Canadian Alliance Leader Stephen Harper has confirmed what many had already anticipated -- he plans to run for the leadership of the new Conservative Party of Canada.

CTV.ca News Staff

Canadian Alliance Leader Stephen Harper has confirmed what many had already anticipated -- he plans to run for the leadership of the new Conservative Party of Canada.

The early frontrunner told a news conference Tuesday that he will officially enter the race on Jan. 12.

Harper brokered the deal that created the new party along with Progressive Conservative Leader Peter MacKay, who has said he is also seriously considering running for the leadership.

The only person to officially declare his intentions to run is Calgary lawyer Jim Prentice. He came in second in the PC leadership race last May, after MacKay struck a deal with David Orchard.

That deal included promising not to pursue a merger with the Alliance. Orchard has since been fighting to save the Tory name.

Manitoba MP Brian Pallister, who comes from the Alliance, has also said he's thinking about running.

As for Harper's intentions, he told CP that he plans to focus on Quebec in the run up to the leadership convention, which will be held March 19-21.

"I have a fairly strong organization, unlike most of the other candidates' names you hear, in the rest of the country," Harper said.

Comparisons are already been drawn between Harper and Prime Minister Paul Martin, who swept the leadership of the Liberal Party with little opposition.

Harper's strong bid for the leadership may worry some from the Tory camp, who are afraid of being swallowed up by the larger Alliance Party.

More than 95 per cent of the Alliance party members voted in support of the merger in early December.

Tory members had similar support for the union with 90 per cent of Tory delegates calling for the dissolution of the Progressive Conservatives in order to create the new party.

However, the merger has had repercussions for the PC party. Immediately following the vote, former Tory leader Joe Clark, Quebec MP Andre Bachand and New Brunswick MP John Herron severed their ties to the new party.

Then last week, MP Scott Brison crossed the floor to join the Liberals, saying Prime Minister Paul Martin's party better reflected his values than the merged party.

Clark and Herron will sit as independents in the House of Commons, while Bachand is rumoured to also be considering a jump.

Following Brison's defection, a beaming Martin invited others to come join the Liberals.

"I want all Canadians to know that the Liberal Party will welcome the talents of any who share our belief in a financially responsible, socially progressive and forward-looking government," he said during a joint news conference with Brison.