TORONTO -- Former Ontario education minister Gerard Kennedy wants to be the province's next Liberal leader.

The 52-year-old made his announcement via a video on his website, now rebranded as "Gerard Kennedy for Leader."

"If you're a Liberal, or you haven't been active as a Liberal lately, I need you to work with me," Kennedy says in the video.

"I need you to join with me to show what Liberals can do at their best."

The race will be Kennedy's second stab at the job - he lost a close contest to current Premier Dalton McGuinty in 1996. Kennedy served in McGuinty's cabinet before leaving for federal politics, where he served as an MP and ran unsuccessfully for the party's federal leadership, famously choosing to send his support to eventual winner Stephane Dion.
Kennedy joins former cabinet ministers Glen Murray, Sandra Pupatello,

Charles Sousa and Kathleen Wynne as contenders. The next Liberal leader - who automatically becomes premier - will be chosen at a convention in
Toronto in January.

Meanwhile, Eric Hoskins, who just resigned as Children and Youth Services
Minister, will launch his campaign on Tuesday, he announced in news release.