Stéphane Dion had "an understanding" with Gerard Kennedy if one of the two candidates was ahead of the other coming into a decisive ballot, the new Liberal leader acknowledged Saturday in an interview with CBC News.

"We became very close," Dion said shortly after his victory over Michael Ignatieff on the fourth ballot. 

Leadership candidate Gerard Kennedy sides with Stéphane Dion on Saturday following the results of the second ballot.
(Tom Hanson/Canadian Press)

"It was something that was more of an understanding than a deal that we shared a lot and our teams shared a lot."

Ignatieff and Bob Rae strategists were counting on Kennedy to stay in the running at least until after the third ballot, but the former Ontario education minister withdrew after the second ballot to throw his support behind Dion.

His dramatic move proved the push that launched Dion's "little train that could" campaign into a runaway train. 

"I would have been very surprised if Gerard decided to go elsewhere," Dion said.

Low-budget campaign triumphs

With a modest campaign and a small network of supporters at the launch of the race in April, the bookish former university professor managed to leap ahead of Ignatieff and Rae, the two perceived front-runners with the largest budgets, staff and public profiles.

Dion himself admitted he had no idea how the outcome would unfold coming into the convention.

"I was not sure, but I would not have tried if I thought I had no capacity to win," he said. "I'm not interested in just animating the debates."

Saturday brought a day of strategic alliances and joining forces for delegates and candidates as the ballots shifted the balance away from Ignatieff and Rae.

First, it was last-place finisher Martha Hall Findlay throwing her support to Dion.

"It was a great way to start my day when she phoned me," Dion said. "It created an atmosphere of momentum around us."

She was followed by Kennedy, then Ken Dryden as Rae was dropped off in the third ballot.

Easy being green

Dion, who aptly chose green for his campaign colour, said he gained support by focusing his strategy on environmental sustainability, which he believes is the key issue facing the country.

"Canadians think about the quality of life of their grandchildren and the next generations," he said. "They are concerned that they will give, for the first time in a century, a worse quality of life."

He also said he hoped Rae, who does not hold a seat in Parliament, would stay within the Liberal fold and run as a candidate in the next election.

"I hope he [Rae] will stay. He has so much to offer," Dion said. "The same for Michael [Ignatieff], the same for Martha [Hall Findlay]. I need all the talents of this great race."