MONTEBELLO, QC - Bob Rae tried to remind Liberals of their roots on Wednesday as the party desperately tries to rebuild.

In a speech to Grit MPs and senators gathered for a caucus meeting in Montebello, Que., the party's interim leader outlined a number of defining issues for the party including the need for strengthened health care, energy, and social policies. He also suggested the Tories and the NDP are extremist, while the Liberals fall in the middle.

"The other two parties would love you to believe that there really are two choices between them," said Rae. "Canadians don't really want to be forced to make a choice between the Tea Party and the occupy movement."

Rae, who's indicated he won't seek the party's permanent leadership post, said Liberals are getting back on their feet following devastating defeat in the 2011 election. They now hold third-party status in the House of Commons.

Rae says the party now has a "substantial financial surplus" and suggested its recruited thousands of new members.

But the Liberals still have to charge through a leadership race, set for 2013, before they solicit support from Canadians in the next election two years later.

Montreal MP Marc Garneau plans to run for that post, and has "something compelling to put on the table for Canadians," but he is still trying to build a team. His fellow MP, Dominic LeBlanc, is mulling a leadership bid as well but said the next chief should be bilingual and from the younger generation.

Justin Trudeau is considering entering the race but he has said he needs to consider the impact leadership could have on his family.

Kristy.Kirkup@sunmedia.ca
On Twitter: @kkirkup