Liberals made a pledge to focus on rebuilding the party from the ground up. It is essential, now that the Grit leadership race is getting underway, that Liberals honour this promise. Liberals should select their next leader keeping in mind the following difficult but unavoidable truth: The Liberal Party of Canada will not win the 2015 federal election. The worst thing the Grits could do right now is to rally en masse around any one candidate for leader early in the race and not give this candidate a chance to prove his or her worth. Better to have Grits unite around a common vision as a result of debate than to unite around a personality hoping for a Hail Mary.

Can the Liberals survive as a third party? Liberals can no longer claim to be the natural governing party, nor to have the same ability to garner wealthy donors or those seeking connections. Liberals cannot coast by on "we win elections," "we're not Harper," or be the "everything to everyone" party. The Liberals face a tough political environment, with the NDP trying to crowd them out, and with their own return to power far from certain. A compelling message and clear ideals to attract support is key. Liberals cannot pine for a messiah.

According to a media report, it would appear that New Brunswick MP, Dominic Leblanc, would like to limit the number of contenders for the Liberal Party leadership. Leadership races are supposed to rejuvenate a party, improve its fortunes and give it a bounce in the polls. You won't do that unless you debate new ideas, hopefully with a few new people at the table.

After a slow summer on the leadership front, a race for the federal Liberal crown could soon start picking up speed. MPs and senators are ...

MONTEBELLO, Que. - There's an old saying in business and politics: Never let a crisis go to waste.The depleted federal Liberals — just 35 MPs strong...

A poll by the Canadian polling company Environic and co-sponsored by the CBC found 15 per cent of Canadians would have given up their ballot in Canada's '08 federal election to vote in the U.S. election. I get it. I'm so uninspired by our Canadian political leaders it's not even funny.

The Liberal Party of Canada is the only party on the federal spectrum that can unequivocally embrace national unity, Quebec nationalism and social progressiveness at the same time. Referendum or no referendum, the LPC needs strong, committed federalists advancing a clear vision for a united Canada now if it wants to successfully embark on its rebuilding voyage.

My vision for Canada's future is one that appeals to our higher aspirations and hopes for the future, rather than to our fears, distrust, and resentment. In running for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada, I want to appeal to all those Canadians who are uncertain where they fit into Canadian politics, but want to talk about the kind of nation we are building, and what it is that makes us Canadian.

Deborah Coyne is running for the leadership of the (once) mighty Liberals. The media has been less than supportive, describing her as the illegitimate child of Pierre Trudeau. This is doing little to convince her opponents that her resume reads differently than that of a debutante. Would the same sentiment hold if the candidate was man?

Bill C-38 will wreak havoc on provincial budgets through measures that will shift costs onto provincial social programs. This is but one of the ways in which the Conservative government is determined to use legislation to bully and weaken its opponents, as well as the quality of democratic debate.

At a recent talk, John Turner hoarsely reminded his audience that politics are about people; something which seems to have been forgotten. Unlike the current strategies of Stephen Harper and Thomas Mulcair, the Prime Minister, in order to win, would have to unite and not divide Canada. Only when every region in Canada is on board with an idea can the country truly tackle the challenges it faces.

On the national scene, the Red Tory is a dying breed. The decline of the Liberal Party of Canada in effect represents the downfall of the final remnant of interest-based politics, a type of politics in which elected officials attempt to bridge, rather than emphasize, the inherent gaps and differences present among the Canadian people.

The NDP had the power to gain a significant concession from the minority Liberals and bend the budget to their alleged goals as the party of the working class. Plus they had a real opportunity to win huge accolades and public affection. Instead, Horwath dropped the ball and has left the Liberals to continue to pummel working class taxpayers.

OTTAWA - Some federal Liberals fear single-issue pro-lifers are trying to hijack their weakened party.Their fears have been stoked by the apparent re-...

Members of Parliament return to Ottawa Monday after a six-week break. It's a brand new year and, in some ways, a new political landscape l...

OTTAWA - If Liberals are serious about presenting voters with a credible plan to legalize and regulate cannabis in the next federal election, they hav...

TORONTO - Premier Dalton McGuinty is pleading for patience while his government investigates troubling reports that continue to swirl around ORNGE, in...

Mike Crawley's day job as chief of International Power Canada poses a significant risk to the Liberal Party and makes his calls for grassroots inclusion ring hollow. His power company has had a devastating impact on Ontario residents who are forced to live in the shadow of Crawley's work.

I am very much looking forward to this Liberal Biennial Convention. There are more delegates coming here than to the past NDP and Conservative conventions combined -- right away, that's a great sign.