It may not be on the Liberal convention agenda this weekend, but interim leader Bob Rae is at the top of everyone's mind after a rousing speech to party faithful once again ignited talks about his permanent leadership ambitions.
"I'm focusing on this job right now," he said to a barrage of questions on the subject at a media briefing Friday afternoon.
Rae reiterated the party's energy is channeled at rebuilding itself following last May's devastating defeat at the hands of both the Conservatives and New Democrats that left it with only 35 seats in Parliament.
Over the past week, the issue of his leadership plans persisted, and an amused Rae quipped to reporters at the end of the briefing that he looked forward to the same questions Saturday and Sunday.
A leadership race isn't planned until 2013 under the party's constitution, and Rae told CTV's Power Play that rebuilding the party should come first.
"We've got to get our mojo back in terms of our own internal confidence. I think that's starting to happen," he said from the floor of the Liberal convention in Ottawa.
Rae, who will turn 64 later this year, also stated that age shouldn't be a barrier for anyone hoping to take part in the party's rebuilding process.
"I don't want to see a lot of experienced people on the sidelines. I don't want to see a lot of people with talent and ability, who are young, being told they're too young to run," he said.
The federal Liberals dominated Canadian politics for decades, but were reduced to third-party status in the May election.
Members attending the Liberal Biennial Convention that runs Friday to Sunday will look at ways to boost the party's image across the country, restructure and find ways to tap into its grassroots support.
Rae believes many Canadians back the party on issues it represents and has accomplished in the past.
The Liberals also added one more MP to their ranks this week after Quebec NDP member Lise St-Denis defected to the party. Her riding was once the stronghold of former prime minister Jean Chretien.
As the convention begins, many in the party are calling for drastic changes to get it back on the political radar of voters.
Some of the proposals Liberals will be looking at include a new system for electing a leader, curtailing some of the powers of that leader and newer, softer party registration rules.
Called "A Roadmap to Renewal," members will discuss policies they hope will resonate with Canadians and give the party a platform to compete in the next election set for 2015.
Some 2,500 delegates are expected to attend the convention that kicks off Friday with a variety of events, including speeches from those vying for the position of party president.
New blood
The presidential race, which is led by former Grit MP Sheila Copps and Mike Crawley, the youthful-looking former president of the Ontario wing of the Liberals, has been described as a "generational" battle.
With about a third of delegates expected to be under 30, young Liberals are in the position to seriously influence the party's rebuilding process.
Zach Paikin, a 20-year-old running for the party's national policy chair, is one of three Liberals under 25 running for the position.
"We have one chance to make a long-overdue generational shift and create the most open political party in Canadian history," he said. "I'm really excited that there are three young candidates in this race that are capable of bringing not only that generational shift but also real change.
"I think young Liberals have demonstrated very clearly over the course of the past several years that we understand the software, which is the policies themselves, and the hardware, social media and how to win elections."
Braeden Caley, also a candidate for national policy chair, worked on U.S. President Barack Obama's presidential campaign in 2008 and suggests the Liberals can learn from the U.S. primary system.
"I saw an entire new layer of democracy through that process," he said. "I think of what incredible possibilities there are for the Liberal party. You saw how much energy was raised from that 2008 campaign where you had such incredible competition in the Democratic primary."
Rae said the number of contests for these jobs is a good sign members want to seek a renewal of the party and not indicative of party infighting.
"Every time you have a race you're going to have differences of opinion, but I really do think the party has learned some very important lessons about not letting these things get out of hand," he said.
Voting for executive positions in the party takes place Saturday and Sunday.
With files from CTVNews.ca's Josh Visser
