Former BC Liberal finance minister Carole Taylor has not yet responded to speculation that she could be a “potent” candidate for the federal Grit leadership.

Maclean’s national editor Andrew Coyne made the case for the Vancouver-Langara MLA on CBC’s the National last night.

“She would be a potent candidate,” he told Peter Mansbridge in a panel on Liberal leader Stephane Dion’s impending resignation. “A woman on the right of the party from the West would be an interesting candidate.”

Taylor was elected to the BC legislature in 2005 and became the finance minister for Gordon Campbell’s government shortly after. She was a major player in the introduction of the province’s carbon tax.

She announced last year that she won’t be seeking re-election in the 2009 provincial election.

The Tyee contacted Taylor’s office this morning for a response to Coyne’s speculation. A spokesperson said the likelihood of Taylor seeking the federal Liberal leadership was highly unlikely.

“I would say there’s not even a remote chance,” said the spokesperson, who asked not to be identified. But she added: “I can’t be 100 per cent certain.”

The spokesperson said she intended to send an email to Taylor to get a response on the topic. She told The Tyee that Taylor’s intentions could be made public as soon as today or as late as Thursday.

(Stay tuned to the The Hook for more details.)

Geoff Dembicki is a staff reporter for the Hook.