Liberal Convention this weekend

Rumours of a potential pact between two of the four top Liberal leadership candidates swirled on Thursday at the party's convention as news of a meeting between Gerard Kennedy and Stéphane Dion reached delegates.

Various scenarios were being sketched out that could see dramatic shifts of second- and third-ballot support and surprise surges by either candidate beyond the front-runner Michael Ignatieff and his chief rival, Bob Rae.

Strategists have speculated about Ignatieff's and Rae's teams 'loaning' votes to Kennedy to keep him in third place ahead of Dion, who would then be the next candidate dropped off the ballot after the trailing four bottom-tier candidates withdraw.