Liberal leadership candidate Bob Rae a big winner in constitutional crisis

I’m guessing that Bob Rae has strengthened his hand in the Liberal leadership race. By speaking out so strongly against Prime Minister Stephen Harper over the past week,  Rae has stood in sharp contrast to his main rival, Michael Ignatieff, who went AWOL during the recent constitutional crisis.

Rae has called Harper a liar. “His speech last night was positively Nixonian,” Rae told CBC Radio.

Ignatieff, on the other hand, was reportedly not interested in a cabinet position in a coalition government.

Liberals will respond positively to Rae's more vigorous opposition to Harper, but so will other Canadians who loathe  the prime minister  for playing the national-unity card to save his political hide.

That could result in a lot of people taking out Liberal memberships so they can support Rae at a leadership convention next May.

Today, Governor General Michaelle Jean  granted Prime Minister Harper’s request to prorogue Parliament. This prevents a Liberal-NDP coalition from defeating the Conservatives in a nonconfidence motion on Monday (December 8).

Parliament will resume on January 26, followed by a budget on January 27.