Here are former candidates for the 2006 leadership battle who dropped out

Carolyn Bennett

Carolyn Bennett (Jason Scott/Canadian Press)

Carolyn Bennett, a family physician and four-term Liberal MP, was in the race until Sept. 15, when she said she would drop out and throw her support behind Bob Rae. The Toronto-area MP announced her candidacy on April 24, 2006.

Bennett is outspoken on women's rights and the role of women in politics. After Jean Chr�tien shuffled his cabinet in 2002, Bennett openly criticized the drop in the number of women in the cabinet.

During the 2004 election campaign, Bennett joined with other women's rights activists to denounce Stephen Harper's promise of a free vote on abortion in the House of Commons.

Maurizio Bevilacqua

Maurizio Bevilacqua

Six-term Liberal MP Maurizio Bevilacqua, 45, announced his entry into the party leadership race April 19. On Aug. 14, he withdrew and threw his support behind Bob Rae.

He currently represents the riding of Vaughan, Ont., and serves as the Opposition critic for competitiveness and the new economy.

He was first elected to the House of Commons in 1988 and was returned by voters in 1990, 1993, 1997, 2000, 2004 and 2006.

Hedy Fry

Liberal MP Hedy Fry (Jason Scott/Canadian Press)

Physician and Vancouver Centre MP Hedy Fry announced her entry into the Liberal leadership race on May 4. She was the third female candidate and the first West Coast hopeful to make a bid for the top position in the Liberal party. She pulled out on Sept. 25, just in advance of the delegate selection voting, saying it was clear she lacked the resources to continue. She added she would be throwing her support behind Bob Rae.

Fry first won the Vancouver Centre seat in the 1993 election, knocking off Conservative Prime Minister Kim Campbell in a high-profile contest. She has been re-elected four times since.

Fry's political experience includes working as parliamentary secretary to the minister of National Health and Welfare (1993-1996), and a cabinet position as secretary of state for Multiculturalism and Status of Women (1996-2002). Fry was also a sitting member of cabinet committees with responsibility for social union, voluntary initiatives, homelessness, and benefits for same-sex couples.

In the Chr�tien government she was secretary of state for multiculturalism and the status of women (1996-2002). She was also a member of cabinet committees with responsibility for social union, voluntary initiatives, homelessness, and benefits for same-sex couples.

Fry has also been active in the medical community. She was president of the British Columbia Federation of Medical Women in 1977 and president of the Vancouver Medical Association from 1988 to 1989. In addition, Fry served as president of the British Columbia Medical Association (1990-91), and worked as the chairperson of the Canadian Medical Association's Multiculturalism Committee for seven years (1992 to 1999).

Currently, Fry is part of the Liberal shadow cabinet, with the role of critic for Sport and the Vancouver Olympics.

John Godfrey

First he was in, then he was out. The Toronto MP bowed out of the race on April 12, about two weeks after he said he would run. He planned to focus on issues such as environmental sustainability, child care and social justice.

Godfrey cited unspecified medical concerns for his decision not to run.

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