Who will be leading the Liberals now?

[Roger Steele]

With the majority of the Old Boys Club having lost their seats, who will be the new leader of the Federal Liberals, 39 year old Justin Trudeau?

[scouterjim]

With the majority of the Old Boys Club having lost their seats, who will be the new leader of the Federal Liberals, 39 year old Justin Trudeau?

Justin will run on his daddy's name, and nostalgic Liberals will vote for him.

[August1991]

When the Tories fell to 16% in 1993, they were split apart into three parts: Bloc, Reform and PC.

The Liberals at 19% in 2011 have lost voters to other major parties.

Harper worked to bring the parts back together. What parts would a future Liberal leader bring together?

In 1993, the Bloc was the Official Opposition. Now, it's a party that has support across Canada and wants to form a government.

[Roger Steele]

The Liberals were down to 40 seats in 84 and bounced back to 177 seats two terms later, I just don't see them coming back like that this time.

[Roger Steele]

Justin will run on his daddy's name, and nostalgic Liberals will vote for him.

I hope nostalgia does not overtake voter intelligence. Personally when I see the word Trudeau I see red and my BP goes up and it isn't Liberal red.

If or when Justin takes over the Liberal Party I hope he has more respect for Canada than his father had.

[Dog]

I doubt there will be an avalanche of support for Justin Trudeau .

[Dave_ON]

When the Tories fell to 16% in 1993, they were split apart into three parts: Bloc, Reform and PC.

The Liberals at 19% in 2011 have lost voters to other major parties.

Harper worked to bring the parts back together. What parts would a future Liberal leader bring together?

In 1993, the Bloc was the Official Opposition. Now, it's a party that has support across Canada and wants to form a government.

Well I'm inclined to go with Kinsella on this, a merger between the LPC and NDP would have created a very different Parliament last night, espeically in Ontario. However, doubtful that will happen, I guess we'll have to wait and see if the Grits can bounce back from this historical record low for them.

[Molly]

Well I'm inclined to go with Kinsella on this, a merger between the LPC and NDP would have created a very different Parliament last night, espeically in Ontario. However, doubtful that will happen, I guess we'll have to wait and see if the Grits can bounce back from this historical record low for them.

A merger would just necessitate the creation of yet another new party, so that a party of the centre-- one that is fiscally conservative and socially progressive-- exists.

[Topaz]

Among the number of things Harper wanted to do was to get rid of the Liberal party, I think he has a mental illness on this issue. So to get back the party they have to have someone spotless and I can only think of Dominic LeBlanc. It can't be Rae becasue the Tories have already attack his time as Premier of Ontario. LeBlanc, I think can win Quebec and take back some of the seats that the NDP have now. Jack won't be able to deliver anything, there's no power for him. I see nothing wrong with Michael but its up to the party.

[Shwa]

Among the number of things Harper wanted to do was to get rid of the Liberal party, I think he has a mental illness on this issue. So to get back the party they have to have someone spotless and I can only think of Dominic LeBlanc. It can't be Rae becasue the Tories have already attack his time as Premier of Ontario. LeBlanc, I think can win Quebec and take back some of the seats that the NDP have now. Jack won't be able to deliver anything, there's no power for him. I see nothing wrong with Michael but its up to the party.

I agree, it is Dominic LeBlanc and no one else. What the LPC need to do is get 20-30 years younger and start rebuilding and appealing to 'liberals.' What this means is that the Old Guard need to move out of the way and quickly. And that includes the stuffed shirts in the local riding associations.

The Liberals would never elect Bob Rae as leader because of the hatchet job he did in Ontario. Right now the CPC own Ontario and Bob Rae will certainly not bring Ontario back to the LPC; that much is for certain.

[Posc Student]

It will be very hard but if they are smart they could come back. The Conservatives will now be able run government how they want and will move further to the right opening more room for the Liberals in the centre. Even with an historic win I can't imagine Jack Layton staying on to lead the NDP in the next election seeing he'll be 66. A Liberal NDP merger is possible though, but I think there is room in the centre.

Denis Coderre was seen as a possible leader till his few issues as Quebec Lieutenant but it turns out he may have been right at that time.

Justin Trudeau is obviously someone and maybe over four years he could grow into a credible force.

Dominic LeBlanc of course could be the frontrunner.

David McGuinty is a smart man and could also be a candidate.

Kevin Lamoureux could help them out west, though the party's best idea over the next four yeras is to win back the east.

Someone from outside the current 34 could also take a shot at the leadership now that there will be four years for them to get in the House of Commons, if they wish.

Bob Rae will get his dream and become leader on an interim basis.

Edited May 3, 2011 by Posc Student

[Posc Student]

Ignatieff will resign!

[Shwa]

Ignatieff will resign!

2 1/2 years too late!

[treehugger]

Among the number of things Harper wanted to do was to get rid of the Liberal party, I think he has a mental illness on this issue. So to get back the party they have to have someone spotless and I can only think of Dominic LeBlanc. It can't be Rae becasue the Tories have already attack his time as Premier of Ontario. LeBlanc, I think can win Quebec and take back some of the seats that the NDP have now. Jack won't be able to deliver anything, there's no power for him. I see nothing wrong with Michael but its up to the party.

You are making your statement up.And he doesn't have a mental illness get a life!

Prime Minister Harper never once said he wanted to get rid of the liberals. He wanted to get rid of the bloc and they are gone for now butam sure some other power hungry jerk will start it up again

You see nothing wrong with ignatieff?????? wake up. at any rate he has resigned as he should. He brought the party down lower than ever before in history. Maybe he should go back to haaaarvard and study something other than history.

[capricorn]

Ignatieff is crediting the Liberal party for the NDP surge. It's true, but a rather weird thing for a soon to be ex- Liberal leader to say. It doesn't exactly motivate what's left of the party.

[Michael Hardner]

You see nothing wrong with ignatieff?????? wake up. at any rate he has resigned as he should.

Ignatieff Resigns

[Triple M]

Imo the liberal party is dead unless it separate them selves from their main opponents on the left and right. I think a Liberal party that was far more libertarian would be far more successful.

[Michael Hardner]

The middle is fertile ground and the Liberals could rise up again if they modernize themselves and stop running campaigns like it's the 1980s.

They need a new vision - not a camera-friendly non-thinker, and not a professorial egghead who can't relate. Somebody who can relate to the middle - who has worked and knows how to address concerns of Canadians.

Mostly, they should look at redesigning government to deliver services better (more cheaply and efficiently, and with responsiveness) without cutting them.

[Dog]

The middle is fertile ground and the Liberals could rise up again if they modernize themselves and stop running campaigns like it's the 1980s.

They need a new vision - not a camera-friendly non-thinker, and not a professorial egghead who can't relate. Somebody who can relate to the middle - who has worked and knows how to address concerns of Canadians.

Mostly, they should look at redesigning government to deliver services better (more cheaply and efficiently, and with responsiveness) without cutting them.

You just described the Conservative party

[Shwa]

Mostly, they should look at redesigning government to deliver services better (more cheaply and efficiently, and with responsiveness) without cutting them.

And I think you hit the nail on the head right here. They have plenty of time to re-design their platform towards this goal, a modernization of their philosophy of government. The benefit to the LPC is that the CPC and NDP will be so busy trying to mould the concrete without a form over the next few years, they will not be able to make any effective or coherent changes.

[WWWTT]

The middle is fertile ground and the Liberals could rise up again if they modernize themselves and stop running campaigns like it's the 1980s.

They need a new vision - not a camera-friendly non-thinker, and not a professorial egghead who can't relate. Somebody who can relate to the middle - who has worked and knows how to address concerns of Canadians.

Mostly, they should look at redesigning government to deliver services better (more cheaply and efficiently, and with responsiveness) without cutting them.

Your theory is soley based on voter forgiveness,thats the hard part.

WWWTT

[kimmy]

And I think you hit the nail on the head right here. They have plenty of time to re-design their platform towards this goal, a modernization of their philosophy of government. The benefit to the LPC is that the CPC and NDP will be so busy trying to mould the concrete without a form over the next few years, they will not be able to make any effective or coherent changes.

The "plenty of time" thing is kind of key. With the minority situation, they've been in a cycle of trying to pick a leader, build his reputation, and build the brand in the space of months because the next election (and the next wave of attack ads) were always just around the corner.

Now Jack Layton will be the guy in the spotlight, the Liberals are kind of on the sidelines for 4+ years, and they need it.

One quibble I have. People keep referencing the 1993 election and saying "well, the PCs were down to 2 seats, and they came back..." But the PCs never really came back. They stumbled along on their own for a few years, but they "came back" only by merging with a larger party with a base in parts of the country they were no longer viable in.

-k

[Posc Student]

The Liberals will have an easier time rebuilding under a Conservative majority government.

[ToadBrother]

Justin will run on his daddy's name, and nostalgic Liberals will vote for him.

And if they do, they'll be guaranteed a PC-like decline before what's left is finally taken over by the NDP.

[ToadBrother]

The middle is fertile ground and the Liberals could rise up again if they modernize themselves and stop running campaigns like it's the 1980s.

Except the middle is about to get two other tenants, and the Liberals will have neither the exposure or the prestige to try to dislodge those guys. Maybe they can rebuild, or maybe we're just seeing the Liberal brand die away.