Dion staying or going?

Whatever happens there is no immediate rush -- nothing much is going to happen in the next week.

Officials deny Dion to announce resignation Thursday

OTTAWA - Liberal party officials were denying reports that Stephane Dion would be resigning his leadership on Thursday.

There has been widespread speculation he plans to quit after losing 19 seats in Tuesday's vote but will stay on until a successor is chosen. But a spokesman sent an email saying the report in a Toronto newspaper is not true.

"This morning there are media reports that M. Dion will be resigning today," wrote George Young. "This is not the case.

"We will properly advise the media when M. Dion is prepared to speak publicly."

Dion, leader for 22 months, went to ground after Tuesday's election defeat, the Liberals' worst showing in more than a century.

Liberals were full of praise for Dion on Wednesday, but their words sounded more like a eulogy than a celebration. One insider said Dion is a decent man and nobody wants to kick him when he's down.

Party insiders said the bitterly disappointed leader spent the day calling defeated candidates, licking his wounds and reflecting on his future.

Liberals won only 76 seats in Tuesday's election, down from 95 the party had before the election was called.

Their share of the popular vote fell to 26 per cent - two points lower than the party's disastrous showing under John Turner in 1984 and only four points higher than the party's all-time low in 1867.