, the 103-member Liberal caucus selected Bill Graham

Bill Graham

William Carvel "Bill" Graham, PC QC is a former Canadian politician, who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of National Defence, and Leader of the Opposition and interim Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.-Personal life:...

, Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre

Toronto Centre

Toronto Centre is a federal electoral district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1872 to 1925, and since 1935, under the names Centre Toronto , Toronto Centre , Rosedale and Toronto Centre—Rosedale .Toronto Centre covers the heart of...

and the outgoing Minister of National Defence

Minister of National Defence (Canada)

The Minister of National Defence is a Minister of the Crown; the Canadian politician within the Cabinet of Canada responsible for the Department of National Defence which oversees the Canadian Forces....

, as Leader of the Opposition and interim

Interim leader

An interim leader, in Canadian politics, is a party leader appointed by the party's legislative caucus or the party's executive to temporarily act as leader when a gap occurs between the resignation or death of a party leader and the election of a formal successor...

parliamentary leader

Parliamentary leader

A parliamentary leader is political title given in various countries to lead a caucus in a legislative body, whether it be the countries respective parliaments or provincial legislature...

in the House of Commons

Canadian House of Commons

The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...

. (The caucus was soon reduced to 102 members when David Emerson

David Emerson

David Lee Emerson, PC, OBC is a Canadian politician, businessman and civil servant.Emerson is a former Member of Parliament for the riding of Vancouver Kingsway. He was first elected as a Liberal and served as Minister of Industry under Prime Minister Paul Martin...

crossed the floor

Crossing the floor

In politics, crossing the floor has two meanings referring to a change of allegiance in a Westminster system parliament.The term originates from the British House of Commons, which is configured with the Government and Opposition facing each other on rows of benches...

to join the Conservatives

Conservative Party of Canada

The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...

.) Graham named Lucienne Robillard

Lucienne Robillard

Lucienne Robillard, PC is a Canadian politician and a member of the Liberal Party of Canada. She sat in the Canadian House of Commons as the Member of Parliament for the riding of Westmount—Ville-Marie in Montreal....

, member for Westmount—Ville-Marie

Westmount—Ville-Marie

Westmount—Ville-Marie is a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1997. Its population in 2001 was 97,226.-Geography:...

and the outgoing Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs

Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs (Canada)

The Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for the federal government's relations with the governments of the provinces and territories of Canada...

, as his deputy leader

Deputy Leader

A deputy leader in the Westminster system is the second-in-command of a political party, behind the party leader. Deputy leaders often become deputy prime minister when their parties are elected to government. In opposition, deputy leaders often lead Question Time sessions when the party leader is...

. Alberta Senator Dan Hays

Dan Hays

Daniel Phillip Hays, PC is a Canadian politician. He was Speaker of the Canadian Senate from 2001 to 2006, when he became Liberal Leader in the Senate...

, outgoing speaker of the Canadian Senate

Canadian Senate

The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...

, was chosen as Leader of the Opposition in the Senate.

Though Martin initially intended to remain the official leader until the party chose his permanent replacement, the former Prime Minister announced on March 16, 2006 that his resignation would take effect the following weekend, once the Liberal Party executive set the date of the convention. According to media reports, Martin made his decision to end speculation that he may lead the Liberals into the next election, should the Harper government fall in the following few months.

Bill Graham was given the full-fledged role of interim leader

Interim leader

(rather than just interim parliamentary leader) by the National Executive on March 18, 2006. Interim leaders are traditionally expected to be neutral in leadership races and are typically individuals who are not expected to be candidates themselves.

Rules

The date and rules of the convention were decided upon by the Liberal Party National Executive during its meeting on March 18–March 19, 2006.

The party constitution required that a convention be held within a year of the leader's resignation and that the party's biennial convention be held by March 2007. The leadership convention also served as the party's regular policy convention, so there was debate and voting on policy resolutions and an election for the party's executive.

Selection of delegates by riding association

Riding association

s and party clubs occurred on the weekend of September 29 to October 1. Only those who have purchased or renewed their party membership by July 4, 2006 were be eligible to vote. Approximately 850 ex-officio delegates who automatically gained the right to attend the convention by virtue of being a Liberal Member of Parliament

Canadian House of Commons

, recent candidate, Senator

Canadian Senate

, etc. The Liberal Aboriginal Peoples’ Commission was entitled to send a delegation that is in proportion to the percentage of the Canadian population that is Aboriginal. All delegates, except those with ex-officio status and those who won election as independent delegates, were bound to a particular candidate on the first ballot, but all delegates were free to vote as they wished on subsequent ballots.

Each candidate had to gather the signatures of at least 300 Liberal Party members, including at least 100 in each of three provinces or territories, and pay a $50,000 fee to enter the contest (down from $75,000 at the previous convention). The spending limit for each campaign was set at $3.4 million, down from $4 million. All of the first $500,000 raised by each candidate was kept by the candidate's campaign, and any amount raised above that figure was subject to a 20% levy by the party. In contrast to the previous campaign when the sale of party memberships was severely restricted, the executive decided to allow party membership to be purchased online.

The Convention Organization Committee and the convention proceedings were co-chaired by Dominic LeBlanc

Dominic LeBlanc

Dominic A. LeBlanc, PC, MP , is a Canadian lawyer and politician from New Brunswick, Canada. He is the Member of Parliament for the riding of Beauséjour and sits in the Canadian House of Commons as the Liberal Party's Foreign Affairs Critic. He was first elected in the 2000 federal election and has...

and Tanya Kappo. Steven MacKinnon, the National Director of the party, was the General Secretary

General Secretary

The office of general secretary is staffed by the chief officer of:*The General Secretariat for Macedonia and Thrace, a government agency for the Greek regions of Macedonia and Thrace...

of the convention.

The deadline for candidates to enter the race was September 30.

The voting was done in two stages on the ballot:

The top part of the ballot listed the names of each of the leadership candidates; party members could vote for a candidate or remain undeclared.
The second part of the ballot listed names of prospective delegates who were standing on behalf of the various leadership candidates.
- Riding associations had fourteen delegate positions: four men, four women, two seniors (over age 65) and four youths (under 26).
- Women's clubs had two delegate position each.
- Youth clubs and seniors' clubs each had four delegates, of which two were male and two were female.

Ex-officio delegates could automatically attend and vote at the convention without the requirement of getting elected. Ex-officio delegates included MPs, senators, riding association presidents, immediate past candidates, and a certain number of party executive members and members of the executive of various Liberal Party Commissions (such as the national youth commission, national women's commission, national Aboriginal commission, etc.) and provincial sections of the federal party as laid out in Section 16(13) of the party constitution.

At the convention, the first ballot by elected delegates was preset according by proportional representation according to the amount of support each leadership candidate received at the delegate selection meeting (the "leadership portion" of the ballot cast at riding association or club meetings), even if the delegate has personally expressed support for another candidate. Ex-officio and undeclared delegates could vote however they wish, while declared delegates were compelled to vote for their declared candidate, their only other choice being to abstain from voting on the first round. On the second ballot (which occurred because no leadership candidate received over 50% of the vote on the first ballot), all delegates were free to vote according to their personal preference.

Analysis

The unofficial Liberal Party tradition was to alternate between francophone and anglophone leaders, a tradition informally known as alternance. With Stéphane Dion as the only francophone candidate in the current race, however, this tradition would have been broken by the 2006 race if any candidate other than Dion had won. However, the principle of alternance was not widely cited as a specific issue in this leadership campaign — throughout the campaign, Dion was considered an "underdog" candidate with at best an outside chance of emerging as the eventual victor. Although polls consistently showed him as a popular second choice of delegates committed to other candidates, Dion's status as a Quebecer was widely considered a handicap, with conventional wisdom suggesting that the party was unlikely to turn to its third consecutive leader from Quebec.

The party also had another tradition of selecting a leader from among the ministers in the previous leader's Cabinet. Since Mackenzie King succeeded Wilfrid Laurier

Wilfrid Laurier

Sir Wilfrid Laurier, GCMG, PC, KC, baptized Henri-Charles-Wilfrid Laurier was the seventh Prime Minister of Canada from 11 July 1896 to 6 October 1911....

in 1919, every Liberal leader had served in the previous leader's Cabinet. Laurier himself had served in the Cabinet of Alexander Mackenzie

Alexander Mackenzie

Alexander Mackenzie, PC , a building contractor and newspaper editor, was the second Prime Minister of Canada from November 7, 1873 to October 8, 1878.-Biography:...

, the first Liberal leader, though the leader who directly preceded Laurier, Edward Blake

Edward Blake

Dominick Edward Blake, PC, QC , known as Edward Blake, was the second Premier of Ontario, Canada, from 1871 to 1872 and leader of the Liberal Party of Canada from 1880 to 1887...

, never served as prime minister, making him the only historical Liberal leader to date who never served in that capacity. Blake is also the only Liberal leader, other than Mackenzie King, who had never served in the Cabinet of a previous Liberal leader.

As the possibility of a 2006 Liberal leadership convention emerged during the midpoint of the election campaign, most media speculation focused on the surfeit of potential candidates poised to replace Martin. Some optimistically billed this convention as being most likely to provide a broad field of skilled contenders not seen since the 1968 convention that included Pierre Trudeau

Pierre Trudeau

Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...

, Robert Winters

Robert Winters

Robert Henry Winters, PC was a Canadian politician and businessman.Born in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, the son of a fishing captain, Winters went to Mount Allison University in New Brunswick, and then to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to complete his degree in electrical engineering...

, Paul Martin, Sr., John Turner

John Turner

John Napier Wyndham Turner, PC, CC, QC is an English Canadian lawyer and retired politician, who served as the 17th Prime Minister of Canada from June 30 to September 17, 1984....

, Joe Greene, Mitchell Sharp

Mitchell Sharp

Mitchell William Sharp, PC, CC was a Canadian politician and a Companion of the Order of Canada, was most noted for his service as a Liberal Cabinet minister. He had, however, served in both private and public sectors during his long career.-Background:Sharp was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba...

and Allan MacEachen

Allan MacEachen

Allan Joseph MacEachen, PC, OC is a retired Canadian politician, a many-time Cabinet minister, a retired Senator, one of Canada's elder statesmen, and was the first Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, serving from 1977 to 1979 and 1980 to 1984.-Early life:Born in Inverness on Nova Scotia's Cape...

. Such speculation seemed rooted in the assumption that high profile members of the Chrétien cabinet that had elected not to challenge the Martin juggernaut in 2003 (most commonly enumerated as John Manley

John Manley

John Manley may refer to:* John Manley , English soldier, MP and Postmaster General* John Manley, Canadian politician* John Manley , British archaeologist* John H. Manley, American nuclear physicist...

, Allan Rock

Allan Rock

Allan Michael Rock, PC is a lawyer, former Canadian politician, diplomat and now the President of University of Ottawa. He was Canada's ambassador to the United Nations and had previously served in the Cabinet of Jean Chrétien, most notably as Justice Minister and Health Minister .Rock was...

, Brian Tobin

Brian Tobin

Brian Vincent Tobin, PC is a Canadian businessman and former politician. Tobin served as the sixth Premier of Newfoundland from 1996 to 2000. Tobin was also a prominent Member of Parliament and served as a Cabinet Minister in Jean Chrétien's Liberal government.- Early life, education, and family...

and Martin Cauchon

Martin Cauchon

Martin Cauchon, PC is a Canadian lawyer and politician. He is a former Liberal Cabinet Minister.Cauchon was born in La Malbaie, Quebec and studied law at the University of Ottawa and the University of Exeter...

)would return to federal politics, along with 2003 runner-up Sheila Copps

Sheila Copps

Sheila Maureen Copps, PC is a former Canadian politician who also served as Deputy Prime Minister of Canada from November 4, 1993 to April 30, 1996 and June 19, 1996 to June 11, 1997....

and Martin's own presumptive heir Frank McKenna

Frank McKenna

Francis Joseph "Frank" McKenna, PC, OC, ONB, QC is a Canadian businessman and former politician and diplomat. He is currently Deputy Chairman of the Toronto-Dominion Bank. He served as Canadian Ambassador to the United States from 2005 to 2006...

, prompting a balanced matchup between multiple household names.

Instead, all of the above-mentioned politicians indicated they would not be contesting this race. Some commentators have stated that this is because of a prevailing view that the Liberal Party will spend an extended period in opposition so winning the party leadership comes with no certainty of becoming Prime Minister. Also, some say that the reported party debt might also have something to do with them backing down.

There is also the toll politics may take on one's personal life. In his decision not to run, Frank McKenna cited the fact that the prime ministership is a twenty-four hour a day, seven day a week job that leaves little time for anything else.

While some view the withdrawal of prominent candidates as indicating that the Liberal leadership is undesirable, others have heralded the potential for a "wide open" leadership race that is free from the baggage of the past that might do much to heal the lingering rifts in the party.

Early in the race the field of declared contenders was often described as having a first tier of six potential winners (the "big six") most commonly cited as consisting of Scott Brison

Scott Brison

Scott A. Brison, PC, MP is a Canadian politician from Nova Scotia, Canada. Brison has been the Member of Parliament for the riding of Kings-Hants since the 1997 federal election. Brison was originally elected as a Progressive Conservative but crossed the floor to join the Liberal Party in 2003...

, Stéphane Dion

Stéphane Dion

, Ken Dryden

Ken Dryden

Kenneth Wayne Dryden, PC, is a Canadian politician, lawyer, businessman, author, and former NHL goaltender. Dryden is married with two children and four grandchildren and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame...

, Michael Ignatieff

Michael Ignatieff

Michael Grant Ignatieff is a Canadian author, academic and former politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011...

, Gerard Kennedy

Gerard Kennedy

Gerard Michael Kennedy is a Canadian politician in Ontario, Canada. He served as Ontario's Minister of Education from 2003 to 2006, when he resigned to make an unsuccessful bid for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada...

and Bob Rae

Bob Rae

Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....

. By August 2006 however most news articles cited the top-tier of consisting of only three, or four potential winners most commonly cited as Stéphane Dion

Stéphane Dion

, Michael Ignatieff

Michael Ignatieff

Michael Grant Ignatieff is a Canadian author, academic and former politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011...

, and Bob Rae

Bob Rae

Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....

, but also occasionally including Gerard Kennedy

Gerard Kennedy

.

In October 2006, the Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...

reported that the campaigns of Gerard Kennedy and Stéphane Dion were holding talks about a potential alliance. The paper speculated that this alliance would be likely to win as their combined delegates would surpass both Michael Ignatieff and Bob Rae.

In May 2006, the Globe and Mail newspaper reported that the then-eleven candidates were tested for bilingualism certificates by University of Ottawa

University of Ottawa

The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...

professor Hélène Knoerr. Seven received passing scores: Bob Rae and Michael Ignatieff both received top scores, while Stéphane Dion (who was tested on his English fluency), Joe Volpe, Martha Hall Findlay, Gerard Kennedy and Maurizio Bevilacqua also were graded as bilingual. (Bevilacqua later dropped out of the race.) The remaining candidates all failed the test, whereby each candidate was asked the same four questions and graded based on their syntax, vocabulary, and grammar. Hedy Fry (who also withdrew) did not finish the interview. The newspaper initially errantly reported that Kennedy and Bevilacqua had failed to meet fluency requirements in French, but later retracted this statement.

Opinion polls

According to an opinion poll of Liberal party members by the Globe and Mail, conducted from September 12–18, Michael Ignatieff enjoyed a slim lead over the pack with 19% support. The remaining candidates' support was calculated at: 17% for Bob Rae, 13% for Stéphane Dion, 9% for Gerard Kennedy, 9% for Ken Dryden, 3% for Scott Brison, 2% for Joe Volpe, 1% for Martha Hall Findlay, and less than 1% for Hedy Fry. The poll found that 27% of party members did not know or were undecided about their choice. The poll appeared to show a potential second-ballot weakness for Ignatieff: 12% selected him as their second choice, compared to 23% for Rae and 17% for Dion. The accuracy of the poll was questioned by some, since it was taken based on membership lists provided by Brison, Dryden and Dion.

A poll of Liberal party members in Ontario and Quebec by EKOS Research Associates

EKOS Research Associates

EKOS Research Associates Inc. is a Canadian social and economic research company founded by Carleton University graduate Frank Graves. They specialize in market research, public opinion research, strategic communications advice, program evaluation and performance measurement, and human resources...

for the Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...

and La Presse, conducted from September 17–24, showed similar results, with Rae and Ignatieff supported by 25% each, Dion by 17% and Kennedy by 16%. Rae and Dion again had strong support for second choice at 27% each, compared with 19% for Ignatieff.

Party insiders suggested that Ignatieff would need to secure at least 35% of the delegates elected on "Super Weekend" to avoid being overtaken in subsequent ballots. Although he won the most delegates overall on that weekend, he did not reach the 35% target. An anonymous source speculated to the BBC that Ignatieff's 30-year absence from Canada and his initial support for the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq played against him in the election. Ignatieff eventually lost at the fourth ballot; Patrick Gossage, a Toronto political consultant and Ignatieff supporter, explained the loss in this way: "There were people saying, 'Who is this telling us what he's going to do with the party?' Even though he was supported by the party establishment he nevertheless was an outsider, and he never successfully dealt with the labels the media put on him that he'd been away for 30 years." Lauren P. S. Epstein, the former prime minister of the Harvard Canadian Club, said: “What it came down to in the final vote was that the Liberal delegates were looking for someone who was more likely to unite the party; Igantieff had ardent supporters, but at the same time, he had people who would never under any circumstances support him.”

Registered candidates

Individuals who have gathered the necessary signatures from 300 party members and paid the first $25,000 installment of the entry fee:

Scott Brison

is the MP for Kings—Hants

Kings—Hants

Kings—Hants is a federal electoral district in Nova Scotia, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1968...

and was Minister of Public Works and Government Services

Minister of Public Works and Government Services (Canada)

The Minister of Public Works and Government Services is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's "common service organization" , an expansive department responsible for the internal servicing and administration of the federal...

under Martin. He had previously been a Progressive Conservative

Progressive Conservative Party of Canada

The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....

MP (since 1997) and had run for the leadership of the PC Party. Brison crossed the floor

Crossing the floor

to join the Liberals shortly after the creation of the Conservative Party of Canada

Conservative Party of Canada

. An openly gay

Gay

Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....

former investment banker, Brison is a fiscal moderate and social progressive. He stood for the leadership of the PC Party on a platform of Employment Insurance reform, more private involvement in healthcare, integrated defense strategy with the US, and socially liberal policies. His 2006 Liberal leadership platform emphasises the candidate as a "defender of the environment, business innovation and socially progressive values.

High profile supporters

Former New Brunswick Premier Frank McKenna

Frank McKenna

, considered the leading contender until he announced he was not running in the race, had donated $3000 to Brison's campaign in August and formally endorsed Brison on November 30.

Supporters in caucus prior to first ballot: 10

MPs: 4 Scott Brison

Scott Brison

, Mark Eyking

Mark Eyking

Mark Eyking, PC, MP is a Canadian politician.Eyking was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia. A resident of Millville, Nova Scotia, Eyking is a current member of the Liberal Party of Canada in the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of Sydney—Victoria since 2000. Eyking is a former farmer...

, Shawn Murphy

Shawn Murphy

Shawn Murphy, PC, MP, QC is a Canadian politician.Murphy attended the University of Prince Edward Island, and later the University of New Brunswick Faculty of Law, graduating with a law degree in 1976. He returned to Prince Edward Island and joined a local law practice, working alongside future...

, Michael Savage

Michael Savage (politician)

Michael John Savage was the Liberal Party of Canada Member of Parliament for the riding of Dartmouth—Cole Harbour. On May 2, 2011, Savage lost his bid for re-election to Parliament to Robert Chisholm of the NDP. Savage received 15,162 votes to Chisholm's 15,661.-Biography:Savage is the son of...

Senators: 6 Sen. Jane Cordy, Sen. Jim Cowan

Jim Cowan

James S. "Jim" Cowan is a Canadian lawyer and Senator from Nova Scotia. He was appointed to the Senate by Prime Minister Paul Martin on March 24, 2005. He represents the Liberal Party of Canada...

, Sen. Joseph Day

Joseph A. Day

Joseph A. Day is a Canadian politician. He has been a Canadian Senator since October 4, 2001.Day studied at College Militaire Royal Saint-Jean in 1963. He graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario in 1968. He served in the Royal Canadian Air Force from 1963 to 1968...

, Sen. Michael Kirby

Michael J. L. Kirby

Michael J. L. Kirby, OC is a Canadian politician. He sat in the Canadian Senate as a Liberal representing Nova Scotia. Currently, he is the Chair of the Mental Health Commission of Canada....

, Sen. Wilfred Moore

Wilfred Moore

Wilfred P. Moore, QC is a Canadian Senator representing Nova Scotia.-Early life and education:Born in Halifax, Moore received a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Saint Mary’s University in 1964 and a law degree from Dalhousie University in 1968...

, Sen. Gerard Phalen

Gerard Phalen

Gerard A. "Jigger" Phalen , from Glace Bay, Nova Scotia is a former Canadian Senator, educator, and union leader.-Early life:...

Date campaign launched: April 22, 2006

Date officially registered: May 25, 2006

Number of ballots: 1

Result: Following the first ballot, he announced that he would withdraw from the race and support Rae.

Stéphane Dion

was Intergovernmental Affairs minister

Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs (Canada)

under Chrétien, Environment minister

Minister of the Environment (Canada)

The Minister of the Environment is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's environment department, Environment Canada...

under Martin. Before entering federal politics by his 1996 appointment to cabinet followed shortly by his election to parliament from Saint-Laurent—Cartierville

Saint-Laurent—Cartierville

Saint-Laurent—Cartierville is a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1988. Its population in 2006 was 109,015.-Geography:...

, Dion was a professor of political science and noted federalist commentator. Dion is noted for his vocal opposition to Quebec sovereigntism

Quebec sovereignty movement

The Quebec sovereignty movement refers to both the political movement and the ideology of values, concepts and ideas that promote the secession of the province of Quebec from the rest of Canada...

and his support for such measures as the Clarity Act

Clarity Act

The Clarity Act is legislation passed by the Parliament of Canada that established the conditions under which the Government of Canada would enter into negotiations that might lead to secession following such a vote by one of the provinces. The Clarity Bill was tabled for first reading in the...

. He was considered a Chrétien loyalist who nonetheless worked well with the Martin camp.
Dion announced his candidacy on April 7.

High profile supporters

Former Liberal House Leader Don Boudria

Don Boudria

Donald "Don" Boudria, PC is a former Canadian politician. He served in the Canadian House of Commons from 1984 to 2005 as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada, and was a cabinet minister in the government of Jean Chrétien....

serves as Dion's Campaign Chair. Paul Martin's BC Lieutenant Mark Marissen

Mark Marissen

Mark Allan Marissen is a senior strategist for the Liberal Party of Canada. He is currently a VP of Vision Critical, a public opinion and market research firm headquartered in Vancouver and was chairman of the Burrard Group, a strategic communications and government relations firm he operated...

is his National Campaign Director. One-time Progressive Conservative leadership aspirant David Orchard

David Orchard

David Orchard is a Canadian political figure, member of the Liberal Party of Canada, who was the Liberal Party candidate for the Saskatchewan riding of Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River in the 2008 federal election.Previously, Orchard was a member of the now defunct Progressive Conservative...

also announced his support of Dion. Additional high profile supporters include the leader of the Saskatchewan Liberal Party

Saskatchewan Liberal Party

The Saskatchewan Liberal Party is a liberal political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan.-Early history :The party dominated Saskatchewan politics for the province's first forty years providing six of the first seven Premiers, and being in power for all but five of the years between the...

David Karwacki

David Karwacki , Canadian politician, was Leader of the Saskatchewan Liberals between October 2001 and December 2007....

, Jamie Elmhirst, the President of the British Columbia

British Columbia

British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...

wing of the Party, Adam Campbell, the President of the Alberta wing of the Party, former Green Party of Canada

Green Party of Canada

The Green Party of Canada is a Canadian federal political party founded in 1983 with 10,000–12,000 registered members as of October 2008. The Greens advance a broad multi-issue political platform that reflects its core values of ecological wisdom, social justice, grassroots democracy and...

deputy leader Tom Manley

Tom Manley

Tom Manley is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was one of three co-Deputy Leaders of the Green Party of Canada until 2005, and was considered a leading candidate to be its next leader. On Friday, September 23, 2005, Manley resigned from the Green Party to join the Liberal Party of Canada...

, former Prime Minister Paul Martin

Paul Martin

Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , also known as Paul Martin, Jr. is a Canadian politician who was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....

's Chief of Staff Tim Murphy, Herb Metcalfe, former John Manley

John Manley

Campaign Chair, and Marc-Boris Saint-Maurice the co-founder and former leader of the Marijuana Party of Canada

Marijuana Party of Canada

The Marijuana Party is a Canadian federal political party. Its agenda consists of ending prohibition of cannabis. With the exception of this one issue, the party does not have "official policy" in any other area...

. Former Justice minister Allan Rock

Allan Rock

endorsed Dion on December 1. Eighth-place Martha Hall Findlay

Martha Hall Findlay

Martha Hall Findlay is a Canadian lawyer, businesswoman and politician. She was elected to the Canadian House of Commons as the Liberal Party of Canada's candidate in the Toronto riding of Willowdale in a federal by-election held on March 17, 2008 to fill a vacancy created by former Liberal MP Jim...

was eliminated on the first ballot and endorsed Dion, and fourth-place Gerard Kennedy

Gerard Kennedy

withdrew and supported Dion after the second ballot.

Supporters in caucus prior to first ballot: 17

MPs: 11 Sue Barnes

Sue Barnes

Susan "Sue" Barnes, PC, MP is a Canadian politician. Barnes is currently a member of the Liberal Party of Canada and was in the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of London West from 1993 to 2008....

, Colleen Beaumier

Colleen Beaumier

Colleen Beaumier is a Canadian politician, who served in the Canadian House of Commons as a Liberal Member of Parliament from 1993 to 2008.-Pre-politics:...

, Bonnie Brown, Stéphane Dion

Stéphane Dion

, Charles Hubbard

Charles Hubbard

Charles Isaac Hubbard, PC, CD is a Canadian politician.Hubbard is a current member of the Liberal Party of Canada He is a former member of the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of Miramichi, New Brunswick from 1993 to 2008. Hubbard is a former school principal...

, Marlene Jennings

Marlene Jennings

Marlene Jennings, PC, MP is a Canadian politician. She was a member of the Liberal Party of Canada in the Canadian House of Commons, and represented the riding of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine from 1997 to 2011....

, Nancy Karetak-Lindell

Nancy Karetak-Lindell

Nancy Karetak-Lindell is a former Canadian politician. Previously she was a financial comptroller and municipal councillor in Arviat, Karetak-Lindell ran for a seat in the Canadian House of Commons as a Liberal candidate in the 1997 federal election in the riding of Nunavut...

, Glen Pearson

Glen Pearson

Glen Douglas Pearson is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He is a former Member of Parliament for London North Centre, and is a member of the Liberal Party of Canada.-Life and career:...

*, Francis Scarpaleggia

Francis Scarpaleggia

Francis Scarpaleggia, MP is a member of the Liberal Party of Canada and Member of Parliament for the riding of Lac-Saint-Louis, which encompasses the western tip of the island of Montreal, Quebec...

, Paul Steckle

Paul Steckle

Paul Daniel Steckle is a former Canadian Member of Parliament for Huron—Bruce and a member of the Liberal Party of Canada. - Political positions :...

, Bryon Wilfert

Bryon Wilfert

Bryon J. Wilfert, PC was a Canadian politician. He was a member of the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of Richmond Hill for the Liberal Party from 1997 to 2011...

Senators: 7 Sen. Tommy Banks

Tommy Banks

Thomas Benjamin "Tommy" Banks, OC, AOE is a Canadian pianist, conductor, arranger, composer, television personality and Senator....

, Sen. John Bryden

John G. Bryden

John G. Bryden is a former Canadian Senator.A lawyer, former public servant and businessman, Bryden was summoned to the Senate as a Liberal by Governor General Ray Hnatyshyn, on the advice of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, on November 23, 1994. He represented the province of New Brunswick until his...

, Sen. Maria Chaput

Maria Chaput

Maria Chaput is a current member of the Canadian Senate representing the Senatorial Division of Manitoba. She is the first franco-Manitoban woman to be appointed to the upper house of the Parliament of Canada.-External links:* *...

, Sen. Joan Fraser, Sen. Vivienne Poy

Vivienne Poy

Vivienne Poy was appointed to the Senate of Canada in 1998. Poy came to Canada as a university student in 1959. She is the first Canadian senator of Asian ancestry. She graduated from St...

, Sen. Fernand Robichaud

Fernand Robichaud

Fernand Robichaud, PC is a Canadian politician.He was born in Shippagan, New Brunswick and received a teaching certificate from the Moncton Technical Institute. Before entering politics, Robichaud was a teacher and businessman...

, Sen. Claudette Tardif

Claudette Tardif

Claudette Tardif is a Canadian senator from Alberta. She was appointed to the senate by Governor General Adrienne Clarkson, on the advice of Prime Minister Paul Martin, on March 24, 2005, representing the Liberal Party of Canada....

* Glen Pearson is an MP-elect, having won the November 27th by-election in London North Centre
London North Centre
London North Centre is an electoral district in the province of Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1997....

.

Supporters picked up after first ballot

MPs: 1 Mark Eyking

Mark Eyking

Supporters picked up after second ballot

MPs: Omar Alghabra

Omar Alghabra

Omar Alghabra is a Canadian politician, who represented the riding of Mississauga—Erindale in the Canadian House of Commons from 2006 to 2008.Alghabra graduated from Ryerson University with a degree in engineering and in 2000 received his Master of Business Administration from York University.He...

, Navdeep Bains

Navdeep Bains

Navdeep Singh Bains, PC is a Canadian politician from Ontario, Canada. He is the former Liberal Member of Parliament for the riding of Mississauga—Brampton South.-Early life:...

, Raymond Chan

Raymond Chan

Raymond Chan, PC , is the first Chinese Canadian to be appointed to the Cabinet of Canada. A member of the Liberal Party of Canada, Chan was elected to Parliament in the 1993 federal election, defeating then Defence Minister Tom Siddon in the riding of Richmond, British Columbia...

, Mark Holland

Mark Holland

Mark Holland is a Canadian politician. In the 2004 federal election he was elected to the Canadian House of Commons as a candidate of the Liberal Party in the Ontario riding of Ajax-Pickering. Holland was subsequently re-elected in the 2006 and 2008 federal elections...

Supporters picked up after third ballot

MPs: Maurizio Bevilacqua

Maurizio Bevilacqua

Maurizio Bevilacqua, PC, is a Canadian politician. He was a Liberal Member of Parliament from 1988 to 2010 and was of eleven candidates for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada but dropped out of the race on August 14, 2006...

, Ujjal Dosanjh

Ujjal Dosanjh

Ujjal Dev Singh Dosanjh, PC, QC, is a Sikh Canadian lawyer and politician. He served as 33rd Premier of British Columbia from 2000 to 2001 and as a Liberal Party of Canada Member of Parliament from 2004 to 2011 including a stint as Minister of Health from 2004 until 2006 when the party lost...

, Ken Dryden

Ken Dryden

, Hedy Fry

Hedy Fry

Hedy Fry, PC, MP is a Canadian politician and physician. She is the Member of Parliament for Vancouver Centre.-Early life:Fry was born into poverty in San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago...

, John Godfrey

John Godfrey

John Ferguson Godfrey, PC is a Canadian educator, journalist and former Member of Parliament.- Education :He was born in Toronto, Ontario. His father, Senator John Morrow Godfrey , was a Canadian pilot, lawyer and politician. John Godfrey graduated from Upper Canada College in 1960...

, Ralph Goodale

Ralph Goodale

Ralph Edward Goodale, PC, MP was Canada's Minister of Finance from 2003 to 2006 and continues to be a Liberal Member of Parliament...

, Susan Kadis

Susan Kadis

Susan R. Kadis is a politician in Ontario, Canada. She was the Liberal Member of Parliament for Thornhill in the Canadian House of Commons from 2004 to 2008.-Background:...

, Jim Karygiannis

Jim Karygiannis

James "Jim" Karygiannis, PC, MP is a Canadian Liberal politician. He has served in the Canadian House of Commons since 1988, and was the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and Minister responsible for Democratic Renewal...

, Joe Volpe

Joe Volpe

Giuseppe Joseph "Joe" Volpe, PC, was a Canadian politician. He was a Liberal member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1988 until the 2011 federal election, being surpassed by the conservative member Joe Oliver Joe Oliver, and held two senior positions in Prime Minister Paul Martin's Cabinet...

Senators: 3 Jerry Grafstein

Jerry Grafstein

Jerahmiel S. "Jerry" Grafstein is a former Canadian Senator and lawyer.He is married to Carole and has two children, Laurence Stephen and Michael Kevin....

, Frank Mahovlich

Frank Mahovlich

Francis William "The Big M" Mahovlich, CM is a Canadian Senator, and a retired NHL ice hockey player, nicknamed the "Big M." He played on six Stanley Cup-winning teams and is an inductee of the Hockey Hall of Fame.-Playing career:...

, Jack Austin

Jack Austin

Jacob "Jack" Austin, PC, OBC is a Canadian former politician and former member of the Canadian Senate. He was appointed to the upper house by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau on August 8, 1975 and represented British Columbia. At the time of his retirement he was the longest serving Senator.-Life...

Date campaign launched: April 7, 2006

Date officially registered: May 24, 2006

Ken Dryden

was Social Development minister

Minister of Social Development (Canada)

The Minister of Social Development is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing Social Development Canada, the federal government's department concerned with the needs of seniors, children, families and people with disabilities.On February 6, 2006, Prime...

under Martin. A former star goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens

Montreal Canadiens

The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...

hockey team, Dryden was elected in 2004 as a star candidate for the Liberals. He was instrumental in putting forward a child care strategy during the Martin government. Dryden, who has written a book about the public education system, stressed the importance of improving the education system in order to keep Canada competitive. "Learning is at the core of our future—for a person, a society, an economy, a country," Dryden said. "Learning is our only real security, our only real opportunity, and this program, years in the hoping, was the first big step towards truly lifelong learning." He also said Canada's unique, multi-ethnic mix needs to be held up as an example to the world.

Supporters in caucus prior to first ballot: 12

MPs: 5 Don Bell

Don Bell

For the American radio broadcaster, see Don Bell Donald H. Bell, MP is a Canadian politician. He represented the riding of North Vancouver in the Canadian House of Commons from 2004 to 2008 as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada...

, Ken Boshcoff

Ken Boshcoff

Ken Boshcoff is a Canadian politician. He was born in Fort William, Ontario. He served as mayor of Thunder Bay, Ontario from 1997 to 2003, during which he established Thunder Bay as the "Martial Arts Capital of Canada". He also had a role in establishing the Northern Ontario School of Medicine,...

, Ken Dryden

Ken Dryden

, Tina Keeper

Tina Keeper

Tina Keeper, OM , is a Cree activist, producer, former actress and former member of the Canadian House of Commons.Keeper is best known for her role as RCMP officer Michelle Kenidi in the CBC Television series North of 60, about the fictional aboriginal community of Lynx River. She also hosted a...

, Anita Neville

Anita Neville

Anita Neville, MP was a Canadian politician. She was elected to the Canadian House of Commons as a Liberal in the general election of 2000, and was re-elected in 2004 and 2006, before being defeated in 2011.-Early life and career:...

Senators: 7 Sen. Sharon Carstairs

Sharon Carstairs

Sharon Carstairs, PC is a Canadian politician and former Senator.-Early life:Carstairs was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the daughter of former Nova Scotia Premier Harold Connolly and his wife Vivian...

, Sen. Art Eggleton

Art Eggleton

Arthur "Art" C. Eggleton, PC is a former Canadian Cabinet minister and Mayor of Toronto, and is currently a Senator representing Ontario.-City council:...

, Sen. Joyce Fairbairn

Joyce Fairbairn

Joyce Fairbairn, PC is a Canadian Senator and was the first woman to serve as Leader of the Government in the Senate....

, Sen. Jerry Grafstein

Jerry Grafstein

Jerahmiel S. "Jerry" Grafstein is a former Canadian Senator and lawyer.He is married to Carole and has two children, Laurence Stephen and Michael Kevin....

, Sen. Frank Mahovlich

Frank Mahovlich

, Sen. Marilyn Trenholme Counsell

Marilyn Trenholme Counsell

- References :*...

, Sen. Rod Zimmer

Rod Zimmer

Rod A. A. Zimmer is a Canadian Senator. He was appointed to the Canadian Senate on the recommendation of Prime Minister Paul Martin on August 2, 2005. Zimmer was previously a Winnipeg, Manitoba businessman and a philanthropist...

Date campaign launched: April 28, 2006

Date officially registered: May 29, 2006

Number of ballots: 2

Result: Eliminated after second ballot. He endorsed Rae after the second ballot, then Dion after the third.

Martha Hall Findlay

, a Toronto lawyer, was the first candidate to officially declare she would run for the leadership when she did so on February 8, 2006 . She has previously run as a Liberal candidate in the 2004 election

Canadian federal election, 2004

The Canadian federal election, 2004 , was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 38th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal government of Prime Minister Paul Martin lost its majority, but was able to form a minority government after the elections...

, losing to Belinda Stronach

Belinda Stronach

Belinda Caroline Stronach, PC is a Canadian businessperson, philanthropist and former politician. She was a Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons from 2004 to 2008. Originally elected as a Conservative, she later crossed the floor to join the Liberals...

in the district of Newmarket—Aurora

Newmarket—Aurora

Newmarket—Aurora is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004.The district contains the towns of Newmarket and Aurora....

. When Stronach crossed the floor in 2005, Hall Findlay ceded her Liberal nomination for the riding to Stronach. Hall Findlay, 45, is fluently bilingual and has worked as the principal of her own management and legal consultancy organization, The General Counsel Group, which works primarily in the high-tech and telecommunications fields in Canada and Europe. On March 17, 2008, Hall Findlay was elected to serve the Toronto constituency of Willowdale

Willowdale (electoral district)

Willowdale is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1979.The riding was created in 1976 from part of Eglinton....

as Member of Parliament.

Supporters in caucus prior to first ballot: 1

MPs: 1 Judy Sgro

Judy Sgro

Judy Sgro, PC, MP is a Canadian politician. A member of the Liberal Party of Canada, she currently represents the electoral district of York West in the Canadian House of Commons.-Councillor:...

Senators: 0

Date campaign launched: February 8, 2006

Date officially registered: May 24, 2006

Number of ballots: 1

Result: Eliminated after first ballot. She supported Dion through the remaining ballots.

Michael Ignatieff

Michael Grant Ignatieff is a Canadian author, academic and former politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011...

is a public intellectual

Intellectual

An intellectual is a person who uses intelligence and critical or analytical reasoning in either a professional or a personal capacity.- Terminology and endeavours :"Intellectual" can denote four types of persons:...

, who has worked as a teacher, writer/journalist and politician. For most of his professional life Ignatieff lectured and wrote outside Canada; first in the United Kingdom at Cambridge University from 1978–1984, then in London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

as a journalist and writer until 2000 when he was named director of the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at Harvard University

Harvard University

Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...

. His 1993 novel, Scar Tissue was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize

Man Booker Prize

The Man Booker Prize for Fiction is a literary prize awarded each year for the best original full-length novel, written in the English language, by a citizen of the Commonwealth of Nations, Ireland, or Zimbabwe. The winner of the Man Booker Prize is generally assured of international renown and...

. Upon his return to Canada in 2005, he became a visiting professor at the University of Toronto

University of Toronto

The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...

, and in the 2006 federal election campaign he was elected to the Canadian House of Commons as MP for Etobicoke—Lakeshore

Etobicoke—Lakeshore

Etobicoke—Lakeshore is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1968....

. Ignatieff is a staunch supporter of interventionism, and was in favour of the 2003 Invasion of Iraq

2003 invasion of Iraq

The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...

, despite the conflict's relative unpopularity in Canada, and recently in the United States. Some media see Ignatieff as belonging to the right-wing of the Liberal Party because of his positions on foreign affairs. However, he has taken a centre-left position on most domestic social policies.

High profile supporters

Ignatieff's campaign was co-chaired by Senator David Smith

David Paul Smith

David Paul Smith, PC, QC is a Canadian lawyer, politician and Senator.Smith was an alderman on Toronto City Council in the 1970s. He served a period as deputy mayor and president of city council. He ran for Mayor of Toronto in 1978, but was defeated by John Sewell in a three-way split...

, a powerful Chrétien

Jean Chrétien

organizer and chairman emeritus of Canada's largest "cross-border" law firm, MP Denis Coderre

Denis Coderre

Denis Coderre, PC, MP is a Canadian politician from Quebec, Canada. Coderre is the Liberal Member of Parliament for the Montreal riding of Bourassa.-Background:...

, MP Ruby Dhalla

Ruby Dhalla

Ruby Dhalla is a Canadian politician. She represented the riding of Brampton—Springdale in the Canadian House of Commons from 2004 to 2011 as a member of the Liberal Party...

, and was initially headed by Ian Davey (son of Senator Keith Davey

Keith Davey

Keith Douglas Davey, was a Canadian politician, Senator, and campaign organizer.Born in Toronto to Charles Minto Davey and Grace Viola , Keith Davey attended high school at North Toronto Collegiate Institute...

), Toronto lawyers Alfred Apps (a party fundraiser and former federal candidate), Daniel Brock (former assistant to John Manley

John Manley

and Irwin Cotler

Irwin Cotler

Irwin Cotler, PC, OC, MP was Canada's Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada from 2003 until the Liberal government of Paul Martin lost power following the 2006 federal election. He was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons for the constituency of Mount Royal in a by-election...

) and Paul Lalonde (son of former minister Marc Lalonde

Marc Lalonde

Marc Lalonde, PC, OC, QC is a retired Canadian politician and Cabinet minister.Lalonde was born in Île Perrot, Quebec and obtained a Master of Laws degree from the Université de Montréal, a Master's degree from Oxford University, and a Diplôme d'études supérieures en droit from the University of...

).
David Peterson

David Peterson

David Robert Peterson, PC, O.Ont was the 20th Premier of the Province of Ontario, Canada, from June 26, 1985 to October 1, 1990. He was the first Liberal premier of Ontario in 42 years....

was Ignatieff's honorary campaign co-chair along with former Trudeau cabinet ministers Marc Lalonde

Marc Lalonde

and Donald MacDonald

Donald Stovel Macdonald

Donald Stovel Macdonald, PC, CC is a former Canadian Liberal politician and Cabinet minister.Macdonald graduated from the University of Trinity College in the University of Toronto in 1952. He was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1962 election as the Liberal Member of...

, and former Chrétien Minister Jean Augustine

Jean Augustine

Jean Augustine, PC, CM is a former Canadian politician.From 1993 to 2005, Augustine was a Liberal member of the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of Etobicoke—Lakeshore. She is a former member of Cabinet, and a former school principal...

. As the candidate with most caucus support, Ignatieff's regional campaigns were mostly headed by parliamentarians (Ontario - Former Martin ministers Jim Peterson

Jim Peterson

James Scott "Jim" Peterson, PC is a retired Canadian politician and former Minister of International Trade.Born in Ottawa, Ontario, he has a DCL from McGill University, a Master of Laws from Columbia University, and a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Western Ontario...

and Aileen Carroll

Aileen Carroll

Margaret Aileen Carroll, PC, MPP is a Canadian politician. She was the federal Minister for International Cooperation in the Paul Martin government, and later Ontario's Minister of Culture and Minister Responsible for Seniors.- Personal life :Carroll has a Bachelor of Arts from St...

, Atlantic Canada - MP Rodger Cuzner

Rodger Cuzner

Rodger T. Cuzner is a Canadian politician.Born in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, he graduated from Morrison Glace Bay High School and then studied physical education at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish....

, Quebec - MP and former president of the Liberal Party's federal Quebec wing Pablo Rodriguez, British Columbia - MP Stephen Owen

Stephen Owen

Stephen Owen, PC is the Vice-President of External, Legal and Community Relations for the University of British Columbia. He is a former Canadian politician....

, Alberta - Senator Grant Mitchell

Grant Mitchell (politician)

-Early life:He received a B.A. degree from the University of Alberta and an M.A. degree from Queen's University. From 1976 to 1979, he worked as a public servant with the Government of Alberta...

, Manitoba - MP Raymond Simard

Raymond Simard

Raymond Simard, PC is a politician from Manitoba, Canada. He was a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 2002 to 2008, representing the riding of Saint Boniface for the Liberal Party of Canada....

. In addition to federal caucus support, Ignatieff was also endorsed by numerous provincial ministers in Ontario and New Brunswick (the two provinces with Liberal governments that are affiliated with the federal party).

Supporters in caucus prior to first ballot: 49

MPs: 39 Larry Bagnell

Larry Bagnell

Lawrence "Larry" Bagnell, PC, MP is a former Canadian politician. He served as a Member of the Canadian House of Commons from 2000 until 2011 sitting with the Liberal caucus in both government and opposition.-Politicial career:...

, Mauril Bélanger

Mauril Bélanger

Mauril A. Bélanger, PC, MP is a Member of the Canadian Parliament. He is a member of the Liberal Party. Bélanger has been involved in advocacy for the rights of Franco-Ontarians....

, Gerry Byrne, John Cannis

John Cannis

John Cannis is a former member of the House of Commons in Canada.-Background:Born in Kalymnos, Greece, Cannis was raised and educated in Toronto, Ontario. A successful entrepreneur for 18 years, Cannis owned a Toronto-based international executive search firm and was a member in good standing of...

, Denis Coderre

Denis Coderre

Denis Coderre, PC, MP is a Canadian politician from Quebec, Canada. Coderre is the Liberal Member of Parliament for the Montreal riding of Bourassa.-Background:...

, Roy Cullen

Roy Cullen

For the Texas businessman, see Hugh Roy Cullen.Roy Cullen, PC, MP was a Liberal MP for the riding of Etobicoke North in the Canadian House of Commons.-Background:...

, Rodger Cuzner

Rodger Cuzner

, Sukh Dhaliwal

Sukh Dhaliwal

Sukh Dhaliwal, MP is a businessman and politician in British Columbia, Canada, who was the Liberal Member of Parliament for Newton—North Delta from 2006 to 2011....

, Jean-Claude D'Amours

Jean-Claude D'Amours

Jean-Claude "J.C." D'Amours is a Canadian politician and former Member of Parliament for Madawaska—Restigouche.D'Amours served as a city councillor in Edmundston from 1998 to 2004...

, Ruby Dhalla

Ruby Dhalla

Ruby Dhalla is a Canadian politician. She represented the riding of Brampton—Springdale in the Canadian House of Commons from 2004 to 2011 as a member of the Liberal Party...

, Wayne Easter

Wayne Easter

Arnold Wayne Easter, PC, MP is a Canadian politician.-Before politics:Born in North Wiltshire, Prince Edward Island the son of A. Leith Easter and Hope MacLeod, he was educated at the Charlottetown Rural High School and the Nova Scotia Agricultural College. In 1970, he married Helen Arleighn...

, Raymonde Folco

Raymonde Folco

Raymonde Folco is a Canadian politician.Born in a Jewish family in Paris, she hid with Christian families during World War II. She emigrated to Toronto with her family in 1950s...

, Albina Guarnieri

Albina Guarnieri

Albina Guarnieri, PC, MP is a former politician. She was a member of Paul Martin's Liberal government and was Canada's 24th Minister of Veterans Affairs...

, Michael Ignatieff

Michael Ignatieff

Michael Grant Ignatieff is a Canadian author, academic and former politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011...

, Derek Lee, John Maloney, Keith Martin, John McCallum

John McCallum

John McCallum, PC, MP is a Liberal Canadian politician, economist and university professor. Following the 2006 Federal Election, he became the Liberal Finance Critic in the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet...

, David McGuinty

David McGuinty

David Joseph McGuinty, MP is a Canadian lawyer politician from Ontario, Canada. He is the Member of Parliament for the riding of Ottawa South and sits in the Canadian House of Commons as the Liberal Party of Canada's Critic for Natural Resources...

, Joe McGuire

Joe McGuire

Joseph Blair "Joe" McGuire, PC, MP is a retired Canadian politician. He was a Member of Parliament representing the Liberals in the House of Commons for the riding of Egmont in Prince Edward Island. He was first elected in 1988, and re-elected in 1993, 1997, 2000, 2004, and the recent 2006 election...

, John McKay

John McKay (politician)

John Norman McKay, PC, MP is a lawyer and a Canadian politician. He is the Liberal Member of Parliament for the riding of Scarborough—Guildwood. McKay was formerly the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance while the Liberal party governed, but now serves as an opposition MP...

, Gary Merasty

Gary Merasty

Gary Merasty, is a Canadian politician and former Liberal Member of Parliament for Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River in northern Saskatchewan. A former two-time Grand Chief of the Prince Albert Grand Council, Merasty is a member of the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation within Treaty 6 territory...

, Maria Minna

Maria Minna

Maria Minna, PC, MP is a Canadian politician who represented the Toronto riding of Beaches—East York in the House of Commons as a member of the Liberal Party from 1993 to 2011.-Background:...

, Stephen Owen

Stephen Owen

Stephen Owen, PC is the Vice-President of External, Legal and Community Relations for the University of British Columbia. He is a former Canadian politician....

, Jim Peterson

Jim Peterson

, Marcel Proulx

Marcel Proulx

Marcel Proulx is a Canadian politician.Proulx is a former member of the Liberal Party of Canada in the Canadian House of Commons, having represented the riding of Hull—Aylmer from 1999 to 2011. Proulx is a former administrator, businessman, claim adjuster, and executive assistant...

, Yasmin Ratansi

Yasmin Ratansi

Yasmin Ratansi is a Canadian politician, who represented the riding of Don Valley East in the Canadian House of Commons. She is a member of the Liberal Party. Ratansi is an Ismaili Muslim, and was the first Muslim woman elected to the Canadian House of Commons.-Before politics:Born in Dar es...

, Geoff Regan

Geoff Regan

Geoffrey Paul Regan, PC, MP is a Canadian politician. He has the prenomial "the Honourable" and the postnomial "PC" for life by virtue of being made a privy councillor and a member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada. Regan grew up in a strong political family...

, Pablo Rodriguez, Anthony Rota

Anthony Rota

Anthony Rota is a Canadian politician. He was a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 2004 to 2011, representing the riding of Nipissing—Timiskaming....

, Todd Russell

Todd Russell

Todd Norman Russell is a Canadian politician and was the Liberal member of Parliament for the riding of Labrador, Newfoundland and Labrador from 2005 to 2011.-Early life:...

, Lloyd St. Amand

Lloyd St. Amand

Lloyd St. Amand is a Canadian politician and a former Member of Parliament for the riding of Brant. He is a member of the Liberal Party of Canada....

, Raymond Simard

Raymond Simard

, Paul Szabo

Paul Szabo

Paul John Mark Szabo is a Canadian politician. He is a former member of the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of Mississauga South for the Liberal Party.-Early life and education:...

, Robert Thibault

Robert Thibault

Robert G. Thibault, PC is a Canadian politician.Thibault is a member of the Liberal Party of Canada and a former member in the Canadian House of Commons, serving three terms as the representative of West Nova from 2000 to 2008. He served as a municipal councillor in Clare, Nova Scotia from 1988 to...

, Alan Tonks

Alan Tonks

Alan Tonks is a Canadian politician. He was the Liberal MP for the federal electoral district of York South—Weston in Toronto from 2000 to 2011, and was the final Metro Toronto Chairman before the amalgamation of Metro Toronto into the new City of Toronto.-Background:Tonks is the son of the late...

, Roger Valley

Roger Valley

Roger Valley is a Canadian politician. He was a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 2004 to 2008, representing the riding of Kenora for the Liberal Party....

, Blair Wilson

Blair Wilson

Blair Wilson was the Canadian Member of Parliament in the 39th Canadian parliament for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country electoral district. He was elected on January 23, 2006 in the 2006 federal election as the Liberal candidate...

, Paul Zed

Paul Zed

Paul Zed is a Canadian lawyer, professor, and politician.Paul Zed was born in Toronto on December 31, 1956 and received his early education from local Saint John, NB schools, graduating from St...

Senators: 10 Sen. Lise Bacon

Lise Bacon

Lise Bacon, is a Canadian Liberal politician. She was appointed Senator, representing the area of De la Durantaye, Quebec, by Governor General Ray Hnatyshyn on September 14, 1994...

,Sen. Roméo Dallaire

Roméo Dallaire

Lieutenant-General Roméo Antonius Dallaire, is a Canadian senator, humanitarian, author and retired general...

, Sen. Dennis Dawson

Dennis Dawson

Dennis Dawson is a Canadian Senator.Born in Quebec City, Quebec, Dawson is a former Liberal Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of Louis-Hébert, Quebec from 1977 to 1984. Dawson is listed as an administrator...

, Sen. Francis Fox

Francis Fox

Francis Fox, PC, QC is a member of the Senate of Canada. He is a former Canadian Cabinet minister and is the former Principal Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office, and thus was a senior aide to Prime Minister Paul Martin. He also worked as a lobbyist in the 1980s.-Life and career:Born in...

, Sen. Elizabeth Hubley, Sen. Rose-Marie Losier-Cool

Rose-Marie Losier-Cool

Rose-Marie Losier-Cool is a Canadian Senator for New Brunswick.A member of New Brunswick's Acadian community, Losier-Cool worked as a teacher for thirty-three years, two decades of which were spent at École secondaire Népisiguit in Bathurst, New Brunswick.She was elected the first woman president...

, Sen. Pana Papas Merchant, Sen. Grant Mitchell

Grant Mitchell (politician)

-Early life:He received a B.A. degree from the University of Alberta and an M.A. degree from Queen's University. From 1976 to 1979, he worked as a public servant with the Government of Alberta...

, Sen. Nick Sibbeston

Nick Sibbeston

Nick G. Sibbeston is a Canadian Senator. He attended residential school in Fort Simpson, Providence, Inuvik, and Yellowknife, and the University of Alberta where he graduated with Bachelor of Arts and Law degrees.-Political career:...

, Sen. David Smith

David Paul Smith

Supporters picked up after second ballot

MPs: 2 Bernard Patry

Bernard Patry

Bernard Patry is a Canadian politician, and was a Member of Parliament for the riding of Pierrefonds—Dollard from 1993 to 2011....

, Scott Simms

Scott Simms

Scott Simms is a Canadian politician. He is the Liberal Member of Parliament for the Newfoundland and Labrador riding of Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor.-Early life:...

Supporters picked up after third ballot

MPs: 3 Scott Brison

Scott Brison

, Gurbax Malhi, Judy Sgro

Judy Sgro

Judy Sgro, PC, MP is a Canadian politician. A member of the Liberal Party of Canada, she currently represents the electoral district of York West in the Canadian House of Commons.-Councillor:...

Date campaign launched: April 7, 2006

Date officially registered: May 2, 2006

Number of ballots: 4

Result: Lost to Stéphane Dion on the fourth and final ballot.

Gerard Kennedy

was until April 5, 2006 the Minister of Education in the Ontario

Ontario

Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

provincial government of Dalton McGuinty

Dalton McGuinty

Dalton James Patrick McGuinty, Jr., MPP is a Canadian lawyer, politician and, since October 23, 2003, the 24th and current Premier of the Canadian province of Ontario....

. Kennedy was a key player in rebuilding the Ontario Liberal Party

Ontario Liberal Party

The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...

and bringing it to government in 2003. As Education Minister, he is widely viewed as having restored faith in the public education system after years of growing support for private schools. He resigned from cabinet on April 5 in order to enter this leadership race. He was the runner-up in the 1996 Ontario Liberal leadership election, having finished in first place on the first four ballots, he was defeated by McGuinty on the fifth and final ballot. He is viewed by many in the media as being on the left wing of the party.

High profile supporters

Kennedy is backed by Senator Terry Mercer

Terry Mercer

Terry M. Mercer is a Canadian Senator.A long-time fundraiser and organizer for the Liberal Party of Canada, Mercer was appointed to the Senate representing Nova Scotia by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien in November 2003, shortly before Chrétien's retirement...

, former national director of the federal Liberal Party. He also enjoys the support of former Premier of Prince Edward Island

Premier of Prince Edward Island

The Premier of Prince Edward Island is the first minister for the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island. They are the province's head of government and de facto chief executive.The current Premier of Prince Edward Island is Robert Ghiz.-See also:...

Keith Milligan

Keith Milligan was the 29th Premier of Prince Edward Island, serving for two months in the autumn of 1996. He was educated at Inverness District School, O'Leary Regional High School and the University of PEI, where he obtained Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education degrees. He is married to...

and former Premier of New Brunswick

Premier of New Brunswick

The Premier of New Brunswick is the first minister for the Canadian province of New Brunswick. They are the province's head of government and de facto chief executive....

Ray Frenette. While former cabinet minister Joe Fontana

Joe Fontana

Joseph Frank "Joe" Fontana, PC is the current mayor of London, Ontario. He was previously a Liberal member of the Parliament of Canada for the riding of London North Centre....

is still supporting Kennedy, he has since resigned his seat in the House of Commons to run for Mayor of London. On 25 November, the Globe and Mail reported that Justin Trudeau

Justin Trudeau

Justin Pierre James Trudeau, MP is a Canadian politician. He has represented the Montreal electoral division of Papineau in the Canadian House of Commons since 2008 as a member of the Liberal Party and currently serves as the party's critic for youth, post-secondary education, and amateur...

had declared his support for Kennedy's leadership bid.

Supporters in caucus prior to first ballot: 19

MPs: 13 Omar Alghabra

Omar Alghabra

, Navdeep Bains

Navdeep Bains

Navdeep Singh Bains, PC is a Canadian politician from Ontario, Canada. He is the former Liberal Member of Parliament for the riding of Mississauga—Brampton South.-Early life:...

, Brenda Chamberlain

Brenda Chamberlain

Brenda Kay Chamberlain, PC was a member of the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of Guelph for the Liberal Party from 1993 until her resignation as of April, 2008....

, Raymond Chan

Raymond Chan

, Mark Holland

Mark Holland

, Gurbax Malhi, Dan McTeague

Dan McTeague

Daniel P. "Dan" McTeague, PC is a former Canadian Member of Parliament for the Ontario riding of Pickering—Scarborough East.-Background:He was born to a devoutly Catholic family, one of three children...

, Bernard Patry

Bernard Patry

Bernard Patry is a Canadian politician, and was a Member of Parliament for the riding of Pierrefonds—Dollard from 1993 to 2011....

, Mario Silva

Mario Silva

Mario Silva, is a Canadian politician and a former Canadian Member of Parliament. Silva is a former a Toronto City Councillor and acting mayor."Acting Mayor" is a non-elected position. For example, the sets out the duties and powers of their Acting Mayor. Other cities will no doubt have somewhat...

, Scott Simms

Scott Simms

Scott Simms is a Canadian politician. He is the Liberal Member of Parliament for the Newfoundland and Labrador riding of Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor.-Early life:...

, Brent St. Denis

Brent St. Denis

Brent J. St. Denis is a Canadian politician. He was a Liberal member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1993 to 2008, originally representing Algoma and later its successor ridings of Algoma—Manitoulin and Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing.St...

, Andrew Telegdi

Andrew Telegdi

Andrew Telegdi, PC is a Canadian politician. He was a Liberal Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons from 1993 to 2008, representing Waterloo and the successor riding of Kitchener—Waterloo....

, Borys Wrzesnewskyj

Borys Wrzesnewskyj

Borys Wrzesnewskyj is a Canadian politician who represented the riding of Etobicoke Centre in the Canadian House of Commons in the 38th, 39th and 40th Parliaments. He is a member of the Liberal Party.-Background:...

Senators: 6 Sen. Larry Campbell

Larry Campbell

Larry W. Campbell was the 37th Mayor of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and is currently a member of the Canadian Senate. Starting in 1969 Campbell worked for the RCMP in Vancouver and then in 1973 as a member of the Drug Squad...

, Sen. Aurélien Gill

Aurélien Gill

Aurélien Gill, was a Canadian Senator from his appointment in 1998 until his retirement in 2008.-Early life:Born in Mashteuiatsh, the only Native community in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec, Gill received a bachelor's degree in pedagogy from Université Laval.An Aboriginal businessman and...

, Sen. Sandra Lovelace Nicholas

Sandra Lovelace Nicholas

Mary Sandra Lovelace Nicholas, CM is a Wolastoqiyik or Maliseet Canadian senator representing New Brunswick. Sitting as a Liberal, she is the first Aboriginal woman appointed to the Senate. As an activist on behalf of First Nations women and children, she received international recognition in 1979...

, Sen. Terry Mercer

Terry Mercer

, Sen. Robert Peterson, Sen. Charlie Watt

Charlie Watt

Charlie Watt is a Canadian Senator.A hunter and businessman by profession, Watt is an Inuk and served as Northern officer with the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs from 1969 to 1979. He founded the Northern Quebec Inuit Association in the 1970s...

Date campaign launched: April 27, 2006

Date officially registered: May 17, 2006

Number of ballots: 2

Result: Placed fourth on second ballot. Withdrew to support Dion.

Bob Rae

Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....

was the Ontario New Democratic Party

Ontario New Democratic Party

The Ontario New Democratic Party or , formally known as New Democratic Party of Ontario, is a social democratic political party in Ontario, Canada. It is a provincial section of the federal New Democratic Party. It was formed in October 1961, a few months after the federal party. The ONDP had its...

Premier of Ontario

The Premier of Ontario is the first Minister of the Crown for the Canadian province of Ontario. The Premier is appointed as the province's head of government by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and presides over the Executive council, or Cabinet. The Executive Council Act The Premier of Ontario...

from 1990 to 1995 and was a federal NDP

New Democratic Party

The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...

MP in the House of Commons from 1978 to 1982. Since leaving electoral politics, Rae has worked on a number of contentious issues for the federal government, most notably the Air India disaster; has worked in international relations advising on constitutional issues and has conducted a study for the Ontario government on post-secondary education. Rae joined the Liberal Party in April 2006 (he had been a Liberal in the 1960s) before launching his campaign that month and is running as a centrist. In a speech to the Canadian Club of Winnipeg on March 13, 2006, Rae expressed his interest in uniting the 'progressive' forces of Canada in order to regain a majority government in the Canadian House of Commons. "There's a progressive record that's shared by a majority of Canadians, but so far, we have not succeeded in becoming a majority in the House of Commons, so we must think a bit about how that can happen."

Concerns about Rae's ability to appeal to Ontario voters, given his turbulent tenure as Premier in the early to mid 1990s, have been expressed.

During the convention, several anonymous messages were circulated on the convention floor encouraging delegates not to vote for Rae because his wife, writer and publisher Arlene Perly Rae

Arlene Perly Rae

Arlene Perly Rae is a Canadian journalist, author and arts patron. She is married to Canadian politician Bob Rae.- Background :Educated at the University of Toronto, Perly Rae was a longtime reviewer of children's literature for the Toronto Star...

, is Jewish. The messages were widely denounced by the leadership candidates.

High profile supporters

Rae is supported by former senior Chrétien aides such as Eddie Goldenberg

Eddie Goldenberg

Edward "Eddie" Goldenberg served as a senior political advisor to Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, considered among the most influential, with Jean Pelletier and Aline Chrétien. Goldenberg served as then Prime Minister Chrétien's Chief of Staff during his term in office, before leaving to...

and John Rae (who is Bob Rae's older brother) as well as senior Ontario provincial Liberals

Ontario Liberal Party

such as provincial finance minister Greg Sorbara

Greg Sorbara

Gregory Sam "Greg" Sorbara, MPP a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for Vaughan. Sorbara served as the Minister of Finance in the Ontario Liberal Party government of Premier Dalton McGuinty from 2003 to 2007.He resigned on October 11, 2005, following a police investigation involving...

and provincial health minister and Deputy Premier George Smitherman

George Smitherman

George Smitherman is a Canadian politician and broadcaster. He represented the provincial riding of Toronto Centre in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1999 to 2010, when he resigned to contest the mayoralty of Toronto in the 2010 municipal election...

. On May 12, Rae was endorsed by longtime Trudeau cabinet stalwart Allan MacEachen

Allan MacEachen

. Former leadership contenders Maurizio Bevilacqua

Maurizio Bevilacqua

, Carolyn Bennett

Carolyn Bennett

Carolyn Ann Bennett, PC, MP is the Member of Parliament for the riding of St. Paul's, a constituency located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is a member of the Liberal Party of Canada, and was formerly a candidate for its leadership....

and Hedy Fry

Hedy Fry

Hedy Fry, PC, MP is a Canadian politician and physician. She is the Member of Parliament for Vancouver Centre.-Early life:Fry was born into poverty in San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago...

withdrew from the campaign to throw their support to Rae, with Bevilacqua becoming National Co-Chair for the campaign and Chief Advisor on Economic Policy. Susan Kadis

Susan Kadis

Susan R. Kadis is a politician in Ontario, Canada. She was the Liberal Member of Parliament for Thornhill in the Canadian House of Commons from 2004 to 2008.-Background:...

, the former Toronto co-chair of Ignatieff's campaign, endorsed Rae on October 27. Former Finance Minister Ralph Goodale

Ralph Goodale

Ralph Edward Goodale, PC, MP was Canada's Minister of Finance from 2003 to 2006 and continues to be a Liberal Member of Parliament...

endorsed Rae on November 28. Scott Brison

Scott Brison

and Joe Volpe

Joe Volpe

withdrew after the first ballot to support Rae, as did Ken Dryden

Ken Dryden

after being knocked off on the second ballot. Bob Rae was knocked off the third ballot, and encouraged his delegates to choose the candidate that best suits their personal beliefs. He refused to comment on who he decided to vote for.

Supporters in caucus prior to first ballot: 26

MPs: 14 Carolyn Bennett

Carolyn Bennett

, Maurizio Bevilacqua

Maurizio Bevilacqua

, Irwin Cotler

Irwin Cotler

, Ujjal Dosanjh

Ujjal Dosanjh

, Hedy Fry

Hedy Fry

Hedy Fry, PC, MP is a Canadian politician and physician. She is the Member of Parliament for Vancouver Centre.-Early life:Fry was born into poverty in San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago...

, John Godfrey

John Godfrey

, Ralph Goodale

Ralph Goodale

Ralph Edward Goodale, PC, MP was Canada's Minister of Finance from 2003 to 2006 and continues to be a Liberal Member of Parliament...

, Susan Kadis

Susan Kadis

Susan R. Kadis is a politician in Ontario, Canada. She was the Liberal Member of Parliament for Thornhill in the Canadian House of Commons from 2004 to 2008.-Background:...

, Jim Karygiannis

Jim Karygiannis

, Lawrence MacAulay

Lawrence MacAulay

Lawrence A. MacAulay, PC is a Canadian politician.MacAulay is a current member of the Liberal Party of Canada in the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of Cardigan, Prince Edward Island since 1988. MacAulay is a former farmer...

, Diane Marleau

Diane Marleau

Diane Marleau, PC, MP is a Canadian politician. She represented the riding of Sudbury in the Canadian House of Commons from 1988 to 2008, and was a cabinet minister in the government of Jean Chrétien...

, Bill Matthews

Bill Matthews

William "Bill" Matthews is a Canadian politician.Matthews was a Progressive Conservative member of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly from 1982 to 1996...

, Brian Murphy

Brian Murphy (politician)

Brian J. Murphy is a former mayor of Moncton and was the Liberal Member of the Canadian House of Commons from Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe. After his term as mayor, he was succeeded by Lorne Mitton....

, Andy Scott

Senators: 12 Sen. Jack Austin

Jack Austin

, Sen. Pierre de Bané

Pierre de Bané

Pierre de Bané, PC, QC is a Canadian Senator. He was the first person of Arab descent to be elected to the Canadian House of Commons in Matane and next Matapédia—Matane, and is a former member of the Canadian Cabinet....

, Sen. Michel Biron

Michel Biron

Michel Biron, CM was a Canadian Senator. He was appointed by Governor General Adrienne Clarkson, on the advice of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, to represent the Canadian senatorial division of Mille Isles, Quebec as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada, on October 4, 2001. Biron was appointed a...

, Sen. Joan Cook

Joan Cook

Joan Cook was a Canadian Senator for Newfoundland and Labrador.-Biography:In her working life, Cook was, variously, a businesswoman who served as vice-president of her family's automobile dealership, Cook and Jones Motors, an executive with CJON radio and television, and an executive with Robert...

, Sen. Mac Harb

Mac Harb

Mac Harb is a Canadian Senator and former Member of the House of Commons.-Life and career:Harb was born in Chaat, Lebanon and immigrated to Canada to study at the University of Ottawa. He subsequently worked as an engineer at Northern Telecom and a professor at Algonquin College in Ottawa...

, Sen. Mobina Jaffer

Mobina Jaffer

Mobina S. B. Jaffer, QC is a Canadian Senator representing British Columbia. She is the first South Asian and the first Muslim woman appointed to the Upper House....

, Sen. Jean Lapointe

Jean Lapointe

Jean Lapointe, is a Quebecois actor, comedian and singer as well as a former Canadian Senator.Lapointe began his stage career as part of the duo Les Jérolas performing in such venues as the Ed Sullivan Show and at the Olympia in Paris.He launched his solo career in 1974 and has performed on...

, Sen. Colin Kenny

Colin Kenny

James Colin Ramsey Kenny is a Canadian Senator.Born in Montreal, Quebec, Kenny received his high school education at Bishop's College School. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1966 from Norwich University...

, Sen. Jim Munson

Jim Munson

Jim Munson is a Canadian Senator and retired journalist.Munson spent most of his journalism career with CTV, which he joined in 1979 after working for Broadcast News for several years. He served as the network's correspondent in Ottawa and then London, England...

, Sen. Pierrette Ringuette, Sen. Bill Rompkey

Bill Rompkey

William Hubert Rompkey, PC is a Canadian educator who served as Member of Parliament from 1972 to 1995 and a senator from 1995 to 2011.-Early life and education:...

, Sen. Peter Stollery

Peter Stollery

Peter Alan Stollery is a former Canadian politician and businessman.-Background:An old Yorkville family, the Stollerys owned a famous furnishings store named Stollery’s, which opened in 1901 in downtown Toronto...

Supporters picked up after first ballot

MPs: 4 Joe Volpe

Joe Volpe

, Wajid Khan

Wajid Khan

Wajid Ali Khan is a Canadian businessman and politician. Until 2008, he was a member of the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of Mississauga—Streetsville as a Conservative Member of Parliament.-Early life:Khan served as an officer and a pilot in the Pakistan Air Force from 1966 to...

, Massimo Pacetti

Massimo Pacetti

Massimo Pacetti is a Canadian politician from Quebec, Canada. Pacetti has served in the Canadian House of Commons since winning a 2002 by-election in the riding of Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel...

, Scott Brison

Scott Brison

Supporters picked up after second ballot

MPs: 7 Ken Boshcoff

Ken Boshcoff

, Ken Dryden

Ken Dryden

, Tina Keeper

Tina Keeper

, Gurbax Malhi, Judy Sgro

Judy Sgro

Judy Sgro, PC, MP is a Canadian politician. A member of the Liberal Party of Canada, she currently represents the electoral district of York West in the Canadian House of Commons.-Councillor:...

, Brent St. Denis

Brent St. Denis

, Anita Neville

Anita Neville

Date campaign launched: April 24, 2006

Date officially registered: May 11, 2006

Number of Ballots: 3

Result: (Eliminated on the third ballot)

Joe Volpe

was Minister of Citizenship and Immigration

Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (Canada)

The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government department responsible for immigration, refugee and citizenship issues, Citizenship and Immigration Canada...

under Martin. He announced his candidacy on April 21, 2006. A former schoolteacher, he was elected to the House of Commons in 1988

Canadian federal election, 1988

The Canadian federal election of 1988 was held November 21, 1988, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 34th Parliament of Canada. It was an election largely fought on a single issue: the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement ....

. His top priorities will include reinvigorating the party to get it back "on a professional keel." He will aim to "make it a good corporate institution that it's been and the nation-building institution that it has always proved to be." Volpe's main campaign themes are expected to include, making education and training a higher priority and improving the system for accommodating immigrants, planks that draw on his cabinet experience as human-resources minister and immigration minister.

Volpe ran into trouble on June 2 when it was revealed that his campaign had received $5,400 in donations from each of three children under the age of 15. All of whom were children of executives of the pharmaceutical company Apotex. The donations were later returned. This situation led to the creation of the satirical Web site Youth for Volpe. Subsequently Sukh Dhaliwal

Sukh Dhaliwal

Sukh Dhaliwal, MP is a businessman and politician in British Columbia, Canada, who was the Liberal Member of Parliament for Newton—North Delta from 2006 to 2011....

and Yasmin Ratansi

Yasmin Ratansi

left the Volpe campaign to support Michael Ignatieff.

The Liberal Party of Canada announced a $20,000 fine against Mr. Volpe because his campaign allowed membership forms to be distributed to cultural associations in Quebec without ensuring that new members would pay their own membership fee. Volpe was subsequently exonerated, and the fine was withdrawn.

Following the candidate speeches on December 1, Volpe announced his support for Bob Rae

Bob Rae

Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....

's candidacy. Volpe withdrew after the first ballot results were announced.

Supporters in caucus: 5

MPs: 5 Joe Comuzzi

Joe Comuzzi

Joseph Robert "Joe" Comuzzi, PC is a former Canadian politician.Comuzzi was born in Fort William, Ontario. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Windsor in 1954. In 1966, Comuzzi received the University of Windsor Alumni Award of Merit, the Alumni Association's most...

, Wajid Khan

Wajid Khan

, Massimo Pacetti

Massimo Pacetti

Massimo Pacetti is a Canadian politician from Quebec, Canada. Pacetti has served in the Canadian House of Commons since winning a 2002 by-election in the riding of Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel...

, Lui Temelkovski

Lui Temelkovski

Lubomir "Lui" Temelkovski is a Canadian federal politician. He was the Member of Parliament for the riding of Oak Ridges—Markham in Ontario, representing the Liberal Party of Canada. He was first elected in the 2004 federal election and was re-elected in the 2006 election...

, Joe Volpe

Joe Volpe

Senators: 0

Date campaign launched: April 21, 2006

Date officially registered: May 12, 2006

Number of Ballots: 1

Result: Following candidate speeches announced that he would withdraw after the first ballot to support Rae.

Endorsements

See Endorsements for the Liberal Party of Canada leadership election, 2006.

Ex-officio delegate endorsements

See List of ex-officio delegates to the Liberal Party of Canada leadership election, 2006

Newspaper endorsements

Newspaper	Candidate(s) Endorsed	Reference
Globe & Mail	Stéphane Dion
Le Devoir Le Devoir Le Devoir is a French-language newspaper published in Montreal and distributed in Quebec and the rest of Canada. It was founded by journalist, politician, and nationalist Henri Bourassa in 1910....	Michael Ignatieff
Montreal Gazette	Stéphane Dion
Toronto Star Toronto Star The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...	Bob Rae	http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1164754216620&call_pageid=968256290204&StarSource=RSS
Toronto Sun Toronto Sun The Toronto Sun is an English-language daily tabloid newspaper published in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is known for its daily Sunshine Girl feature and for what it sees as a populist conservative editorial stance.-History:...	Stéphane Dion and Martha Hall Findlay

Carolyn Bennett

announced her entry into the race on April 24, 2006 and withdrew from the race on September 15 to endorse Bob Rae

Bob Rae

Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....

Maurizio Bevilacqua

formally declared his candidacy on April 19 and withdrew from the race on August 14 to endorse Bob Rae

Bob Rae

Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....

Hedy Fry

Hedy Fry, PC, MP is a Canadian politician and physician. She is the Member of Parliament for Vancouver Centre.-Early life:Fry was born into poverty in San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago...

entered the race on May 4 and withdrew on September 25 to endorse Bob Rae

Bob Rae

Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....

John Godfrey

announced his entry into the race on March 19, 2006 and withdrew from the race on April 12, before becoming an official candidate, citing health reasons. On October 20, he endorsed Bob Rae

Bob Rae

Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....

Unaffiliated caucus members

9 MPs and 6 Senators declared themselves neutral in the race, while 1 of 102 MPs and 10 of 63 Senators have not made their affiliations known or remain undecided.

Party biennial

The first three days of the Convention, November 29 to December 1, constituted the biennial convention of the Liberal Party of Canada. As such, delegates cast their ballot for party executive positions as well as the new leader. They also engaged in plenary workshops and other meetings associated with biennial conventions.

The keynote speech at the opening was delivered by Howard Dean

Howard Dean

Howard Brush Dean III is an American politician and physician from Vermont. He served six terms as the 79th Governor of Vermont and ran unsuccessfully for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination. He was chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2005 to 2009. Although his U.S...

, chairman of the U.S. Democratic National Committee

Democratic National Committee

The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...

, on the topic of party renewal.

A number of new party executives were elected at the convention. Notably, Senator Marie Poulin

Marie-Paule Poulin

Marie-Paule Poulin, née Charette is a Canadian senator and was the president of the Liberal Party of Canada from 2006 to 2008. She is married to international portrait artist Bernard Poulin.-Education:...

was elected President defeating Bobbi Ethier

Bobbi Ethier

Bobbi Éthier is a politician in Manitoba, Canada.Éthier holds a Masters in Education Administration, a diploma in Law and Economics from France and a Human Resources certificate from Cornell University in New York. She has been a principal and French immersion high school teacher in Winnipeg School...

, former MP Tony Ianno

Tony Ianno

Tony Ianno, PC is a businessman and a former Canadian politician. He served as a Liberal Party of Canada MP representing Trinity-Spadina and Minister of Families and Caregivers .-Personal life:...

. Executive members elected at the Convention serve until the next biennial convention.

Pre-convention estimated delegate totals

Candidate	Elected Delegates	% of Elected Delegates	Ex-officio Delegates	Total Delegates	Current Percentage	1st Ballot Potential
Michael Ignatieff	1,377	29.3%	230	1,607	27.7%	37.6%
Bob Rae	943	20.1%	86	1,029	17.8%	27.6%
Gerard Kennedy	820	17.5%	111	931	16.1%	26.0%
Stéphane Dion	754	16.1%	129	883	15.2%	25.1%
Ken Dryden	238	5.1%	46	284	4.9%	14.8%
Joe Volpe	226	4.8%	7	233	4.0%	13.9%
Scott Brison	181	3.5%	35	216	3.7%	13.6%
Martha Hall Findlay	46	1%	5	51	0.9%	10.7%
Undeclared delegates	112	2.4%	406*	518	8.9%	-
Neutral ex-officio	0	-	50*	50	0.9%	-
Total	4,697	100%	1,105	5,802	100%	-

* Undeclared and neutral ex-officio delegates might choose not to attend convention and therefore might not vote.

As of November 27, 2006, 23:53 EDT.

Convention results

First Ballot>

0.2%
Candidate	Delegate Support	Percentage
Michael Ignatieff	1,412	29.3%
Bob Rae	977	20.3%
Stéphane Dion	856	17.8%
Gerard Kennedy	854	17.7%
Ken Dryden	238	4.9%
Scott Brison	192	4.0%
Joe Volpe	156	3.2%
Martha Hall Findlay	130	2.7%
Total	4,815	100.0%

* Denotes changes from results of delegate selection meetings.

Movement:

Joe Volpe went over to Rae on the evening of December 1 prior to the announcement of the first ballot's results and will not be on the second ballot regardless of the outcome of the first.
Martha Hall Findlay is eliminated as she has the lowest vote total of any candidate. Martha Hall Findlay had moved her personal support to Stéphane Dion, but she has otherwise released all of her delegates.
Scott Brison withdrew to support Rae.

Second Ballot>

2.3%
Candidate	Delegate Support	Percentage
Michael Ignatieff	1,481	31.6%
Bob Rae	1,132	24.1%
Stéphane Dion	974	20.8%
Gerard Kennedy	884	18.8%
Ken Dryden	219	4.7%
Total	4,690	100.0%

Note: There were five spoiled ballots.

Movement:

Ken Dryden is eliminated as he has the lowest vote total of any candidate. Dryden has moved his personal support to Rae, but he has otherwise released all of his delegates.
Gerard Kennedy withdrew and moved his support to Stéphane Dion, but he has otherwise released all of his delegates.

Third Ballot>

16.2%
Candidate	Delegate Support	Percentage
Stéphane Dion	1,782	37.0%
Michael Ignatieff	1,660	34.5%
Bob Rae	1,375	28.5%
Total	4,817	100.0%

Note: There were six spoiled ballots

Movement:

Bob Rae is eliminated as he has the lowest vote total of any candidate. Rae has dispersed his delegates letting them vote for whomever candidate they feel is the best choice. Rae has said he will not state who he voted for.

Scott Brison who supported Bob Rae after he withdrew throws his support to Michael Ignatieff.

Ken Dryden, who supported Rae after being eliminated on the second ballot threw his support Stéphane Dion after Rae was eliminated asserting that "Stéphane Dion is a dog with a bone... an academic" and "has a greater chance of winning" the next election.

Joe Volpe who supported Bob Rae after the first ballot throws his support to Dion.

Fourth Ballot>

17.7%
Candidate	Delegate Support	Percentage
Stéphane Dion	2,521	54.7%
Michael Ignatieff	2,084	45.3%
Total	4,605	100.0%

Note: There were 20 spoiled ballots

Stéphane Dion wins the 2006 Liberal Leadership race.

Timeline

January 23, 2006 - As returns indicate that the Liberals had lost the 2006 federal election
Canadian federal election, 2006
The 2006 Canadian federal election was held on January 23, 2006, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 39th Parliament of Canada. The Conservative Party of Canada won the greatest number of seats: 40.3% of seats, or 124 out of 308, up from 99 seats in 2004, and 36.3% of votes:...

to Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...

's Conservatives
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...

, Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...

Paul Martin
Paul Martin
Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , also known as Paul Martin, Jr. is a Canadian politician who was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....

concedes the election and announces his intention to resign as Liberal party leader. In his concession speech, held in the early hours of the morning (EST
North American Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...

), he states: "I will continue to represent with pride the people of LaSalle—Émard
LaSalle—Émard
LaSalle—Émard is a federal electoral district in the Canadian province of Quebec that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1988. Its population in 2001 was 99,767. It is represented by New Democrat Hélène LeBlanc...

, but I will not take our party into another election as leader".
January 25, 2006:
- Former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada John Manley
  John Manley (politician)
  John Paul Manley, PC, OC is a Canadian lawyer, businessman and politician. He served as Liberal Member of Parliament for Ottawa South from 1988 to 2004, and a Cabinet Minister from 1993 to 2003. He is presently President and CEO of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives.-Background:Manley was...
  
  informs the media that he will not seek the party leadership, stating "While I hope to play a role in the renewal, healing and unification of the Liberal party, I have decided for personal reasons that I will not be a leadership candidate" On election night Manley appeared on CBC television's coverage of the election, and immediately after Prime Minister Paul Martin's announcement was asked whether he might seek the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada. Manley's response at that time was to poke fun at himself saying: "Some may want a dynamic, charismatic leader. Some others may support me."
- Former Premier of New Brunswick Frank McKenna
  Frank McKenna
  Francis Joseph "Frank" McKenna, PC, OC, ONB, QC is a Canadian businessman and former politician and diplomat. He is currently Deputy Chairman of the Toronto-Dominion Bank. He served as Canadian Ambassador to the United States from 2005 to 2006...
  
  announces his resignation as Canada's ambassador to the United States. Although submitted in the context of giving Harper the opportunity to appoint an Ambassador who will support Harper's vision of U.S. - Canada relations, it was widely speculated that he was lining up for a run at the federal Liberal leadership.
January 30, 2006 - Surprising many pundits, Frank McKenna
Frank McKenna
Francis Joseph "Frank" McKenna, PC, OC, ONB, QC is a Canadian businessman and former politician and diplomat. He is currently Deputy Chairman of the Toronto-Dominion Bank. He served as Canadian Ambassador to the United States from 2005 to 2006...

announces he will not run for the leadership. Prior to this, McKenna had been tipped and widely reported as the race's frontrunner. While recognizing the significance of the leadership McKenna acknowledged: "You’ve got pretty good odds of being the prime minister if you’re leader of the Liberal party." However, he put an end to his association with the 2006 Liberal Party leadership race, explaining that he did not want "his life to become consumed by politics." as he had allowed it to become when he was premier of New Brunswick. He also said his decision was in part because: "I reminded myself of my vow upon leaving office that, having escaped the trap, I wouldn’t go back for the cheese."
January 31, 2006 - Brian Tobin
Brian Tobin
Brian Vincent Tobin, PC is a Canadian businessman and former politician. Tobin served as the sixth Premier of Newfoundland from 1996 to 2000. Tobin was also a prominent Member of Parliament and served as a Cabinet Minister in Jean Chrétien's Liberal government.- Early life, education, and family...

announces he will not seek the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada. Mr. Tobin rationalized his stepping out of the running as an opportunity for the Liberal Party to heal, revitalize and rejuvenate itself. In his words: "... I think it's time for new blood and I think it's time for new players and I think this is an opportunity for the Liberal party to renew itself and, in the process, to heal itself a little bit as well." and that: "I think that I've had my opportunity and I made my contribution. I enjoyed it enormously."
February 1, 2006 - Prime Minister Martin announces that he will remain leader of the Liberal Party until his successor is chosen but will not take on the position of leader of the opposition
Leader of the Opposition (Canada)
The Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition , or simply the Leader of the Opposition is the leader of Canada's Official Opposition, the party with the most seats in the House of Commons that is not a member of the government...

, allowing caucus to choose a parliamentary leader
Parliamentary leader
A parliamentary leader is political title given in various countries to lead a caucus in a legislative body, whether it be the countries respective parliaments or provincial legislature...

. Later that day the Liberal caucus chooses Bill Graham for that position, and Lucienne Robillard
Lucienne Robillard
Lucienne Robillard, PC is a Canadian politician and a member of the Liberal Party of Canada. She sat in the Canadian House of Commons as the Member of Parliament for the riding of Westmount—Ville-Marie in Montreal....

is named as his deputy. Martin subsequently moved up the date his resignation became effective to March 18, 2006.
February 3, 2006 - Both Lloyd Axworthy
Lloyd Axworthy
Lloyd Norman Axworthy, PC, OC, OM is a prominent Canadian politician, statesman and University President from Manitoba. He is best known for having served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien...

and Allan Rock
Allan Rock
Allan Michael Rock, PC is a lawyer, former Canadian politician, diplomat and now the President of University of Ottawa. He was Canada's ambassador to the United Nations and had previously served in the Cabinet of Jean Chrétien, most notably as Justice Minister and Health Minister .Rock was...

announce they will not run for the leadership of the Liberal party.
February 6, 2006 - Martin resigns as Prime Minister, succeeded by Conservative Leader Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...

.
February 8, 2006 - Martha Hall Findlay
Martha Hall Findlay
Martha Hall Findlay is a Canadian lawyer, businesswoman and politician. She was elected to the Canadian House of Commons as the Liberal Party of Canada's candidate in the Toronto riding of Willowdale in a federal by-election held on March 17, 2008 to fill a vacancy created by former Liberal MP Jim...

becomes first to declare candidacy for the leadership.
March 1, 2006 - The Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...

reports that Gerard Kennedy
Gerard Kennedy
Gerard Michael Kennedy is a Canadian politician in Ontario, Canada. He served as Ontario's Minister of Education from 2003 to 2006, when he resigned to make an unsuccessful bid for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada...

is seriously considering a leadership bid and that he is backed by Senator Terry Mercer
Terry Mercer
Terry M. Mercer is a Canadian Senator.A long-time fundraiser and organizer for the Liberal Party of Canada, Mercer was appointed to the Senate representing Nova Scotia by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien in November 2003, shortly before Chrétien's retirement...

, former national director of the Liberal Party of Canada.
March 9, 2006 - Scott Brison
Scott Brison
Scott A. Brison, PC, MP is a Canadian politician from Nova Scotia, Canada. Brison has been the Member of Parliament for the riding of Kings-Hants since the 1997 federal election. Brison was originally elected as a Progressive Conservative but crossed the floor to join the Liberal Party in 2003...

is revealed to have sent an email to an investment banker in November 2005 prior to the Martin government's change of policy on income trusts. It is also revealed that the RCMP had interviewed Brison as part of its investigation on an alleged leak of information on the policy shift and related claims of "insider trading". Though Brison insists he was only passing on public information, his judgement in the matter has raised questions about his suitability as a candidate for the party's leadership.
March 13, 2006 - Bob Rae
Bob Rae
Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....

gives a speech to the Canadian Club in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...

outlining his views of the problems facing the country. He says he'll make up his mind on whether he'll run for the Liberal leadership in the next few days.
March 14, 2006 - Mark Marissen
Mark Marissen
Mark Allan Marissen is a senior strategist for the Liberal Party of Canada. He is currently a VP of Vision Critical, a public opinion and market research firm headquartered in Vancouver and was chairman of the Burrard Group, a strategic communications and government relations firm he operated...

, Martin's chief organizer in British Columbia, reportedly commits to manage the Dion leadership campaign. This likely confirms Marissen's wife Christy Clark
Christy Clark
Christina Joan "Christy" Clark, MLA is a Canadian politician, the 35th and current Premier of British Columbia, Canada...

is not considering a run at the leadership herself.
March 18, 2006:
- The federal Liberal Party's national executive holds the first of two days of meetings to decide on the date of the leadership convention as well as the preliminary rules for the contest.
- Paul Martin formally resigns as leader and Bill Graham is appointed interim leader of the party until the convention.
March 19, 2006:
- Convention rules and spending limits are finalized.
- A press conference is held at 3 p.m., during which the date and location of the convention, the entrance fee for candidates, spending limits and other details of the process for selecting the new leader are announced.
- Don Valley West
  Don Valley West
  Don Valley West is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1979. Its population in 2001 was 115,539....
  
  MP John Godfrey
  John Godfrey
  John Ferguson Godfrey, PC is a Canadian educator, journalist and former Member of Parliament.- Education :He was born in Toronto, Ontario. His father, Senator John Morrow Godfrey , was a Canadian pilot, lawyer and politician. John Godfrey graduated from Upper Canada College in 1960...
  
  becomes the second declared candidate for the leadership. "I intend to run [...] I just don't think this thing, in the end, is going to be won by money."
March 20, 2006 - Musician Ashley MacIsaac
Ashley MacIsaac
Ashley Dwayne MacIsaac is a Canadian professional fiddler from Cape Breton Island.His album Hi™ How Are You Today?, featuring the hit single "Sleepy Maggie", with vocals in Scottish Gaelic by Mary Jane Lamond was released in 1995...

declares himself a candidate for the leadership; his announcement is widely characterized in the media as a publicity stunt
Publicity stunt
A publicity stunt is a planned event designed to attract the public's attention to the event's organizers or their cause. Publicity stunts can be professionally organized or set up by amateurs...

to promote his new album. However, MacIsaac never formally files his registration as a candidate, and announces in June that he is abandoning his campaign, officially citing his lack of ability to speak French.
March 23, 2006 - At the King Edward Hotel in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...

, Paul Zed
Paul Zed
Paul Zed is a Canadian lawyer, professor, and politician.Paul Zed was born in Toronto on December 31, 1956 and received his early education from local Saint John, NB schools, graduating from St...

and Dennis Mills
Dennis Mills
Dennis Joseph Mills is a Canadian businessman and former politician. He was a Liberal Member of Parliament for the riding of Toronto-Danforth in the east-end of downtown Toronto. He now sits on the board of directors of Magna International....

host a cocktail reception honouring Sheila Copps
Sheila Copps
Sheila Maureen Copps, PC is a former Canadian politician who also served as Deputy Prime Minister of Canada from November 4, 1993 to April 30, 1996 and June 19, 1996 to June 11, 1997....

for thirty years in public life. The event is attended by virtually every declared or rumoured leadership hopeful, and is viewed by most as the public launch of the leadership race.
March 29, 2006 - Vaughan
Vaughan (electoral district)
Vaughan is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004.The riding covers the fast-growing region of Vaughan north of Toronto....

MP Maurizio Bevliacqua confirms in a television interview that he will likely be a candidate.
April 5, 2006
- Gerard Kennedy
  Gerard Kennedy
  Gerard Michael Kennedy is a Canadian politician in Ontario, Canada. He served as Ontario's Minister of Education from 2003 to 2006, when he resigned to make an unsuccessful bid for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada...
  
  resigns from the Ontario cabinet
  Executive Council of Ontario
  The Executive Council of Ontario plays an important role in theGovernment of Ontario, in accordance with the Westminster system....
  
  clearing the way for him to enter the federal leadership contest.
- According to the Globe & Mail, Bob Rae
  Bob Rae
  Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
  
  has submitted his application to join the Liberal Party.
April 6, 2006 - Belinda Stronach
Belinda Stronach
Belinda Caroline Stronach, PC is a Canadian businessperson, philanthropist and former politician. She was a Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons from 2004 to 2008. Originally elected as a Conservative, she later crossed the floor to join the Liberals...

announced she wouldn't join the race citing the way the contest is structured. Sources close to Stronach also cite her lack of French as a factor.
April 7, 2006
- The leadership campaign formally starts on this date, the first in which candidates can officially register and the date from which time window for the selection of delegates and party membership is counted.
- Stéphane Dion
  Stéphane Dion
  Stéphane Maurice Dion, PC, MP is a Canadian politician who has been the Member of Parliament for the riding of Saint-Laurent–Cartierville in Montreal since 1996. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Leader of the Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons from 2006 to 2008...
  
  joined the race. His stated priorities include economic and social development, environmental sustainability and a better public health services.
- Michael Ignatieff
  Michael Ignatieff
  Michael Grant Ignatieff is a Canadian author, academic and former politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011...
  
  officially declares his candidacy.
April 8, 2006 - The Alberta wing of the Liberal Party
Alberta Liberal Party
The Alberta Liberal Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Originally founded in 1905, when the province was created, it was the dominant political party until 1921 when it was defeated. It has never been in government since that time...

holds its annual convention in Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...

. A "leadership panel" is organized which is billed as the first opportunity for declared and prospective candidates to appear and "debate" each other. Declared candidates Clifford Blais
Clifford Blais
Clifford Blais is a family physician in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He declared his intention to run in the 2006 Liberal Party of Canada leadership race, but did not file nomination papers with the party....

, Stéphane Dion
Stéphane Dion
Stéphane Maurice Dion, PC, MP is a Canadian politician who has been the Member of Parliament for the riding of Saint-Laurent–Cartierville in Montreal since 1996. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Leader of the Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons from 2006 to 2008...

, John Godfrey
John Godfrey
John Ferguson Godfrey, PC is a Canadian educator, journalist and former Member of Parliament.- Education :He was born in Toronto, Ontario. His father, Senator John Morrow Godfrey , was a Canadian pilot, lawyer and politician. John Godfrey graduated from Upper Canada College in 1960...

, Martha Hall Findlay
Martha Hall Findlay
Martha Hall Findlay is a Canadian lawyer, businesswoman and politician. She was elected to the Canadian House of Commons as the Liberal Party of Canada's candidate in the Toronto riding of Willowdale in a federal by-election held on March 17, 2008 to fill a vacancy created by former Liberal MP Jim...

, Michael Ignatieff
Michael Ignatieff
Michael Grant Ignatieff is a Canadian author, academic and former politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011...

, and Gerard Kennedy
Gerard Kennedy
Gerard Michael Kennedy is a Canadian politician in Ontario, Canada. He served as Ontario's Minister of Education from 2003 to 2006, when he resigned to make an unsuccessful bid for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada...

, participate along with undeclared candidates Maurizio Bevilacqua
Maurizio Bevilacqua
Maurizio Bevilacqua, PC, is a Canadian politician. He was a Liberal Member of Parliament from 1988 to 2010 and was of eleven candidates for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada but dropped out of the race on August 14, 2006...

, Carolyn Bennett
Carolyn Bennett
Carolyn Ann Bennett, PC, MP is the Member of Parliament for the riding of St. Paul's, a constituency located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is a member of the Liberal Party of Canada, and was formerly a candidate for its leadership....

, Scott Brison
Scott Brison
Scott A. Brison, PC, MP is a Canadian politician from Nova Scotia, Canada. Brison has been the Member of Parliament for the riding of Kings-Hants since the 1997 federal election. Brison was originally elected as a Progressive Conservative but crossed the floor to join the Liberal Party in 2003...

, Ruby Dhalla
Ruby Dhalla
Ruby Dhalla is a Canadian politician. She represented the riding of Brampton—Springdale in the Canadian House of Commons from 2004 to 2011 as a member of the Liberal Party...

, Joe Fontana
Joe Fontana
Joseph Frank "Joe" Fontana, PC is the current mayor of London, Ontario. He was previously a Liberal member of the Parliament of Canada for the riding of London North Centre....

, Hedy Fry
Hedy Fry
Hedy Fry, PC, MP is a Canadian politician and physician. She is the Member of Parliament for Vancouver Centre.-Early life:Fry was born into poverty in San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago...

, John McCallum
John McCallum
John McCallum, PC, MP is a Liberal Canadian politician, economist and university professor. Following the 2006 Federal Election, he became the Liberal Finance Critic in the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet...

, Bob Rae
Bob Rae
Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....

, Joe Volpe
Joe Volpe
Giuseppe Joseph "Joe" Volpe, PC, was a Canadian politician. He was a Liberal member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1988 until the 2011 federal election, being surpassed by the conservative member Joe Oliver Joe Oliver, and held two senior positions in Prime Minister Paul Martin's Cabinet...

, and Paul Zed
Paul Zed
Paul Zed is a Canadian lawyer, professor, and politician.Paul Zed was born in Toronto on December 31, 1956 and received his early education from local Saint John, NB schools, graduating from St...

. Denis Coderre
Denis Coderre
Denis Coderre, PC, MP is a Canadian politician from Quebec, Canada. Coderre is the Liberal Member of Parliament for the Montreal riding of Bourassa.-Background:...

was absent due to a prior commitment. Ken Dryden
Ken Dryden
Kenneth Wayne Dryden, PC, is a Canadian politician, lawyer, businessman, author, and former NHL goaltender. Dryden is married with two children and four grandchildren and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame...

could not attend due to a family wedding.
April 12, 2006 - John Godfrey withdraws from the race, citing concerns about his health.
April 19, 2006 - Greater Toronto Area MP Maurizio Bevilacqua
Maurizio Bevilacqua
Maurizio Bevilacqua, PC, is a Canadian politician. He was a Liberal Member of Parliament from 1988 to 2010 and was of eleven candidates for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada but dropped out of the race on August 14, 2006...

officially enters the race.
April 21, 2006 - Toronto MP Joe Volpe
Joe Volpe
Giuseppe Joseph "Joe" Volpe, PC, was a Canadian politician. He was a Liberal member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1988 until the 2011 federal election, being surpassed by the conservative member Joe Oliver Joe Oliver, and held two senior positions in Prime Minister Paul Martin's Cabinet...

enters race.
April 23, 2006 - Nova Scotia MP Scott Brison
Scott Brison
Scott A. Brison, PC, MP is a Canadian politician from Nova Scotia, Canada. Brison has been the Member of Parliament for the riding of Kings-Hants since the 1997 federal election. Brison was originally elected as a Progressive Conservative but crossed the floor to join the Liberal Party in 2003...

enters the race.
April 24, 2006 - Former Ontario Premier Bob Rae
Bob Rae
Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....

and Toronto MP Carolyn Bennett
Carolyn Bennett
Carolyn Ann Bennett, PC, MP is the Member of Parliament for the riding of St. Paul's, a constituency located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is a member of the Liberal Party of Canada, and was formerly a candidate for its leadership....

formally declare their candidacies.
April 27, 2006 - Toronto MPP Gerard Kennedy
Gerard Kennedy
Gerard Michael Kennedy is a Canadian politician in Ontario, Canada. He served as Ontario's Minister of Education from 2003 to 2006, when he resigned to make an unsuccessful bid for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada...

enters the race.
April 28, 2006 - Toronto MP Ken Dryden
Ken Dryden
Kenneth Wayne Dryden, PC, is a Canadian politician, lawyer, businessman, author, and former NHL goaltender. Dryden is married with two children and four grandchildren and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame...

launches his campaign.
May 4, 2006 - Hedy Fry
Hedy Fry
Hedy Fry, PC, MP is a Canadian politician and physician. She is the Member of Parliament for Vancouver Centre.-Early life:Fry was born into poverty in San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago...

announces her leadership bid.
June 1, 2006 - Following demands for an investigation and accusations that he had violated the Elections Act, Joe Volpe
Joe Volpe
Giuseppe Joseph "Joe" Volpe, PC, was a Canadian politician. He was a Liberal member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1988 until the 2011 federal election, being surpassed by the conservative member Joe Oliver Joe Oliver, and held two senior positions in Prime Minister Paul Martin's Cabinet...

gives back $27,000 in donations given by the children of Apotex corporate executives who had exceeded the legal limit for their own individual donations.
June 10, 2006 - The first formal leadership debate of the campaign occurred in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...

.
June 17, 2006 - Moncton hosted the campaign's second formal debate.
July 4, 2006 - Deadline for anyone wishing to vote in the leadership election to take out party membership if they are not a member already or if they are a former member whose membership has lapsed. Those who were formerly "Life members" (a defunct category in Newfoundland and New Brunswick) have until the end of September to renew.
July 13, 2006 - The Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...

reports that Gerard Kennedy appears to have signed up more new members than any other candidate. The article says that it had been "conventional widsom" that Michael Ignatieff and Bob Rae were the leaders in the race but "(t)hese numbers would indicate a change in the dynamic of the race".
July 26, 2006 - Jim Karygiannis
Jim Karygiannis
James "Jim" Karygiannis, PC, MP is a Canadian Liberal politician. He has served in the Canadian House of Commons since 1988, and was the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and Minister responsible for Democratic Renewal...

resigned as national chair of Joe Volpe
Joe Volpe
Giuseppe Joseph "Joe" Volpe, PC, was a Canadian politician. He was a Liberal member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1988 until the 2011 federal election, being surpassed by the conservative member Joe Oliver Joe Oliver, and held two senior positions in Prime Minister Paul Martin's Cabinet...

's campaign due to disagreements over Volpe's position on the war in Lebanon.
August 14, 2006 - Maurizio Bevilacqua
Maurizio Bevilacqua
Maurizio Bevilacqua, PC, is a Canadian politician. He was a Liberal Member of Parliament from 1988 to 2010 and was of eleven candidates for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada but dropped out of the race on August 14, 2006...

becomes the first official candidate to drop out of the race. He throws his support to Bob Rae
Bob Rae
Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....

.
August 21–24, 2006 - Vancouver - National Liberal Caucus meets in Vancouver, BC
August 22, 2006 - Liberal Women's Caucus Leadership Forum in Vancouver.

September 10, 2006 - Quebec leadership and policy forum in Quebec City.
September 15, 2006 - Carolyn Bennett
Carolyn Bennett
Carolyn Ann Bennett, PC, MP is the Member of Parliament for the riding of St. Paul's, a constituency located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is a member of the Liberal Party of Canada, and was formerly a candidate for its leadership....

withdraws from the race and endorses Bob Rae
Bob Rae
Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....

.
September 17, 2006 - British Columbia leadership and policy forum in Vancouver.
September 25, 2006 - Hedy Fry
Hedy Fry
Hedy Fry, PC, MP is a Canadian politician and physician. She is the Member of Parliament for Vancouver Centre.-Early life:Fry was born into poverty in San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago...

withdraws and endorses Bob Rae
Bob Rae
Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....

.
September 29 - October 1, 2006 - "Super Weekend" during which all riding association
Riding association
In Canadian politics a riding association , officially called an electoral district association is the basic unit of a political party, that is it is the party's organization at the level of the electoral district, or "riding"...

s and party clubs elect delegates to the convention.
September 30, 2006 - Deadline for candidates to formally register.
October 10, 2006 - A debate for the "frontrunners" is hosted jointly by the Canadian Club of Toronto
Canadian Club of Toronto
The Canadian Club of Toronto is a club in Toronto which meets several times a month to hear lunchtime speeches given by invited guests from the fields of politics, law, business, the arts, the media, and other prominent fields....

and the Empire Club of Canada
Empire Club of Canada
The Empire Club of Canada is a Canadian speakers' forum. Established in 1903, the Empire Club has provided a forum for over 3,500 speakers.Through a variety of presentation formats, the Empire Club invites local, national and international leaders and other change-agents to address the topical...

. It is a tradition, according to the clubs, that dates back 100 years to invite the frontrunning candidates in Toronto mayoral elections as well as Ontario and federal leadership campaigns. Messrs. Ignatieff, Rae, Kennedy and Dion were invited but Mr. Ignatieff declined to attend. Mr. Ignatieff said he would not attend unless all eight candidates were allowed to participate though the clubs said he also offered to come and speak individually without other candidates present.
October 15, 2006 - Toronto leadership and policy forum.

November 29 - December 1, 2006 - Liberal biennial convention.
December 1, 2006 - Candidate speeches and first ballot. Joe Volpe dropped out prior to the 1st ballot results were given, endorses Bob Rae. And after Rae was eliminated, endorses Stéphane Dion.
December 2, 2006
- Martha Hall Findlay arrives last on the 1st ballot, endorses Stéphane Dion.
- Scott Brison drops out after the 1st ballot, endorses Bob Rae. And after Rae was eliminated, endorses Michael Ignatieff.
- Ken Dryden arrives last on the 2nd ballot, endorses Bob Rae. And after Rae was eliminated, endorses Stéphane Dion.
- Gerard Kennedy drops out after the 2nd ballot, endorses Stéphane Dion.
- Bob Rae arrives last on the 3rd ballot, releases delegates.
- Stéphane Dion wins the Liberal leadership over Micheal Ignatieff on the 4th and final ballot.

External links

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