- Former Ontario premier Bob Rae is the top contender in the race for the leadership of Canada’s Liberal party, according to a poll by Ekos Research Associates published in the Toronto Star. 26 per cent of respondents think Rae, who governed the country’s most populous province as a member of the New Democratic Party (NDP), would be the best leader.
- Former Ontario premier Bob Rae is the top contender in the race for the leadership of Canada’s Liberal party, according to a poll by Ekos Research Associates published in the Toronto Star. 26 per cent of respondents think Rae, who governed the country’s most populous province as a member of the New Democratic Party (NDP), would be the best leader.
Academic Michael Ignatieff is second with 21 per cent, followed by former environment minister Stéphane Dion and former Ontario education minister Gerard Kennedy with 12 per cent each. The other contenders are former social development minister Ken Dryden, former public works and government services minister Scott Brison, former immigration minister Joe Volpe and Toronto lawyer Martha Hall Findlay.
Canadians renewed the House of Commons in January. The Conservative party—led by Stephen Harper—received 36.3 per cent of the vote, and secured 124 seats in the 308-member lower house. Since February, Harper leads a minority administration after more than 12 years of government by the Liberal party.
The Liberals will choose a new leader in December. Former prime minister Paul Martin announced his resignation immediately after the January electoral defeat, and was substituted on an interim basis by former defence minister Bill Graham.
Yesterday, Ignatieff criticized the U.S. government’s decision to launch the coalition effort in Iraq, saying, “(I take) full responsibility for not having anticipated how incompetent the Americans would be. I don’t have remaining confidence in the Americans. The Bush operation in Iraq betrayed any hopes I had of Iraq transitioning to a stable political elite.”
Polling Data
Who do you think would be the best leader of the Liberal Party of Canada?
Bob Rae | 26% |
Michael Ignatieff | 21% |
Stéphane Dion | 12% |
Gerard Kennedy | 12% |
Other | 1% |
None of the above | 6% |
Not sure | 22% |
Source: Ekos Research Associates / Toronto Star
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,211 Canadian adults, conducted from Oct. 10 to Oct. 12, 2006. Margin of error is 2.8 per cent.
