First Dalton, now David McGuinty takes pass on federal Liberal leadership

OTTAWA - David McGuinty is taking a pass on running for the federal Liberal leadership.

Like his brother, retiring Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, the Ottawa MP has decided he won't take the plunge.

David McGuinty says he's concluded he can best serve the party by helping it rebuild from the ground up.

He also wants to devote his attention to developing policy and helping to hold down the fort in the House of Commons until a new leader is chosen in April.

McGuinty says his decision has nothing to do with the widespread perception that Montreal MP Justin Trudeau, eldest son of former prime minister Pierre Trudeau, has already locked up the contest.

He says he puts little stock in the notion of prohibitive favourites, noting that his brother Dalton vaulted from fourth place to win the Ontario Liberal leadership in 1996.