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Michael Ignatieff has confirmed Ottawa's worst-kept secret by announcing he will run again for the leadership of the federal Liberal party.

"I'm running because I love my country, because I love my party, and because I believe I can offer the leadership this country needs in tough times," he said at a low-key press conference.

"This party needs to change," he added, promising to reinvigorate the party by "opening the doors" to a new generation of Liberals. He promised to hold a policy conference within 100 days of being chosen leader, a nod to the Kingston conference Lester Pearson organized in 1960 which brought activists and academics together and revived the party.

Mr. Ignatieff promised a "308-riding strategy" to defeat the Harper Conservatives and pledged to reengage the party's grassroots.

"I think that I'm better now. I think that I have been tested in the House of Commons four days a week. I've stood toe-to-toe with the Prime Minister," he said when asked what has changed since he last ran for the leadership.

The leadership convention, scheduled April 30 to May 3 in Vancouver, will involve a far less crowded field of candidates than the last race in 2006. Mr. Ignatieff will be pitted against his old friend and fellow Toronto MP Bob Rae, as well as New Brunswick MP Dominic LeBlanc.

Toronto MP Gerard Kennedy, the fourth-place candidate in the 2006 leadership convention, and Ottawa MP David McGuinty, brother of Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, both announced Wednesday they will not be candidates.

They followed on the heels of Montreal MP Denis Coderre, Toronto MP Martha Hall Findlay – another 2006 contender – former deputy prime minister John Manley and former New Brunswick premier Frank McKenna. That leaves only former justice minister Martin Cauchon still on the undecided list, and there was mounting doubt he would enter the race.

Mr. Ignatieff was careful Thursday not to criticize Bob Rae, the other perceived front-runner in the race, or his record as Ontario premier.

"This isn't about us. It isn't about Bob. It isn't about me. It isn't about Dominic. It's about the future of an institution that all of us hold very dear in our hearts and want to renew and want to lead to victory in the next election," Mr. Ignatieff said.

Among Mr. Ignatieff's supporters at Thursday's announcement were Markham MP John McCallum, who will be leading his economic team, and Penny Collenette, failed Ottawa Centre candidate and former senior adviser in the Chrétien PMO.

Also in attendance were David McGuinty, Steven MacKinnon, the former national director of party, Ian Davey, one of his key strategists from 2006, and Toronto lawyer Dan Brock. Mr. Davey and Mr. Brock enticed Mr. Ignatieff to leave Harvard and move back to Canada in 2005 so he could enter politics.

Leadership candidates have until February to sign up members; the delegate selection will take place in March. More than 8,000 delegates could attend.

According to one MP who spoke to The Globe and Mail on background, there is little appetite among members of the parliamentary caucus for what he called “also-rans” – the reappearance of the second- and third-tier candidates from the 2006 leadership who are seen as a drain on the party's finances and organization of delegates.

With a report from Michael Valpy