Dion and "dream team" of former Liberal candidates say they're ready for Harper
By Mike Oliveira
TORONTO (CP) - The men and lone woman who fought for the leadership of the Liberal party are now united as one "dream team" ready to take on Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Conservatives, leader Stephane Dion said Tuesday.
Standing alongside Scott Brison, Bob Rae, Martha Hall Findlay and Gerard Kennedy, Dion said the battle at the leadership convention is history, and all the former candidates are now preparing for the next federal election, whenever that may be.
"We need to win the next election for Canada ... and we'll offer to Canadians a very striking contrast (versus) the approach of Mr. Harper for the future of this country," Dion said.
"During the last months I had the opportunity to learn a lot about the talents and the skills of my former fellow candidates, and I know that I want to use their talents and enthusiasm as much as possible."
Toronto lawyer Hall Findlay, who finished last in the leadership race, will be given the task of travelling the country and consulting with the Liberal grassroots on policy.
The views she gleans will be fed to Rae and Brison, co-chairs of the platform development effort.
Kennedy, whose support at the convention helped propel Dion to victory, was named special adviser for election readiness renewal
Dion said he will also have important roles for Joe Volpe and Ken Dryden, who he called "the heart of our party."
On Monday, Dion named leadership runner-up Michael Ignatieff deputy leader of the party.
Rae praised Dion's diplomacy in wooing all the candidates onto his team, and said everyone recognized there could "only be one winner," and now it's time to work together.
"It's not easy for all of us, who have been through a tough race, it's gone on for a long time," Rae said.
"I must say in all my meetings with Stephane, he's shown great sensitivity to all of our situations, the emotional reaction that we've all had to running," he said.
The team will now devote all its energies into preparing for an election, a task which Dion acknowledges will be difficult.
He said an election could take place at any time and added the party does not want it to happen too soon.
"I don't want an election for now, I don't think Canadian people want an election in the middle of the winter."
But the team members all echoed the same confidence that the Liberal party is best prepared for an election because it represents the policies Canadians seek.
"Jack Layton I do not really believe understands the economy, Stephen Harper really doesn't care about the environment," Brison said. "We're the party that understands the economy and cares about the environment."
Added Rae: "I think this country is ready for a new government, I really believe Mr. Harper does not represent the views of the majority of Canadians. And I think the great strength of the Liberal party is that its values and beliefs and its abilities are much more closely tied to the views of most Canadians than the other parties."
Copyright © 2006 Canadian Press
By Mike Oliveira
TORONTO (CP) - The men and lone woman who fought for the leadership of the Liberal party are now united as one "dream team" ready to take on Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Conservatives, leader Stephane Dion said Tuesday.
Standing alongside Scott Brison, Bob Rae, Martha Hall Findlay and Gerard Kennedy, Dion said the battle at the leadership convention is history, and all the former candidates are now preparing for the next federal election, whenever that may be.
"We need to win the next election for Canada ... and we'll offer to Canadians a very striking contrast (versus) the approach of Mr. Harper for the future of this country," Dion said.
"During the last months I had the opportunity to learn a lot about the talents and the skills of my former fellow candidates, and I know that I want to use their talents and enthusiasm as much as possible."
Toronto lawyer Hall Findlay, who finished last in the leadership race, will be given the task of travelling the country and consulting with the Liberal grassroots on policy.
The views she gleans will be fed to Rae and Brison, co-chairs of the platform development effort.
Kennedy, whose support at the convention helped propel Dion to victory, was named special adviser for election readiness renewal
Dion said he will also have important roles for Joe Volpe and Ken Dryden, who he called "the heart of our party."
On Monday, Dion named leadership runner-up Michael Ignatieff deputy leader of the party.
Rae praised Dion's diplomacy in wooing all the candidates onto his team, and said everyone recognized there could "only be one winner," and now it's time to work together.
"It's not easy for all of us, who have been through a tough race, it's gone on for a long time," Rae said.
"I must say in all my meetings with Stephane, he's shown great sensitivity to all of our situations, the emotional reaction that we've all had to running," he said.
The team will now devote all its energies into preparing for an election, a task which Dion acknowledges will be difficult.
He said an election could take place at any time and added the party does not want it to happen too soon.
"I don't want an election for now, I don't think Canadian people want an election in the middle of the winter."
But the team members all echoed the same confidence that the Liberal party is best prepared for an election because it represents the policies Canadians seek.
"Jack Layton I do not really believe understands the economy, Stephen Harper really doesn't care about the environment," Brison said. "We're the party that understands the economy and cares about the environment."
Added Rae: "I think this country is ready for a new government, I really believe Mr. Harper does not represent the views of the majority of Canadians. And I think the great strength of the Liberal party is that its values and beliefs and its abilities are much more closely tied to the views of most Canadians than the other parties."
Copyright © 2006 Canadian Press