The Liberal leadership race is approaching a crucial juncture, with the delegates for its Montreal convention being selected across the country over the weekend of Sept. 29 to Oct. 1.
globeandmail.com invited all of the candidates to come on-line before that delegate-selection process.
We were pleased to have Bob Rae take part in this series of live on-line discussions.
The questions and Mr. Rae's answers are at the bottom of this page.
(Nathan Denette/CP)
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As Murray Campbell wrote in his Globe profile of the former Ontario NDP premier, A new day for Bob Rae: 'I am what I am' "his decision to re-enter the political world has sparked a thriving industry analyzing his motives: Is it boredom with private life? Is he seeking redemption?"
Mr. Rae's answer is simple: "I am what I am," he says. And he is a politician.
Mr. Rae served as Ontario's premier for five years and was elected eight times to federal and provincial parliaments.
In 2005, he was appointed as special advisor to the minister of public safety on the Air India bombing of 1985. His report was published in November of last year, leading to his further appointment as Independent Counsellor to the Prime Minister of Canada and Chair of the Air India Inquiry and review.
He is the author of two books and is an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto and senior fellow of Massey College.
Editor's Note: globeandmail.com editors will read and allow or reject each question/comment. Comments/questions may be edited for length or clarity. We will not publish questions/comments that include personal attacks on participants in these discussions, that make false or unsubstantiated allegations, that purport to quote people or reports where the purported quote or fact cannot be easily verified, or questions/comments that include vulgar language or libellous statements. Preference will be given to readers who submit questions/comments using their full name and home town, rather than a pseudonym.
Rasha Mourtada, globeandmail.com: Good morning, Mr. Rae, and thank you for joining us today to answer questions from globeandmail.com readers. Let's get started. What is the single most-important reason why you should be elected leader of the Liberal party and have a chance to become the Prime Minister of Canada?
Bob Rae: The No. 1 reason is that I am "job-ready" — ready to oppose and to beat a Prime Minister and a party that the majority of Canadians are uncomfortable with.
Canada's voice has gone missing under this Prime Minister, in Canada and abroad.
I can help renew the Liberal Party.
My experience includes leading the second-largest government in the country. My career in public service since then has prepared me for the political arena and for governing. And Canadians want an alternative to [Stephen] Harper.
My platform is pragmatic, based on core values that I know are important to Canadians from my years or experience in public life. And I am speaking to the nation's challenges and hopes, such as a commitment to creating sustainable prosperity and sharing opportunity. In addition, I am proposing specific initiatives around, for instance, strengthening health care with a catastrophic pharmaceuticals program. This is the kind of thing that speaks to what matters to Canadians, what affects them directly.
This race is about renewal. It is about sound ideas. And it is about judgment and experience in solving real problems.
Jim Sheppard, Executive Editor, globeandmail.com: Where do you place the eight candidates right now in terms of being front-runners, middle-of-the-pack or well-behind-the-rest? What's your strategy since it appears no one will win on the first ballot at the convention?
Bob Rae: First, it is for Liberals to decide. I am simply working hard, taking nothing for granted and talking to and hearing from a lot of party members about what they want to see in a renewed Canada and a Liberal government. Listening and making sure that people's real priorities are also my priorities — such as jobs, the environment, health or learning — is how you build trust.
Cynthia Nurse, St. Thomas, Ont.: Mr. Rae, what will you do if elected leader of the Liberal Party to support young people? I see many young people feeling a sense of hopelessness at this time, due to the lack of job security and the high costs of post-secondary education.
