Belinda's Now Liberal Front-runner

"But now, David Emerson has accomplished the impossible for an MP of his calibrea: He has made the Belinda Stronach defection appear one of honourable principle" National Post's Don Martin

"I was opposed to a budget being defeated, concerned about the party leadership and trying to defend national unity. And when I crossed the floor, I could've been out of a job in 48 hours if the election had been forced. But David Emerson was just elected as a Liberal two weeks ago" Belinda Stronach

Manley, McKenna, and Tobin are all out of the race. Some speculated the Liberals are searching for a Trudeau type under the age of 50 to resurrect the party. With all the major drop-outs in the leadership race thus far it looks like former tories Stronach and Brison are the front-runners. And why not Belinda?

Before entering politics she was ranked as one of top female CEO's globally. She finished second to Harper in the conservative leadership race without any political experience and finished ahead of Tony Clement. When she defected to the liberals she faced some of the most malicious and sexiest attacks in Canadian history and survived by winning her riding. If Canada wants a tough leader who will truly stand up for Canada there isn't a better example.

I haven't decided who I will support in the Liberal leadership race but after the new cabinet was unveiled, Belinda's stock soared. How will the conservatives attack her?

Belinda left the party after serving for Harper under a year (Emerson left 2 weeks after winning under the liberal banner), made her objections public before leaving (not a peep from Emerson), and was right on waiting to fight an election when the Bloc support was diminishing (the conservatives won 10 seats in Quebec and the Bloc probably would have won 65-70 seats if the election was held in the summer of 2005). The conservatives can't touch her.

Stronach is a progressive politician on social issues. But she will answer questions from liberals on how far to the right she is on fiscal issues and she needs to be clearer on her foreign policy.