Michael Ignatieff will formally declare he is in the race to replace Stéphane Dion as the leader of the Liberal party tomorrow in Ottawa.
And he we will not be challenged by Toronto MP Gerard Kennedy, the former Ontario cabinet minister, or Ottawa MP David McGuinty, who joined the growing list of Liberals not running for the federal party leadership.
Mr. Ignatieff will make the announcement at an 11 a.m. news conference scheduled for the National Press Theatre.
In his address to launch his campaign, the 61-year-old former journalist and Harvard professor will also speak about the possibilities for Canada in the world, according to a source, delivering a positive message and one that has attracted many young people to his campaign.
Steven MacKinnon, former director of the party and a key Ignatieff supporter, said the press conference will be an extremely low-key affair. A much bigger, more formal launch is expected in the near future.
Mr. Ignatieff is expected to make a statement but it is not expected that he will resign his post as deputy leader.
Mr. MacKinnon joked that Mr. Ignatieff's candidacy has been one of the "worst-kept secrets" and it felt right that he say something now. He has not spoken publicly about his intentions, nor has he made many public appearances since the election Oct. 14.
"It feels like the right time to make his intentions clear," said Mr. MacKinnon.
Gerard Kennedy was the kingmaker in the 2006 contest, throwing his support to Mr. Dion after coming fourth on the first ballot.
That allowed Mr. Dion to stage a stunning, come-from-behind victory over Mr. Ignatieff and Bob Rae, both of whom are preparing to square off again now that Mr. Dion has decided to step aside.
Mr. Ignatieff placed second to Mr. Dion in the 2006 leadership in Montreal. He is considered the front runner along with Toronto MP Bob Rae, who has declared his intention to run but not made a formal announcement. Mr. Rae resigned his foreign affairs critic post when he made his intentions known.
Mr. McGuinty said he considered entering the race, but decided instead to concentrate on his duties.
"I have decided not to seek the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada at this time," he said in a message to supporters. "Instead, I will redouble my efforts to help strengthen, reinvigorate and improve our party by fulfilling my constituency, my legislative and my opposition critic responsibilities with a renewed vigor."
Mr. Ignatieff had waited until the national party executive had established the venue and rules for the convention before making a formal announcement.
The new leader will be picked at a convention that is taking place in early May in Vancouver. Candidates are only allowed to spend $1.5-million on their campaigns, which is down from $3.4-million in the 2006.
There is also a non-refundable entry fee of $90,000 for candidates. Delegates will be chosen over several days next March.
It is also expected that New Brunswick MP Dominic LeBlanc will run. It is not clear yet if former Chrétien justice minister Martin Cauchon will enter the race.
Liberal Leadership Contenders
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