Updated: Thu Nov. 17 2005 6:34:20 PM

CTV.ca News Staff

Jack Layton may want to bring the federal Liberal government down, but that decision could mean a tough race in his own Toronto-Danforth riding. Deborah Coyne says she will run for Layton's seat, carrying the Liberal Party banner.

As of Thursday, Coyne was the only declared candidate for the Liberal nomination in the downtown riding.

Recent speculation had said Coyne may run in a riding close to her home. However, the Ottawa resident changed gears and chose to run in Toronto-Danforth. Her reasoning is that the riding needs representation in Parliament.

"Jack Layton is leader of the party. He spends most of his time in Ottawa playing party politics, while people here have local concerns and he's not addressing them. So I intend to be a very good representative," Coyne told CTV News.

Coyne's decision pits the federal NDP leader against a newcomer to elected politics. However, Coyne has high-level political experience and connections.

She is a constitutional expert who is probably best known for her work during the Meech Lake debates of the early 1990s. At that time she was an adviser to then-Newfoundland premier Clyde Wells. She is also a lawyer, an author, and mother of former prime minister Pierre Trudeau's only daughter, Sarah.

As a Liberal candidate, Coyne could force Layton to spend more time campaigning in his district instead of stumping nationwide for his party.

However, it is not yet a done deal. Liberals in Toronto-Danforth will choose their candidate during a nomination meeting on November 25. Other Liberals may choose to challenge Coyne for the candidacy before then.

The Conservative Party and The Green Party have not yet announced dates for their candidate nomination meetings.