OTTAWA — Justice Minister Martin Cauchon has told Paul Martin he won't support his Liberal leadership bid, in a gesture of quiet defiance against the man destined to become his boss.

Sources said Cauchon decided not to support either Martin or Sheila Copps for the leadership, and said he shared the news in a recent conversation with the heavily favoured Martin.

One close associate defended Cauchon's silence as an expression of deep commitment to Finance Minister John Manley, not as a slap against Martin.

Manley has been gone from the leadership race for two months and even he transferred his unequivocal support to Martin. But Cauchon reportedly won't budge, even if it kills his chances of landing in a future Martin cabinet.

"He will finish doing his job as justice minister and the future will tell us what's in store for him," said a close associate.
"He knows that politics can give everything and also take it away."

A Martin spokesman said Cauchon's leadership stand won't affect his fate one way or the other.

"There's no rule that says people have to support Paul Martin for leader," said Scott Reid. "People should make choices based on their own thinking and that's the way it works in a democracy. . . . And we don't speculate on (a future cabinet). Period."

Cauchon's stand doesn't signal any plan to take a break from politics, said a source close to him.

Long rumoured to have leadership ambitions, Cauchon could be tempted to follow the example of John Turner and Jean Chretien, two Liberal prime ministers who planned successful leadership bids while out of Parliament.

But Cauchon loathes the kind of cut-throat leadership challenge that has become standard practice for the Liberal party, his associate said.

"It's really not his style. It's certainly not Cauchon who will apply that medicine," said the source.

"For the moment, Martin Cauchon is MP for Outremont and he intends to remain so."

In the remaining months before the leadership change, Cauchon will have his hands full as justice minister. He is responsible for two of the most controversial initiatives ever launched under Chretien: a Supreme Court reference on same-sex marriage and on legislation that would decriminalize marijuana.

Opponents, including many Liberals, have sought to derail both those projects.

Cauchon is touring the western provinces this week in an attempt to deflate widespread criticism of a draft bill that would allow gays and lesbians to marry.

Much of the opposition to that bill, and to the pot legislation, has come from Martin's most ardent backbench supporters.

Cauchon, a solid Chretien supporter, was a key player in organizing against Martin backbenchers when they began rebelling against Chretien.

One government source said Cauchon felt "disgusted" by the backroom tactics used in an attempt to dislodge Chretien from power.

Another source remembered Cauchon crying at last year's caucus retreat, when Chretien privately announced he would retire in February 2004.

Cauchon supported his longtime friend John Manley in the finance minister's ill-fated and sometimes bitter leadership bid against Martin.