OTTAWA — Allan MacEachen and Bob Rae, the two politicians who conspired to topple Canada's last Tory minority government, are together again.

The 84-year-old MacEachen, a legendary Liberal fixer, Machiavellian tactician and minister in both the Pearson and Trudeau eras, signed on Friday as the honorary chairman of Rae's Liberal leadership campaign. "It means the world to me to have him on side," Rae, a former Ontario NDP premier, said in an interview.

As a newcomer to the Liberal party, there's important symbolism for Rae in snagging the support of such a party stalwart.

"He has a great sense of the traditions of the Liberal party, he's a student of the history of the party and has a deep knowledge of people and issues. So, on a whole variety of fronts, he's somebody whose advice I cherish," Rae said.

In late 1979, Rae was the young New Democrat MP who moved the non-confidence motion that ultimately defeated Joe Clark's short-lived Conservative government.

MacEachen was the wily strategist who persuaded the leaderless Liberals to support Rae's motion and then convinced Pierre Trudeau to come out of retirement to lead the Grits to victory in the subsequent election.

The Cape Bretoner, first elected in 1953, became known as the godfather of Nova Scotia and was the country's first deputy prime minister. Over the years, he was elected to the Commons 10 times, held all the major cabinet posts and went on to become Liberal leader in the Senate.

MacEachen, now quite frail, did not want to be interviewed, although he allowed a photograph to be taken while he met Rae on Friday.

Rae is one of 11 candidates vying to succeed Paul Martin. Liberals will choose their next leader at a Montreal convention in December.