Federal election within 15 months; Chretien says he'll run

Prime Minister Jean Chretien addresses delegates at the closing of the
Liberal Biennial convention, Sunday.(CP/Fred Chartrand)

by STEPHEN THORNE
OTTAWA (CP) - Prime Minister Jean Chretien says he'll lead Liberals in a federal election within 15 months, when Canadian values like universal health care and public pensions will be at stake.

"There should be no doubt in the mind of everybody that I will be there," Chretien told delegates Sunday at the close of the party's biennial convention.

About 2,500 Liberals weighed contentious issues like gay marriage and legalizing marijuana during the four-day convention, but leadership was the main topic outside the meeting rooms.

Finance Minister Paul Martin, considered the top contender to replace Chretien, put on a brave face, enthusiastically applauding Chretien's every declaration. But it appears likely his leadership hopes are dashed, at least for now.

"It's over, this problem," Chretien told a news conference following his closing speech. "He said he is supporting me.

"The election will be within 15 months."

The leadership question, given new life by some outspoken MPs in the week before the convention, overshadowed some high-profile policy resolutions.

Delegates defeated a proposal from the Liberal youth wing urging the government to recognize gay marriage. While rejecting outright legalization of marijuana, they approved decriminalizing possession.

They endorsed extension of hate crime legislation to include crimes motivated by sexual orientation and rejected removing the GST from essential goods and services.

Delegates also imposed spending limits on nomination campaigns, a move backed by the party women's commission, which says females have a harder time raising campaign funds.

But leadership was so prevalent an issue that party president Stephen LeDrew, acclaimed to his second term, was moved to remind delegates that "a hallmark of the Liberal Party is that the party supports its leader.

"We are united. Unlike the right, we will go into the next election as a united Liberal Party, solid in its commitment and solidly behind the leader."

Buoyed by chants of "four more years," the 66-year-old Chretien repeated reminders of Liberal accomplishments but, mindful of criticisms that Friday's keynote speech dwelled too much on the past, he quickly turned to the future.

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