Time for Dion to go, new N.L. MP says

A newly elected Newfoundland MP is joining the chorus of Liberals calling for Stéphane Dion's resignation.

Liberal Scott Andrews, elected in Avalon in a race against political veteran Conservative Fabian Manning, told the St. John's Telegram newspaper that Dion has to move on.

Andrews said the Liberal Green Shift, or carbon tax, was a disaster, and he holds Dion responsible.

"He had this idea of the Green Shift and even he couldn't sell it to people, let alone the candidates. We tried," he said in an interview with the Telegram.

Rumours swirled after a Liberal spokesperson refuted a Toronto Star report Thursday that said Dion was intending to step down later that day.

Other newspapers published reports quoting senior party officials as saying Dion would set the wheels in motion for a leadership change and speculated on possible successors.

Toronto MP Joe Volpe said Thursday that Dion must resign so the Liberal party can rebuild after being reduced to 76 seats in Tuesday's federal election, one of the party's worst-ever showings.

"Clearly, it appears that nobody's going to give him the chance to do that rebuilding and I'd like him to go out with some dignity," Volpe told CTV's Mike Duffy Live.

Michael Ignatieff, Bob Rae and Gerard Kennedy, along with former New Brunswick premier Frank McKenna and former deputy prime minister John Manley have already been suggested as possible future leadership candidates.