...privately, some Liberals admit the departures are a sign that MPs don't expect the Liberal party to be returned to power in the next election, which many Grits expect to come this spring. Polls suggest the Tories are closing in on support levels needed to win a majority while the Liberals are mired around 30 per cent, after a brief bounce in popularity following Dion's election as leader in December.
"That's a bad sign," a senior Quebec Liberal said of the numerous departures. "If people were feeling there was some momentum, they wouldn't be leaving."
Indeed, Liberal MPs seem to be abandoning ship in greater numbers than their counterparts in other parties. So far, only four Tory MPs have said they won't seek re-election, one New Democrat and two members of the separatist Bloc Quebecois.
The list of retiring MP's is currently:
Liberals
Paul Martin (Lasalle-Emard, QC)
Stephen Owen (Vancouver Quadra, BC)
Jean Lappier (Outremont, QC)
Brenda Chamerlain (Guelph, ON)
Raymond Bonin (Nickel Belt, ON)
Bill Graham (Toronto Centre, ON - annc. Feb 2007)
Andy Scott (Fredericton, NB - annc. Mar. 5, 2007)
Joe McGuire (Egmont, PEI - annc. Mar. 7, 2007)
Jim Peterson (Willowdale, ON - annc. Mar. 7, 2007)
Paul Steckle (Huron-Bruce, ON - annc. Mar. 7, 2007)
Nancy Karetak-Lindell (Nunavut, annc. Dec. 22, 2006)
Joe Commuzi (March 21, 2007 - kinda hard to run again when you get the boot, eh?)
Tom Wappel (Scarborough West, ON - annc. March 23, 2007)
Bill Matthews (Random-Burin-St. George, NL - annc. Apr. 3, 2007)
Lucienne Robillard (Westmount-Ville-Marie, QC - annc. Apr. 4, 2007 - h/t Phantom Observer)
TOTAL: 15
Conservatives
Brian Fitzpatrick (Prince Albert, SK)
John Williams (Edmonton-St. Albert, AB)
Ken Epp (Edmonton-Sherwood Park, AB)
Norman Doyle (St. John's East, NL)
TOTAL: 4
