Bob Rae to be allowed to run in Liberal leadership race

Interim leader expected to run under new rules

CBC News

Posted: Jun 7, 2012 5:37 PM ET

Last Updated: Jun 7, 2012 7:23 PM ET

Interim Liberal Leader Bob Rae will be permitted to run in party's leadership race and he is expected to enter the race, CBC News has learned. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)

Interim Liberal Leader Bob Rae will be permitted to run in his party's leadership race and he is expected to enter the race, CBC News has learned.

Rae took on the job as interim leader a year ago and the party's national executive made him promise he wouldn't use that position to help him launch a bid for the permanent leadership.

But now the executive says they will "bring clarity" to explain how he can enter the race, the CBC's Hannah Thibedeau reported.

Party President Mike Crawley said a motion will be presented next Wednesday "to clarify how Rae could put himself forward as a candidate."

Sources say the motion would give Rae 10 to 14 days after Parliament adjourns for the summer break to decide if he intends to run for the job. Rae will have to step down from the interim leadership to run.

Rae is expected to announce his decision to enter the race within days of the party brass making the word official. Sources say he will announce he will give up the interim leadership post when the House adjourns for the summer recess at the end of June.

Crawley says the motion hasn't been approved yet.

Rae told Evan Solomon, host of CBC News Network's Power and Politics, yesterday that he will announce as soon as the party is clear on the rules. The Liberal national executive has a conference call tentatively scheduled for next Wednesday on this issue.

"My understanding is the executive is going to be meeting next week. Once they've made their decision, you know, it'll take a few days for me to make mine," Rae told Solomon. "But it won't take long. I think things will be cleared up, you know, in June."

Sources say Rae has made his decision. He has started prepping staff and a team to help him with leadership. This signals he is in, Thibedeau said.

A date for the race likely won't be announced after the national executive's conference call next week.

A conference call last year with 4,000 Liberals across the country set the technical window between March 1 and June 30, 2013. Sources say the leadership race is expected to happen in the earlier part of that time period.

The official campaign is expected to begin in October.

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