post election posts IV- this time its personal
Looking for a leader

The Tories, as I have mentioned earlier, have at least a one year window to do just about anything they want while the Liberals reorganize and pick a new leader.

A number of names are being batted around (see this Wikipedia page for a list with linked bios) but at this point I'd say that former maritime premiers Frank McKenna and Brian Tobin would probably be the frontrunners, with newly-elected high profile Toronto MP and noted intellectual Michael Ignatieff and former cabinent minister and Hockey Hall of Famer Ken Dryden also in the running.

I think Tobin would make a better PM than McKenna and his Capt. Canada routine during the Turbot War certainly won't hurt his chances.

Bob Rae's name is being bandied around as is Alan Rock's, but don't count on seeing either one of them toss their hat in the ring. I like Bob Rae and don't think he got a fair shake as Ontario Premier, but fair has nothing to do with it - the Ontario small business community would never vote for him (though a lot of them are tories anyway) and I don't think he'd do very well in Ontario in general, though it would be nice to see a leader who would pull the party back toward the left of center instead of another big-business Liberal like McKenna. And I've been told Rock is enjoying the UN and private life too much to come back - plus he'd have the albatross of the gun registry hung around his neck, which wouldn't do him any good out west.

Deputy PM Cardiac Anne McClellen would be an interesting choice but she'd have to get Western Liberals pretty worked up to get eastern delegates - especially those from Quebec to back her.

Ken Dryden would be an interesting choice and not just for sentimental reasons involving the bleu-blanc-et-rouge - he is a very smart man with a reputation as a major policy wonk who is fairly cool under fire, though a bit phlegmatic and dull as a speaker by most accounts. I hope he decides to run.