Liberal leadership candidate Stéphane Dion

dion, surrounded supporters, @ 2006 liberal leadership convention.

stéphane dion announced candidacy on 7 april, day of official beginning of liberal leadership race. leadership campaign referred three-pillar approach. approach focused on social justice, economic prosperity, , environmental sustainability, , claim combination of these pillars bring canada 21st century. said campaign focus on sustainable development of economy , creating hyper-educated canadian workforce in order compete china.

dion lower-key figure during of leadership race, of media , political attention being centred on race s 2 high-profile candidates, michael ignatieff , former ontario new democratic party premier bob rae. federal ndp leader jack layton described dion man of principle , conviction , therefore not elected leader of liberal party. of campaign, front-runner ignatieff had strongest support in dion s home province of quebec. dion s level of support similar of former ontario cabinet minister gerard kennedy, both candidates being in distant third/fourth place, though still higher other 4 leadership contestants.

on 2 december 2006, @ liberal party leadership convention, dion finished third after first ballot, garnering 17.8% of delegates. after second ballot, gerard kennedy threw support behind dion. earlier, 2 leadership contenders had allegedly struck pact in first off ballot throw support other. pundits said surprise move had caught ignatieff , rae strategists off guard. when totals of third ballot released, dion held narrow lead 37%, followed closely michael ignatieff 34.5%. bob rae, 28.5%, freed delegates, many of whom backed dion, did former leadership candidates ken dryden , joe volpe. on fourth ballot, dion captured 54.7% of votes cast , declared 11th leader of liberal party of canada.