Â鶹´«Ã½ has learned that four key Liberals who had supported former Ontario education minister Gerard Kennedy during the last Liberal leadership race are now backing Michael Ignatieff.
Kennedy himself is remaining neutral. But MPs Navdeep Bains, Mark Holland and Mario Silva -- and former MP Omar Alghabra -- are now supporting Ignatieff, according to party insiders.
In the last leadership convention, Bains had influence over about 250 delegates, who backed Kennedy.
Sources told Â鶹´«Ã½ the four Liberals met with Ignatieff on Saturday.
Liberal leadership contender Bob Rae did not directly address the Â鶹´«Ã½ report on Question Period Sunday, but said that talk of a frontrunner at this stage of the race is premature.
"There is tons of time here to bring in new people to the party, to bring in new delegates," he said.
Rae also said the convention will be decided by the party members and not by "a few" MPs, senators, or pundits."
With files from CTV's Roger Smith
