Liberals regroup after not-so-super weekend

What was to have been a pre-election blitz for Newfoundland and Labrador's Liberals turned into a flop, with the party unable to make good with a pledge to showcase a dozen star candidates poised to take down governing Tories.

Although the Liberals had touted it in advance as "super weekend," the party was able to find candidates for only six of the 12 districts. A news release added an acclaimed candidate in a seventh district.

The Liberals say the recruitment obstacle is fear over repercussions from the Progressive Conservatives, particularly Premier Danny Williams.

"There are people who not only work for government but they also do business with government, and they're afraid if they announce so early in advance of an election that they may indeed feel the wrath of Danny," Liberal Leader Gerry Reid said.

The general election is scheduled for Oct. 9.

So far, the Liberals have candidates in place in 23 of the province's 48 districts.

In the house of assembly on Monday, the Tories took advantage of the Liberals' recruiting problems to poke some fun.

"Super weekend? What a splash it made," said PC backbencher Terry French. "They can't even convince people to run for them opposite."

Among the candidates who have stepped forward is Winston Carter, the president of the Canadian Teachers' Federation, who is challenging Harry Harding in Bonavista North, and Bishop's Falls Mayor Jody Fancey, who will take on Clayton Forsey in Exploits.

Another candidate is Jim Bennett, the west coast lawyer whose brief tenure as provincial Liberal leader in 2006 unmasked a number of internal problems. Bennett will be running in St. Barbe district.

The Liberals held the government between 1989 and 2003, when Williams and the PCs won the general election. The Tories have held commanding leads in public opinion polls since, while the Liberals are trying to deal with a debt left over from the last election.

Most of the nominations already filled were not contested, but that does not trouble provincial party president Danny Dumaresque.

"But what we are seeing is very, very high profile and high-quality candidates come forward, and that's what's more pleasing to me, than whether we have two or three or 10 in a nomination fight," Dumaresque said.

Dumaresque admitted the party is having trouble recruiting candidates, especially in districts held by Williams and several cabinet ministers.

The Liberals currently hold 11 of the 48 seats in the legislature, with the Tories holding 35. The New Democrats hold one.