Canadian Liberals lean left

MONTREAL — Stéphane Dion signalled yesterday that he will take a left-leaning platform of social programs into the next election, as he vowed to run a campaign that will create a "collision" between Liberal and Conservative visions of Canada.

Little more than a month after he dodged an election by ordering Liberal MPs to abstain on a series of confidence votes in the House of Commons - arguing that Canadians did not want another trip to the polls - Mr. Dion told his troops to be ready for a 2008 campaign as soon as Stephen Harper's Conservatives mark their second anniversary in power on Feb. 6.

"It's possible that when Canadians will consider that this government is in power for two years, more and more we will see more Canadians ready to reconsider their vote and to look at that carefully," Mr. Dion told reporters at the close of a two-day meeting with Liberal riding association presidents and party officials.

"And at that time I think we will be in better shape to win that election for the sake of our country."

Liberals familiar with the planning said the party intends to campaign to the left in the hope of winning voters who supported the NDP in the past election. Mr. Dion said the Liberal platform will include measures to aid students in paying postsecondary tuition, combat poverty and support seniors.

In addition to returning to the green focus on fighting climate change that helped win him the Liberal leadership one year ago, Mr. Dion spent much of his closing speech touting his "30-50" plan to reduce poverty by 30 per cent and child poverty by 50 per cent over five years.

 
"The fight against poverty will be at the heart of a Liberal agenda," he told party officials.

 
Liberals said the lean to the left was not an accident. Montreal MP Denis Coderre, for example, said the party was preparing for an "ideological battle" with the Conservatives.