Liberal party heavyweight Ralph Goodale announced on the eve of the leadership convention that he is throwing his support behind candidate Bob Rae.

"I believe Bob has the experience and the skills necessary to confront and to replace the Stephen Harper government. Stopping the neo-conservative damage being done to the fabric of Canada is vitally important to the future of this country," Goodale, the former federal finance minister, announced at a press conference on Tuesday.

The Opposition House Leader said he believed that Rae would provide voters with a better alternative to the Harper government.

"We must give Canadians something to vote for, not just against and always with two key characteristics from my personal perspective," he said.

"First, rock solid fiscal responsibility which enables everything else that we seek to achieve. Secondly, a sense of national purpose that reaches out to all Canadians in all regions, including, and this is especially important for me, my close friends and neighbours in Western Canada," he said.

Goodale said he decided to pick the candidate he would endorse later on in the campaign race.

"I had my duties as house leader to discharge. So I kept my counsel to myself until now, but with the convention now just around the corner, I think I can honestly and honourably come forward with my own selection and choice," Goodale said, adding that he spoken several times with all of the candidates.

"I have had several conversations with Mr. Rae. We have talked about the importance of a unified Liberal Party, the importance of making sure when we come out of that convention next Sunday and Monday that the party is strong and cohesive and pulling together and that some of the splits and divisions of the past are thoroughly put behind us."

Goodale said it was a difficult choice to make because there are many strong candidates in the running, and they are all friends of his.

"That's what makes the challenge in any leadership process that difficult. But at the end of the day, you either sit on the sidelines and be a spectator or you get into the fray and participate," he said.

When asked to comment on how he felt about how Michael Ignatieff, his main opponent, had handled the debate on Quebec as a nation, Rae said he would not offer a "running commentary on anybody else."

Pressed further on his own position on the divisive debate, Rae said it was the party's decision to support the motion that declares the "Quebecois form a nation within a united Canada."

"I think we will all have different interpretation of what the resolution means and that is the reality of the situation,' he said.

When prodded on whether Quebecers feel the motion recognizes their linguistic and cultural heritage, an adamant Rae said that he doesn't "want to go there."

"I'm going to say to you very directly. I don't want to go there. I don't want to go back into this swamp," he told reporters."

"I don't want to go back into this land. I didn't get us into this. No, I'm sorry, I didn't get us into it and the resolution has been passed -- it is done."

Other prominent Liberals backing Rae's campaign include Irwin Cotler, Ujjal Dosanjh, Senator Colin Kenny, and former leadership candidates Carolyn Bennett, Maurizio Bevilacqua and Hedy Fry.

"This is a big catch for Bob Rae and the timing is good, the day before the convention really gets underway in Montreal," CTV's Roger Smith reported from Ottawa.

"Ralph Goodale is a veteran MP, much respected by all factions in the Liberal party, and as a former finance minister he has a reputation of fiscal responsibility and a record of balanced budgets. His support for Rae may counter some of the fears that the former NDP premier might be a big spender," Smith said.

It seems any leadership hopeful would welcome the well-liked, well-respected Goodale on his or her campaign team. Last week, Goodale was voted the best MP in Canada by fellow Members of Parliament, according to an anonymous Ipsos-Reid survey.

He was also awarded the "Best Orator" and one of the three "Most Knowledgeable" MPs in Canada.

Ignatieff also has endorsements from at least a dozen politicians, including former cabinet ministers John McCallum and Jim Peterson.

Gerard Kennedy, who left his position as Ontario's education minister to run for the leadership race, has the support of MPs such as Dan McTeague and Navdeep Bains.

As the party's interim leader, Bill Graham has vowed to stay neutral.

The Liberals will pick their new federal leader in Montreal on Saturday.