Canada

Photo: Contributed - Sean Kilpatrick / THE CANADIAN PRESS

Liberal MP Justin Trudeau makes his way across the front lawn of Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, June 19, 2012.

Justin Trudeau says it's way too soon to declare victory in the Liberal leadership race despite being perceived as the front-runner.

The Montreal MP and federal Liberal leadership candidate says Canadians don't just want flash, they want substance and he intends to travel the country building up support over the next few months.

Trudeau is the big draw today at a meeting in Sorel, Que., the first since the party's five-month leadership race kicked off on Wednesday.

Three others planning a leadership run spoke at the meeting: René Roy, a farmer from Quebec's Beauce region; George Takach, a Toronto lawyer; and retired military officer Karen McCrimmon.

Montreal MP Marc Garneau, who is expected to join the race shortly, isn't at the meeting. Neither is another high-profile candidate, former MP Martha Hall Findlay.