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- Associated Press
- Liberal MP Justin Trudeau on the front lawn of Parliament Hill in Ottawa in June.
By Paul Vieira
The charismatic son of former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau has set a 7 p.m. political rally in Montreal tonight to launch his run for the leadership of the opposition Liberal party.
Never mind that the Liberal party was trounced in the last federal election, and no matter who takes the helm, will have a tough road winning back support from the public. The Liberals, which have dominated Canadian politics for decades, aren’t even the official opposition party anymore. That title is now held by the left-leaning New Democratic Party.
Still, Mr. Trudeau’s pending entry into the race has electrified Ottawa. Just 40 years old, Mr. Trudeau has never held a major cabinet position, opening him up to critics who say he lacks the experience to head the party. Still, political analysts say his star-power may dissuade other possible contenders from seeking the leadership.
A representative for Mr. Trudeau declined to comment.
The Liberal Party dominated Canadian federal politics for much of the 20th century, with Pierre Trudeau in charge as prime minister between 1968 and 1979, and again from 1980 to 1984.
The campaign to pick a new Liberal leader is the third in nearly a half-dozen years, after former Prime Minister Paul Martin stepped down after losing out to the Conservatives, led by current Prime Minister Stephen Harper, in 2006. The most recent Liberal leader was former Harvard University professor Michael Ignatieff, who left politics after the 2011 trouncing.
