Stephane Dion is changing his core team:

Stephane Dion is shaking up his office once again in a bid to get a firmer grip on the reins of the Liberal party.

Among the moves to be announced soon: communications director Nicolas Ruszkowski will be leaving the Liberal leader's office as of Jan. 31.

He will be replaced by Leslie Swartman, a veteran Liberal aide who worked in former prime minister Jean Chretien's press office and for various ministers in both the Chretien and Paul Martin governments.

She last served on Parliament Hill as chief of staff for Jean Lapierre, Martin's transport minister, and was a top adviser to Nova Scotia MP Scott Brison during last year's leadership contest.

Ruszkowski joined Dion's team last May but is departing "at his own request" after eight turbulent months that left little time for a family life, spokesman Mark Dunn confirmed.

How can Stephane Dion be bragging to Liberal Party riding presidents that there will be an election is six weeks, while at the same time he's trying to get "a firmer grip" on the party?

Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion has put his ground troops on standby for a federal election in 2008.

Marking one year today since he won the leadership of the Liberals, Dion spoke to party riding presidents gathered in Montreal this weekend and attempted to turn their sights forward to an imminent election campaign.

Consider just how far Stephane Dion has come, and how much farther he has to go.

• February 2007: Most Competent Leader: Stephane Dion 22%
• May 2007: Nicolas Ruszkowski becomes Stephane Dion's director of communications
• November 2007: Most Competent Leader: Stephane Dion 11%
• December 2007: Nicolas Ruszkowski quits as Stephane Dion's director of communications
• February 2008: Liberals go to the polls?

So in six weeks, Leslie Swartman is going to reverse a year-long slide, a slide that Nicolas Ruszkowki was unable to affect in seven months of effort?