[Progressive Tory]

So Trudeau has a team together that includes Gerald Butts, who worked for McGuinty and is supposedly a big reason for their success in 2003 and 2007.

[cosmostein]

[Progressive Tory]

While Trudeau might not be someone who is Prime Minister material, could he be the perfect person to rebuild the party? The Liberals are unlikely to form the next govt with virtually any potential leadership candidate. Trudeau might be someone who could take over for the next ten years, rebuild riding associations, improve membership, increase fundraising, and then if he's someone who is seen as a Prime Minister he may have a party that has broader national support and one that could recruit strong leadership candidates.

[cosmostein]

[Progressive Tory]

I think Trudeau also has the potential to recruit star candidates too.

I also can't imagine him being strong on economic issues, but who knows?

One thing I will say about Trudeau, and I think it's something the Liberals should use is this:

[cosmostein]

I think there are a lot of "star" candidates that would run for the LPC, however Trudeau (or any leader for that matter) needs to prove they can win first.

Ignatieff had some pretty respectable candidates that won the nomination, but as I recall there was nearly a dozen candidates that stepped down prior to the election citing "work" or "family" commitments with those commitments coinciding Ignatieff being leader for a year and still trailing Harper by double digits in Ontario.

No one wants to be beaten by a huge margin on election day, and a lot of candidates saw the landscape for what it was and fled.

If the Liberals can show growth I think they can attract solid candidates,
However I think that 2019 will be the election where you start seeing the fruit of the labors of any gains made in 2015, as I don't see folks flocking to run for the Liberals just based on Justin (at least not yet)

I think the CPC will attack the "silver spoon" and the "lack of experience"

When the NDP starts losing ground to the Liberals in a big way in Quebec I would imagine they will attack his experience and his fathers legacy (The Kitchen Accord is still a big deal with many Quebec voters).

I am not entire sure if the LPC attempting to show Justin as "different" isn't just playing into the attacks that the CPC and NDP will be lobbing at him.

He will be one of the least politically experienced party leaders in Canadian history, I would think if anything he will want to be seen as on equal footing as the leaders of the two largest parties.

However painting himself as the "fresh" option may play well in Quebec and various areas that Jack Layton found success in, however fresh can be sold as radical and radical is the reason there are only 36 NDP MP's west of Quebec (36/200 ridings) and only 28 when you back out Toronto.

Justin is far too easy to define with the money the CPC has on hand;

I think the goal has to be to target Eastern Canada, Quebec, and Urban Centers.
Let Mulcair and the NDP do the dirty work against Harper, while the LPC grows fat on wishy washy Quebec and Urban support.

If Trudeau decided he wants to wear the big boy pants and go after the center and Harper leaving Quebec for Mulcair you could see a finish worst then 34 seats.

Without being too tough on him;
He is going to look like a child amongst grown ups in a non-scripted debate environment and unless he has some major business experience he is hiding he will get crushed on stage when it comes to non-social justice issues.

His only saving grace is that Gilles Duceppe and the "bag of smackdown" he brings to the English debate wont be there.

As I have contended for a while;
Justin can beat the NDP, beyond that....
I just dont see it.

[Progressive Tory]

Trudeau was in a debate club.

I still think Ted Hsu would have been interesting. It will also be interesting to see how David Bertschi and David Merner do in the leadership race. Merner in particular could be interesting to watch with the OM[S]OV weighted riding convention. He's from Alberta, lives in BC, has lived in Quebec and is fluently bilingual. He has also discussed cooperation but I read a blog today and his idea is a bit different. He said he initially planned to be the "pro business" candidate but wants some cooperation with other parties but still appeal to red Tories and "conservation conservatives". If he can do well in Western Canada he could be a dark horse, though if Trudeau runs I don't see how he can be beat.

[Progressive Tory]

Another candidate that I thought about was PEI MP Sean Casey. A new face to parliament but he was a lawyer and President of the Paderno Group of Companies. However, I've seen videos of him speaking and he's a bit dull.

[cosmostein]

[Progressive Tory]

I think Hsu's background had the potential to appeal to Dippers, Greens and some Conservstives. I don't know what his views are but after having a career in finance I think he'd be credible on economic issues, and if he's not to big of a lefty on economic issues I think he could appeal to some conservatives. His science and sustainable development background would probably work on the lefties.

[cosmostein]

[Progressive Tory]

[cosmostein]

[Progressive Tory]

[beaver]