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Dion to quit as Liberal leader
Dion to quit as Liberal leader
Will remain in job until successor is chosen 'in order to ensure a smooth and successful transition'
Meagan Fitzpatrick and Juliet O'Neill , Canwest News Service
Published: Monday, October 20, 2008
OTTAWA - Stephane Dion is calling it quits as Liberal leader, but will remain in the job until a successor is chosen by the party at a leadership convention instead of naming an interim replacement, he announced Monday.
Dion confirmed his resignation at a news conference, his first public appearance since last Tuesday's election when his party lost 19 seats and suffered a huge drop in the popular vote.
He said he has informed the president of the Liberal Party of Canada and the president of the national caucus of his intention to stay on as leader until a new one is chosen during a convention.
Liberal Leader Stephane Dion announced Monday that he will remain at the helm until a new leader is chosen.
"I will not be a candidate for the leadership of my party at that convention. I will remain as leader in order to ensure a smooth and successful transition. I will also work hard in the meantime to prepare my party properly for the next leader," Dion said.
Dion said he made the decision after consulting with his family, friends and colleagues.
"Politics has its ups and downs," Dion said. "I'm happy to be able to say I have enjoyed many more ups than downs."
Dion was immediately pressed to step down after the Liberals' poor showing at the polls and internal discontent over the Green Shift, the carbon tax proposal that was at the heart of the Liberal campaign platform.
The outgoing Liberal leader said Monday it was a plan he believed in, but that his party was unable to effectively react to Conservative "propaganda" during the campaign about him and the Green Shift.
"The image the Conservatives gave to me is cemented in the minds of too many Canadians. I want to protect the next leader against that," he said.
Dion said he was disappointed by the election results, but in a democracy one doesn't have to agree with the results, but must accept them.
"I accept the result and now I am looking forward," said Dion. "The past is the past. I wish I would have succeeded, of course. I think it would have been great for Canada to have a Liberal government now instead of the Conservative government we have but to accept in a democracy the result and to move on, that's what I'm doing."
Dion did not commit to running in the next federal election and said he would make a decision on that only after his replacement is chosen.
It was all but certain he would give in to mounting pressure to resign, but what remained unclear was whether Dion would step down immediately with an interim leader taking over or stay in his post until a new leader is selected by the party.
Dion offered an apology to the MPs who lost their seats last Tuesday and had a message for the newly elected ones.
"To those MPs we lost, I wish you well. I'm sorry and I thank you for your contribution to our country," he said. "To the new Liberal MPs elected for the first time, I ask you to remember that you have the immense responsibility of presenting Canadians in this most difficult of economic circumstances, always keep in mind their hopes and aspirations, and be aware of their fears."
Dion said as a proud Quebecer, and a proud Canadian he will "always be there for my country, through conviction and through love."
The Liberals have an automatic post-election leadership review scheduled for a policy convention in early May in Vancouver and that now is expected to be moved ahead.
Possible Liberal leadership contenders
- Michael Ignateiff, 61, a former Harvard University professor and deputy Liberal leader and MP .
- Bob Rae, 60, former NDP premier of Ontario 1990-95 and Liberal MP.
- Gerard Kennedy, 48, a former Ontario MPP, provincial cabinet minister and newly elected MP.
- John Manley, 58, a former deputy leader, finance and foreign affairs minister. Chairman of a Harper-appointed panel charged with exploring Canada's role in Afghanistan.- Frank McKenna, 60, former New Brunswick premier and former ambassador to the United States.
- Scott Brison, 41, Nova Scotia MP and a former Progressive Conservative MP who ran in the last Liberal leadership to firm up his Grit credentials.
- Dominic LeBlanc, 40, an articulate bilingual MP from New Brunswick.
- MPs Ruby Dhalla and Martha Hall Findlay.
Dion to quit as Liberal leader
Will remain in job until successor is chosen 'in order to ensure a smooth and successful transition'
Meagan Fitzpatrick and Juliet O'Neill , Canwest News Service
Published: Monday, October 20, 2008
OTTAWA - Stephane Dion is calling it quits as Liberal leader, but will remain in the job until a successor is chosen by the party at a leadership convention instead of naming an interim replacement, he announced Monday.
Dion confirmed his resignation at a news conference, his first public appearance since last Tuesday's election when his party lost 19 seats and suffered a huge drop in the popular vote.
He said he has informed the president of the Liberal Party of Canada and the president of the national caucus of his intention to stay on as leader until a new one is chosen during a convention.
"I will not be a candidate for the leadership of my party at that convention. I will remain as leader in order to ensure a smooth and successful transition. I will also work hard in the meantime to prepare my party properly for the next leader," Dion said.
Dion said he made the decision after consulting with his family, friends and colleagues.
"Politics has its ups and downs," Dion said. "I'm happy to be able to say I have enjoyed many more ups than downs."
Dion was immediately pressed to step down after the Liberals' poor showing at the polls and internal discontent over the Green Shift, the carbon tax proposal that was at the heart of the Liberal campaign platform.
The outgoing Liberal leader said Monday it was a plan he believed in, but that his party was unable to effectively react to Conservative "propaganda" during the campaign about him and the Green Shift.
"The image the Conservatives gave to me is cemented in the minds of too many Canadians. I want to protect the next leader against that," he said.
Dion said he was disappointed by the election results, but in a democracy one doesn't have to agree with the results, but must accept them.
"I accept the result and now I am looking forward," said Dion. "The past is the past. I wish I would have succeeded, of course. I think it would have been great for Canada to have a Liberal government now instead of the Conservative government we have but to accept in a democracy the result and to move on, that's what I'm doing."
Dion did not commit to running in the next federal election and said he would make a decision on that only after his replacement is chosen.
It was all but certain he would give in to mounting pressure to resign, but what remained unclear was whether Dion would step down immediately with an interim leader taking over or stay in his post until a new leader is selected by the party.
Dion offered an apology to the MPs who lost their seats last Tuesday and had a message for the newly elected ones.
"To those MPs we lost, I wish you well. I'm sorry and I thank you for your contribution to our country," he said. "To the new Liberal MPs elected for the first time, I ask you to remember that you have the immense responsibility of presenting Canadians in this most difficult of economic circumstances, always keep in mind their hopes and aspirations, and be aware of their fears."
Dion said as a proud Quebecer, and a proud Canadian he will "always be there for my country, through conviction and through love."
The Liberals have an automatic post-election leadership review scheduled for a policy convention in early May in Vancouver and that now is expected to be moved ahead.
Possible Liberal leadership contenders
- Michael Ignateiff, 61, a former Harvard University professor and deputy Liberal leader and MP .
- Bob Rae, 60, former NDP premier of Ontario 1990-95 and Liberal MP.
- Gerard Kennedy, 48, a former Ontario MPP, provincial cabinet minister and newly elected MP.
- John Manley, 58, a former deputy leader, finance and foreign affairs minister. Chairman of a Harper-appointed panel charged with exploring Canada's role in Afghanistan.- Frank McKenna, 60, former New Brunswick premier and former ambassador to the United States.
- Scott Brison, 41, Nova Scotia MP and a former Progressive Conservative MP who ran in the last Liberal leadership to firm up his Grit credentials.
- Dominic LeBlanc, 40, an articulate bilingual MP from New Brunswick.
- MPs Ruby Dhalla and Martha Hall Findlay.
