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Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff put an end to a dispute that threatened to test his leadership Friday, stepping in to ask former Justice Minister Martin Cauchon to run for the Liberal nomination in the riding of Outremont.
Nathalie Le Prohon, a successful businesswoman who had been favoured by Ignatieff’s Quebec lieutenant Denis Coderre for the prestigious riding, will instead run in the southwest Montreal riding of Jeanne LeBer, currently held by the Bloc Quebecois.
While he isn’t being handed the riding on a silver platter — he will have to go through a nomination meeting then take on high profile NDP MP Thomas Mulcair — Cauchon was happy and confident he can win back the riding he held for more than a decade.
“I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and get back to work and make sure we keep building the party in Quebec and really focus on our goal which is to give Canadians a solution to the Harper government.”
Ignatieff’s decision puts an end to a squabble between Cauchon and Coderre that was getting messier by the day.
The news that Cauchon has the leaders’ blessing to seek the Outremont nomination came only a few hours after Ignatieff publicly offered him an olive branch.
Speaking to reporters, Ignatieff said he wants Cauchon to be part of his team.
“I’ve made it very clear that Martin Cauchon has had a great record as an MP, a great record as a minister. I have had a conversation with Martin in which I have said, ‘I need you. I want you to run for us. I want you to be back in the Parliament of Canada.’
“No party with any intelligence is going to neglect the immense capability and quality of Mr. Cauchon.”
elizabeth.thompson@sunmedia.ca