Liberal insiders look to Bob Rae as possible successor to Martin
Lee Greenberg
The Ottawa Citizen
Friday, July 22, 2005
Lifelong New Democrat Bob Rae, the cerebral former leader of one of the most unpopular governments in Ontario history, is being touted in some Liberal circles as a possible successor to Prime Minister Paul Martin.
"When people talk about who are potential leaders, Bob Rae's name does make the list," said Senator Terry Mercer, a onetime national director of the party and an ally of former Prime Minister Jean Chretien. "It's been speculation more than (anything). There's been no one come and say look, 'I've been thinking of supporting Bob Rae for leader, what do you think?'"
Nevertheless, Mr. Mercer said the 56-year-old former MP's name first surfaced as a potential candidate six months ago. It has not disappeared since.
In recent years, Mr. Rae has made clear his disillusionment with some aspects of the political left. During his hiatus from party politics, he has had virtually nothing to do with the NDP, party insiders say, with the exception of personal donations.
He has surprised some people with his hawkish views on security. In a notorious 2002 National Post article, he lambasted the federal NDP's foreign policy (embodied by the "histrionic crank" Svend Robinson).
"The NDP opposes the World Trade Organization, sits on its hands when (British Prime Minister) Tony Blair praises the advantages of markets, and denounces any military action against terrorism, whether by the United States, Canada or Israel," he wrote. "This is not a vision of social democracy worthy of support."
Furthermore, Mr. Mercer and other former Chretien loyalists pointed to Mr. Rae's friendship with many senior Liberals, including his brother John, a powerful backroom player who chaired three Chretien election campaigns and two leadership contests.
From his office at Montreal's Power Corp., where he serves as executive assistant to chairman Paul Desmarais, John Rae was reluctant to talk about his younger brother's future in the Liberal party.
"First of all, there is no federal leadership (contest). ... That is just a point of fact," he said. "Secondly, I would make no comment."
Bob Rae, a Rhodes scholar whose sandy blond hair has been replaced by a shock of white since retiring from politics in 1996, was in Baghdad this week, advising the Iraqi government on a new constitution.
Through his assistant, Mr. Rae denied an interview request.
In 1990, Mr. Rae ushered in Ontario's first and only socialist government, winning a solid majority over David Peterson's Liberals. Almost immediately, his government was beset by problems stemming from a global recession.
Many within his party still harbour resentment towards Mr. Rae for what they see as twin betrayals of the social contract, where public servants were forced to take unpaid vacation, known as Rae Days, to help the public purse, and his reneging on a promise to introduce public auto insurance.
Others, like former staffer Cim Nunn, are more forgiving. "He was made to wear a lot of things as leader that weren't really his fault. For the past 10 years he's been a convenient target and a scapegoat."
Mr. Nunn says that, while he'd be shocked and disappointed to see Mr. Rae run as a Liberal, Mr. Rae is "not a real leftie (in the context) of our party. He always understood that to make change you needed to compromise."
"I think probably the federal Liberals are more in line with Mr. Rae's way of thinking," added Mr. Mercer. "He would have some ground to make up, obviously. ... But I wouldn't discourage Mr. Rae from entering the race. He would be a credible candidate."
In the 10 years since his party was trounced at the polls at the hands of Mike Harris's Conservatives (the NDP fell from 74 seats to just 17), Mr. Rae has undertaken what he has termed a "public rehabilitation" of his image.
He has had a hand in weighty issues (co-authoring a recent report on Ontario's postsecondary education) and served as peacemaker for others (mediating the aboriginal fishing dispute in Burnt Church, N.B., and was named special adviser to deputy prime minister Anne McLellan on the Air India fallout).
"Ten years later, he seems to have been reinvented as an elder statesman," says Conservative pollster Greg Lyle, president of Innovative Research Group.
Mr. Lyle says Mr. Rae's pragmatic politics would easily fit into the Liberal party. He cites former B.C. New Democrat Premier Ujjal Dosanjh as an example.
"Coming from the left basically means people trust your motivation on social issues," he says. "I think he's a very plausible candidate.
"Ask yourself: Where are the Chretienites, the left of the Liberal party, going to go? They have no candidate except maybe (former justice minister) Martin Cauchon. And he doesn't really have a strong base in English Canada."
© The Ottawa Citizen 2005