Liberal caucus picks Bob Rae as interim leader
Posted May 25, 2011 1:24 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Bob Rae has been chosen as interim leader of the devastated party.
The much-diminished Liberal caucus tapped the Toronto MP today to take on the daunting task of rebuilding their once-mighty party until a permanent successor to Michael Ignatieff is selected.
Rae, a high-profile, former NDP premier of Ontario, was chosen over Montreal MP Marc Garneau, a soft-spoken, one-time astronaut.
He had to give up his long-term leadership ambitions in order to take the interim post.
The party’s national board of directors — which hopes to postpone a vote for permanent leader for 18 to 22 months — is expected to ratify Rae’s appointment later today.
Ignatieff resigned after leading the party to its worst defeat in history in the May 2 election.
