2017 Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta leadership election

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2017 Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta leadership election
DateMarch 18, 2017[1][2]
ConventionTelus Convention Centre,
Calgary, Alberta
Resigning leaderJim Prentice
Won byJason Kenney
Ballots1
Candidates3
Entrance Fee$30,000 (non refundable) + $20,000 compliance bond (refundable)
Spending limitNone
Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta leadership elections

The 2017 Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta leadership election was held on March 18, 2017, in Calgary. It chose Jason Kenney as the successor to former Alberta Premier and Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta leader Jim Prentice. He resigned after the party was defeated in the May 5, 2015 general election. The party had governed the province for 44 consecutive years. Prentice had been elected leader eight months prior to his defeat.

On May 11, 2015, the remaining nine members of the party's caucus elected Ric McIver as interim leader.[3]

According to the party's constitution, a leadership election was to be held within six months of a vacancy occurring; in this case within six months of May 5, 2015 when Prentice announced his resignation.[3] However, the party's board of directors decided to delay the convention and, at its 2016 AGM, decided to hold the next leadership election between August 2016 and May 2017. The party's board of directors later decided to hold the election in the spring of 2017.[4][5][6][7]

Campaign spending

Kenney spent $1.46 million on his leadership campaign, nearly nine times the $162,603 spent by his closet rival, Richard Starke. Stephen Khan spent $24,919 on the campaign, while Byron Nelson spent $15,579.[8]

Rules

For the first time since 1985, the leader will be chosen by a delegated

One Member One Vote system in which all party members vote. Each of the 87 riding associations will elect 15 delegates to the convention. Five of those 15 spots are reserved for those serving as directors of the boards at those riding associations as of October 1, 2016, and three of the 15 delegates must be youth delegates (under age 26). All provincial board members of the party and former PC MLAs are automatic delegates. To win, a candidate must gain 50% +1 of votes cast. If no candidate wins a majority on the first ballot, the candidate with the lowest vote total is dropped from the next ballot. Balloting continues until one candidate wins a majority (or all other candidates have withdrawn).[9][10]

Candidates must make financial disclosures of all pre and post-writ campaign activity, retroactive to June 30, 2016. Candidates must “avoid causing harm or disrepute to the PCAA and its brand through any detrimental action or conduct, whether intentional or unintentional”. All candidates will have to post a $20,000 performance bond — refundable if they comply with all the rules — in addition to the $30,000 non-refundable entrance fee.[9][10] To be nominated, candidates are required to obtain signatures from 500 party members, 100 from each region (North, Central, South, Calgary, Edmonton).[11]

The party has imposed no spending, donation, or fundraising limits, however, in the fall of 2016 provincial legislature is expected to consider a proposal to legislate a $300,000 spending limit on all leadership campaigns, regardless of party. It is unclear whether such a law would be made retroactive and apply to the current PC leadership election.[12]

To be eligible to vote one must be a current party member at least 14 days prior to the Delegate Selection Meeting for the member's constituency.[13]

Timeline

Declared candidates

Jason Kenney

Background
Jason Kenney, MP for Calgary Midnapore

Former

Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (2008–2013). Previously a Reform Party and then Canadian Alliance MP.[24]
Kenney announced his leadership bid in a speech at a supporters' rally in a Calgary hotel on July 6, 2016, in the middle of the Calgary Stampede. The following day he held a media availability in which he announced further details of his campaign plan and took media questions. At the time, Kenney stated that he thought the name "'Conservative Party of Alberta' had potential".[25] Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced his endorsement of Kenney's campaign on July 9 at his final Stampede BBQ in Calgary Heritage and interim Conservative Party leader Rona Ambrose announced her endorsement at the same event.

Date candidacy declared: July 6, 2016[26]
Campaign website: https://web.archive.org/web/20170114165958/http://www.jasonkenney.ca/
Supporters
MLAs: (4)
Prab Gill (MLA for Calgary-Greenway),[21] Richard Gotfried (MLA for Calgary-Fish Creek),[28] Dave Rodney (MLA for Calgary-Lougheed)[29]
Former MLAs: (7)
Edmonton-Mill Woods
)
Federal politicians: (3)
Grande Prairie-Mackenzie)[35]
Former federal politicians: (2)
Edmonton—Sherwood Park
, 2008-2015)
Other prominent supporters: (1) Kevin O'Leary (CEO, O'Leary Financial Group)[36]
Organizations: (2) Alberta Can't Wait,[32] Alberta Prosperity Fund[31]
Policies: Advocates merging the Progressive Conservative and Wildrose parties.[26]

Byron Nelson

Background

Byron Nelson, 45, is a Calgary father, lawyer and business owner, was the PC candidate in

Calgary Bow in 2015 and is chair of the Shriners Hospitals for Children in Southern Alberta.[37]

Date candidacy declared: September 27, 2016[38]
Campaign website: http://www.byronforalberta.ca/ Archived February 17, 2017, at the Wayback Machine
Supporters
MLAs:
Former MLAs:
Federal politicians:
Former federal politicians:
Other prominent supporters:
Organizations:
Policies: Fiscally conservative, advocates a "competitive" tax structure, as well as "quality" healthcare and education.

Richard Starke

Background

Starke is the Opposition House Leader (2015–present) and MLA for Vermilion-Lloydminster (2012–present). He was Minister of Tourism, Parks and Recreation (2013-2014) under premiers Alison Redford and Dave Hancock.[5][17] He was a veterinarian before entering politics.[39]

Date candidacy declared: September 29, 2016[40]
Campaign website: http://richardstarke.ca/ Archived January 14, 2017, at the Wayback Machine
Supporters
MLAs: (1) Wayne Drysdale (MLA for Grande Prairie-Wapiti, Minister of Transportation 2013-15, Minister of Infrastructure 2012-13 and 2014)[41]
Former MLAs: (28)
Mayor of Edmonton 2004-13), Cathy Olesen, Verlyn Olson, Bridget Pastoor, William Purdy (Stony Plain 1971-86), Dave Quest (Strathcona-Sherwood Park 2008-15, Associate Minister 2013-14), Teresa Woo-Paw (Calgary-Northern Hills
2008-15, Associate Minister 2012-15)
Federal politicians:
Former federal politicians:
Other prominent supporters:
Organizations:
Policies: To unite Alberta under a “progressive conservative banner, a centrist party which reflects their values and their principles.”[40] Supports cooperation with Wildrose without a merger[42][22]

Withdrawn candidates

Sandra Jansen

Background

Opposition Critic for Education, Human Services and Status of Women (2015–2016), MLA for Calgary-North West (2012–present), Minister of Family & Community Safety (2013–2014).[43] Was a broadcaster prior to entering politics.[39]

Date candidacy declared: October 12, 2016[44]
Date candidacy withdrawn: November 8, 2016[45]
Supporters
MLAs:
Former MLAs:
Federal politicians:
Former federal politicians:
Other prominent supporters: (1) Stephen Carter (Chief of Staff to the Premier of Alberta, 2011—2012)[46]
Organizations:
Policies:
Notes: Withdrew in a letter to supporters on November 8, 2016, following the party's AGM saying “I have never before experienced harassment like that which occurred up to and including this past weekend. Insults were scrawled on my nomination forms. Volunteers from another campaign chased me up and down the hall, attacking me for protecting women’s reproductive rights, and my team was jeered for supporting children’s rights to a safe school environment.”
crossed the floor to join the governing NDP on November 17, 2016.[47]

Stephen Khan

Background

Minister responsible for Service Alberta (2015), former MLA for St. Albert (2012–2015)[48]

Date candidacy declared: November 3, 2016[49]
Date candidacy withdrawn: January 26, 2017[42]
Supporters
MLAs:
Former MLAs:
Federal politicians:
Former federal politicians:
Other prominent supporters:
Organizations:
Policies: Ran as a moderate fiscal conservative and social progressive.
Notes: Withdrew claiming that his delegates had been intimidated and that he had been subjected to racist and Islamophobic abuse, for which he blamed Kenney's supporters. Khan has thrown his support to Starke.[42]

Donna Kennedy-Glans

Background

MLA for

Calgary Varsity
(2012-2015), Associate Minister – Electricity and Renewable Energy (2013-2014)

Date candidacy declared: September 7, 2016[50]
Date candidacy withdrawn: November 8, 2016[45]
Supporters
MLAs:
Former MLAs: (1) Linda Johnson[51]
Federal politicians:
Former federal politicians:
Other prominent supporters:
Organizations:
Policies: Running to "unite the middle".[50]
Notes: Withdrew saying: “Right now, politics in Alberta is polarizing and there is limited opportunity for centrist voices to be heard.”[45]

Declined

  • federal Minister of the Environment (2006–2007).[52]
  • Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada (2006–2015), MP for Calgary Heritage (2002–2016) for the Conservative Party of Canada.
  • Harman Kandola, PC candidate in
    Edmonton Ellerslie (2015), lawyer.[48][53]
  • Heather Klimchuk, Minister of Human Services (2014-2015), Minister of Culture and Community Services (2011-2014), and Minister of Service Alberta (2008-2011), MLA for Edmonton-Glenora (2008-2015).[17]
  • Thomas Lukaszuk, deputy premier (2012-2013) and MLA for Edmonton-Castle Downs (2001-2015), Minister of Employment and Immigration (2010-2011), Minister of Education (2011-2013), Minister of Enterprise and Advanced Education (2013), Minister of Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour (2013-2014), third-place finisher in 2014 leadership election.[3][17] He was a high school teacher before entering politics.[39]
  • Stephen Mandel, former MLA for Edmonton-Whitemud (2014-2015), Minister of Health (2014-2015), Mayor of Edmonton (2004-2013).[53]
  • Ric McIver, interim leader, MLA for Calgary-Hays (2012–present), Minister of Transportation (2012-2013), Minister of Infrastructure (2013-2014), runner-up in the 2014 leadership election[3][17][54]
  • Diana McQueen, Minister of Municipal Affairs (2014–2015) and concurrently Minister for Climate Change (2015), Minister of Energy (2013–2014), Minister of Environment and Water (2011–2013), also Ministry of Sustainable Resource Development (2012–2013), MLA for Drayton Valley-Calmar (2008–2015), mayor of Drayton Valley (2001–2008).[48]
  • Michael Oshry, Edmonton city councillor for Ward 5 (2013–present), co-founder of FIRMA Foreign Exchange.[48][55]
  • Doug Schweitzer, Calgary lawyer, former CEO of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba, manager of Jim Prentice's 2014 leadership campaign.

Manmeet Bhullar, MLA for Calgary-Greenway since 2008 and former Minister of Service Alberta (2011-2013), former Minister of Human Services (2013-2015),[5] had been considered a potential candidate until he was killed in a motor vehicle accident on November 23, 2015.

Results

Balloting occurred on March 18, 2017, at the Telus Convention Centre. Kenney was declared the winner on the first ballot.[56]

Candidate Votes Percentage
Jason Kenney 1,113 75.4%
Richard Starke 323 21.9%
Byron Nelson 40 2.7%
Total 1,476 100%

Spolied ballots: 3

See also

References

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