Peter C. Newman, shown in 2004, plans to write a Michael Ignatieff biography. (CBC)

Peter C. Newman, a veteran writer who has chronicled the lives of some of Canada's most powerful people, plans to write a biography of Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff.

The book should be published in fall 2010, Random House of Canada announced Wednesday.

It will be the first full-length biography of Ignatieff, who Newman calls "the most interesting political figure in Canada today."

Ignatieff, an author himself, was officially named leader of the Liberal party at a convention last weekend.

Newman said he believes Ignatieff has a real shot at becoming prime minister.

"We haven't had a political leader whose intellect is his defining characteristic since [Pierre Elliott] Trudeau, and it's fascinating to watch the ways in which a man like Ignatieff reaches out to rebuild the party and create relationships with voters," he said.

Newman, 79, has written 24 books, and has followed Canadian politics as a journalist for more than 50 years.

His books include Renegade in Power about John Diefenbaker and he has written books about former prime ministers Lester B. Pearson, Trudeau and Brian Mulroney. Mulroney filed a lawsuit against him over his book The Secret Mulroney Tapes.

Newman has also written extensively about Canada's most powerful business leaders, including Conrad Black and the Bronfmans in books such as The Canadian Establishment and Titans.