Further wandering afield - Who's the next Kim Campbell ?

I have written in this space that it is time for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to go walk in the snow, search his feelings, and call it a day. Given we are this late in the election window, with the opposition readying the torches, tar, feathers, and rails, anyone who takes over as Liberal leader will have an Everest-like hill to climb to salvage official party status, let alone government. Essentially, any choice for the next Liberal leader will be the next Kim Campbell.

I feel bad that Canada's first and only female Prime Minister is a footnote and sometimes a punchline in our history. Campbell was set up to fail after nine years of Brian Mulroney and the general unpopularity he attracted (sound familiar?) Progressive Conservatives (remember those?) could have elected a blue painted post as their new leader and lost. I could have been the next leader and lost. Never mind that I was 16 and in Grade 11 at the time.

Trudeau's successor if he leaves before being voted out, will be short-lived as PM, and maybe long lived as opposition leader or third tier leader.

So who should get the job? It depends.Who wants that crap-sandwich?

Former BC Premier Christy Clark is an interesting choice. More centrist, an Ottawa/Laurentian outsider, and a good communicator. Seeing Clark battle Poilievre in a debate would be fun to watch.

Chrystia Freeland, no thanks. Great writer, smart, but too much baggage as Trudeau's number two.

Dominic LeBlanc would be a good choice. Scrappy second generation federal MP. Bilingual but not a Quebecer - which follows convention of alternating Liberal leaders being one from English Canada, then one from French Canada. He is a fixer and well, there is a lot to fox. Plus he would be in it for the long haul if the party crashed into opposition or even third place. He is a good parachute.

Marc Miller is an option I had not thought of before. When he became minister for Indigenous Affairs, he took lessons to learn Mohawk. A good journeyman member of cabinet. In it for the Long haul.

I think the Liberals have the best chances of forming some form of government with Clark, likely a weak minority govt. Leblanc and Miller are best for rebuilding the party.

Who's not on the list? Mark Carney, no thanks. Banker egghead is not what the party needs. He is Stephane Dion without the French accent.

Also not on the list, Bob Rae (just retire already), Jean Charest (see Bob Rae), Sean Fraser (already quit), Dalton McGuinty (I'll move to Iceland thank you), and Yasir Naqvi (nice guy but I still associate him with Kathleen Wynne.)

So who will be the next leader?

Right now no one. If i have to put my name to a guess, none of the above. Some dark horse or some retread will be it. The Liberals will then suffer a worse defeat than under Michael Ignatieff.