Alberta Alliance Party leadership election, 2005
Encyclopedia
The Alberta Alliance Party, a conservative political party in Alberta
, Canada
, held its second leadership election on November 18 and 19, 2005, in Red Deer, Alberta
. The leadership position was vacated by Alberta Alliance Party
founder and leader Randy Thorsteinson
in March 2005.
Paul Hinman
was elected leader on the third ballot, defeating the other candidates, Marilyn Burns, David Crutcher and Ed Klop. Hinman lead the party from this leadership election to the merge with the Wildrose Party of Alberta
in 2008.
All members who registered or renewed their memberships before October 6, 2005, were mailed a ballot. Members could mail in their ballots or take them to the leadership convention in Red Deer. Ballots had to be mailed in by November 18, 2005 to be eligible.
Campaign slogan: "A Brighter Future, A Better Way"
Marilyn Burns: Marilyn Burns is the Alberta Alliance justice critic and candidate for Stony Plain
in the 2004 election
. Marilyn was the first candidate to get her campaign off the ground. One of her main principles is defending Alberta's provincial rights, under a heavily expanded version of the Alberta Agenda
. She is a lawyer, politician and mother of four from Edmonton Alberta. Informal polls have shown her to be fighting for the lead in the race with David Crutcher
.
David Crutcher
, a member of the Progressive Group for Independent business, backed by Craig Chandler
, ran in Calgary-Egmont, and won the largerst percentage of the popular vote of any Alliance candidate in Calgary in the 2004 election.
Campaign slogan: "Moving Forward"
Paul Hinman
: deputy leader of the Alberta Alliance and the party's only current Member of the Legislative Assembly
, representing Cardston-Taber-Warner
. Believes that by having its leader in the legislature, the party will get more respect and attention in both the legislature and media. Has been endorsed by Lethbridge Conservative MP Rick Casson
and former Little Bow
Member of the Legislative Assembly Raymond Speaker
.
Ed Klop
: Ed Klop is 38 years old from Red Deer; he ran for the Alberta Alliance in Lacombe-Ponoka
. Ed achieved second place taking 18% of the vote.
Ed Klop has focused his platform around party building. His platform includes building constituency associations and the provincial council committees. Klop wants to increase communication through the various organizations in the party, as well as more communication with the membership at large.
Ed believes in building a solid base of conservative policies through regional policy development sessions all over the province, as well as working to increase fundraising and party membership.
The entire audio of the debate was broken down into two parts to be rebroadcast later. The debate itself was taped before a live studio audience who purchased tickets beforehand.
Candidate Ed Klop joined the race after the debate and is not featured.
The second debate was held on October 18, 2005, in Edmonton. All four candidates participated. The second debate was held by the Party and morderated by Eleanor Maroes.
and David Crutcher
, whom many Alberta Alliance members began increasingly attacking for what they viewed as undesirable spin and campaign tactics. These tactics included attacking leadership candidates, former election, some party policies and the provincial council. The Crutcher team believes many on the council, including Eleanor Maroes, the interim leader, are actively campaigning for other candidates against party rules.
The first blow to the Craig Chandler
campaign came on October 18, 2005 when Travis Chase, a former Alberta Alliance candidate in Calgary Fort
issued a public statement removing himself from being associated with Craig Chandler and David Crutcher. He announced his support for Marilyn Burns. The result prompted the Craig Chandler campaign to threaten legal action against Travis Chase. On October 25, 2005 Travis responded by issuing a press release,
On October 25, 2005, former party leader Randy Thorsteinson
broke his silence and endorsed Ed Klop
, and attacking the Chandler campaign. The Crutcher camp resonded with a deamon dialer phone message attempting to dismiss the statements as campaign propaganda. Craig Chandler responded with legal action against Randy Thorsteinson.
News Articles on the Alberta Alliance leadership campaign
Online Forums covering the Alberta Alliance Leadership election
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, held its second leadership election on November 18 and 19, 2005, in Red Deer, Alberta
Red Deer, Alberta
Red Deer is a city in Central Alberta, Canada. It is located near the midpoint of the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor and is surrounded by Red Deer County. It is Alberta's third-most-populous city – after Calgary and Edmonton. The city is located in aspen parkland, a region of rolling hills...
. The leadership position was vacated by Alberta Alliance Party
Alberta Alliance Party
The Alberta Alliance was a right wing provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Many of its members were former supporters of the now-defunct Canadian Alliance federal political party and its predecessor, the Reform Party of Canada. Members also joined from such other provincial fringe parties...
founder and leader Randy Thorsteinson
Randy Thorsteinson
Randy Thorsteinson is a politician and businessman in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada.-Early years:Thorsteinson was born in Gimli, Manitoba spending his youth living in Winnipeg, Manitoba; Edmonton, Alberta; Calgary, Alberta and Grande Prairie, Alberta.-Education:He graduated from St. Paul's High School...
in March 2005.
Paul Hinman
Paul Hinman
Paul Hinman is a provincial politician and small business entrepreneur from Alberta, Canada. He was formerly the leader of the Wildrose Alliance. He served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 2004 to 2008 representing the electoral district of Cardston-Taber-Warner...
was elected leader on the third ballot, defeating the other candidates, Marilyn Burns, David Crutcher and Ed Klop. Hinman lead the party from this leadership election to the merge with the Wildrose Party of Alberta
Wildrose Party of Alberta
The Wildrose Party of Alberta was a right wing provincial political party founded in Alberta, Canada in 2007. The party took its name from Alberta's provincial flower....
in 2008.
Election results
The election was held using a preferential ballot. Members indicated their preferences in order on the ballot. After each round of voting, the candidate receiving the fewest votes was removed from the election, and his or her votes allocated to other candidates on the basis of the voters' indicated preferences.All members who registered or renewed their memberships before October 6, 2005, were mailed a ballot. Members could mail in their ballots or take them to the leadership convention in Red Deer. Ballots had to be mailed in by November 18, 2005 to be eligible.
| 1st Ballot | ||
| Candidate | Votes | % |
| Paul Hinman Paul Hinman Paul Hinman is a provincial politician and small business entrepreneur from Alberta, Canada. He was formerly the leader of the Wildrose Alliance. He served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 2004 to 2008 representing the electoral district of Cardston-Taber-Warner... |
485 | 43.0% |
| Marilyn Burns Marilyn Burns Mary Lynn Ann Burns , better known as Marilyn Burns, is an American actress, best known for her roles in the horror cult films The Texas Chain Saw Massacre , and Eaten Alive... |
244 | 21.6% |
| David Crutcher David Crutcher David Crutcher is a politician and small business man from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He graduated from Brunel University in England in 1962 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.In 1994 David Crutcher founded Ramatek Inc... |
211 | 18.7% |
| Ed Klop Ed Klop Ed Klop is a politician and business man from Red Deer, Alberta Canada born in 1966.Klop is the President and Founder of Klop Construction based in Red Deer... |
188 | 16.7% |
| Total | 1,128 | |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd Ballot | ||
| Candidate | Votes | % |
| Paul Hinman Paul Hinman Paul Hinman is a provincial politician and small business entrepreneur from Alberta, Canada. He was formerly the leader of the Wildrose Alliance. He served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 2004 to 2008 representing the electoral district of Cardston-Taber-Warner... |
548 | 50.0% |
| Marilyn Burns Marilyn Burns Mary Lynn Ann Burns , better known as Marilyn Burns, is an American actress, best known for her roles in the horror cult films The Texas Chain Saw Massacre , and Eaten Alive... |
312 | 28.5% |
| David Crutcher David Crutcher David Crutcher is a politician and small business man from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He graduated from Brunel University in England in 1962 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.In 1994 David Crutcher founded Ramatek Inc... |
236 | 21.5% |
| Total | 1,096 | |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd Ballot | ||
| Candidate | Votes | % |
| Paul Hinman Paul Hinman Paul Hinman is a provincial politician and small business entrepreneur from Alberta, Canada. He was formerly the leader of the Wildrose Alliance. He served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 2004 to 2008 representing the electoral district of Cardston-Taber-Warner... |
626 | 61.2% |
| Marilyn Burns Marilyn Burns Mary Lynn Ann Burns , better known as Marilyn Burns, is an American actress, best known for her roles in the horror cult films The Texas Chain Saw Massacre , and Eaten Alive... |
387 | 38.2% |
| Total | 1,013 | |
|---|---|---|
Candidates and platforms
Four candidates were officially nominated. Candidates needed 100 party member signatures and a $5,000 deposit to run for leader.Marilyn Burns
Marilyn Burns: Marilyn Burns is the Alberta Alliance justice critic and candidate for Stony Plain
Stony Plain (electoral district)
Stony Plain originally styled Stonyplain is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The district is mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta using the first past the post method of voting. From 1926 to 1957 Single Transferable Vote was used in the...
in the 2004 election
Alberta general election, 2004
The Alberta general election of 2004 was the twenty-sixth general election for the province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on November 22, 2004 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. Marilyn was the first candidate to get her campaign off the ground. One of her main principles is defending Alberta's provincial rights, under a heavily expanded version of the Alberta Agenda
Alberta Agenda
The Alberta Agenda is a loosely-organized political movement initiated by a letter written by prominent Albertans, including future Prime Minister Stephen Harper and 2006 Alberta PC leadership candidate Ted Morton, urging Albertan Premier Ralph Klein to fully exercise Alberta's constitutional powers...
. She is a lawyer, politician and mother of four from Edmonton Alberta. Informal polls have shown her to be fighting for the lead in the race with David Crutcher
David Crutcher
David Crutcher is a politician and small business man from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He graduated from Brunel University in England in 1962 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.In 1994 David Crutcher founded Ramatek Inc...
.
David Crutcher
Campaign slogan: "A new Alberta"David Crutcher
David Crutcher
David Crutcher is a politician and small business man from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He graduated from Brunel University in England in 1962 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.In 1994 David Crutcher founded Ramatek Inc...
, a member of the Progressive Group for Independent business, backed by Craig Chandler
Craig Chandler
Craig B. Chandler is a Canadian businessman, pundit, and political and religious activist. He is a co-founder and executive director of the Progressive Group for Independent Business...
, ran in Calgary-Egmont, and won the largerst percentage of the popular vote of any Alliance candidate in Calgary in the 2004 election.
- Supports an Alberta provincial tax on consumer goods
- Supports publicly funded alternative medicine in order to save money and resources
- Opposes same-sex marriageSame-sex marriageSame-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
and abortionAbortionAbortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced... - Supports Alberta's separation from CanadaAlberta separatismAlberta separatism is a movement that advocates the secession of the province of Alberta from Canada either by forming an independent nation, or by creating a new federation with one or more of Canada's other three westernmost provinces.-Foundations:...
if the Conservative Party of CanadaConservative Party of CanadaThe Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
didn't win in the upcoming federal electionCanadian federal election, 2006The 2006 Canadian federal election was held on January 23, 2006, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 39th Parliament of Canada. The Conservative Party of Canada won the greatest number of seats: 40.3% of seats, or 124 out of 308, up from 99 seats in 2004, and 36.3% of votes:...
.
Paul Hinman
Paul Hinman
Paul Hinman
Paul Hinman is a provincial politician and small business entrepreneur from Alberta, Canada. He was formerly the leader of the Wildrose Alliance. He served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 2004 to 2008 representing the electoral district of Cardston-Taber-Warner...
: deputy leader of the Alberta Alliance and the party's only current Member of the Legislative Assembly
Member of the Legislative Assembly
A Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
, representing Cardston-Taber-Warner
Cardston-Taber-Warner
Cardston-Taber-Warner is a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. The district is mandated to return a single member to the for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. Believes that by having its leader in the legislature, the party will get more respect and attention in both the legislature and media. Has been endorsed by Lethbridge Conservative MP Rick Casson
Rick Casson
Richard L. Casson is a Canadian politician. Casson was a member of the Conservative Party of Canada in the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of Lethbridge from 1997 to 2011.-Before politics:...
and former Little Bow
Little Bow (electoral district)
Little Bow is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada.The district, named after the Little Bow River, was created in 1913 from the north-west corner of Lethbridge District and the eastern portions of Okotoks, High River, Nanton and Claresholm...
Member of the Legislative Assembly Raymond Speaker
Raymond Speaker
Raymond Albert "Ray" Speaker, PC, OC is a farmer and Canadian politician.Speaker was born and raised in Enchant, Alberta where he farms to this day...
.
Message from Paul Hinman on the benefits of having a leader in the legislature
Ed Klop
Campaign slogan: "Building Together"Ed Klop
Ed Klop
Ed Klop is a politician and business man from Red Deer, Alberta Canada born in 1966.Klop is the President and Founder of Klop Construction based in Red Deer...
: Ed Klop is 38 years old from Red Deer; he ran for the Alberta Alliance in Lacombe-Ponoka
Lacombe-Ponoka
Lacombe-Ponoka is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada.-Boundary history:- Members of the Legislative Assembly :-2004 general election:-2004 Senate nominee election district results:...
. Ed achieved second place taking 18% of the vote.
Ed Klop has focused his platform around party building. His platform includes building constituency associations and the provincial council committees. Klop wants to increase communication through the various organizations in the party, as well as more communication with the membership at large.
Ed believes in building a solid base of conservative policies through regional policy development sessions all over the province, as well as working to increase fundraising and party membership.
Candidates leadership debates
During the leadership election, two debates took place. The debate was hosted by the Freedom Radio Network, a radio show that was broadcast on AM 1140 in southern Alberta.The entire audio of the debate was broken down into two parts to be rebroadcast later. The debate itself was taped before a live studio audience who purchased tickets beforehand.
Candidate Ed Klop joined the race after the debate and is not featured.
The second debate was held on October 18, 2005, in Edmonton. All four candidates participated. The second debate was held by the Party and morderated by Eleanor Maroes.
Campaign controversies
The election race's major developments in October 2005 centred around Craig ChandlerCraig Chandler
Craig B. Chandler is a Canadian businessman, pundit, and political and religious activist. He is a co-founder and executive director of the Progressive Group for Independent Business...
and David Crutcher
David Crutcher
David Crutcher is a politician and small business man from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He graduated from Brunel University in England in 1962 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.In 1994 David Crutcher founded Ramatek Inc...
, whom many Alberta Alliance members began increasingly attacking for what they viewed as undesirable spin and campaign tactics. These tactics included attacking leadership candidates, former election, some party policies and the provincial council. The Crutcher team believes many on the council, including Eleanor Maroes, the interim leader, are actively campaigning for other candidates against party rules.
The first blow to the Craig Chandler
Craig Chandler
Craig B. Chandler is a Canadian businessman, pundit, and political and religious activist. He is a co-founder and executive director of the Progressive Group for Independent Business...
campaign came on October 18, 2005 when Travis Chase, a former Alberta Alliance candidate in Calgary Fort
Calgary Fort
Calgary Fort is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada.The Electoral District is named after historical Fort Calgary.The district lies in the Central SE of the city....
issued a public statement removing himself from being associated with Craig Chandler and David Crutcher. He announced his support for Marilyn Burns. The result prompted the Craig Chandler campaign to threaten legal action against Travis Chase. On October 25, 2005 Travis responded by issuing a press release,
On October 25, 2005, former party leader Randy Thorsteinson
Randy Thorsteinson
Randy Thorsteinson is a politician and businessman in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada.-Early years:Thorsteinson was born in Gimli, Manitoba spending his youth living in Winnipeg, Manitoba; Edmonton, Alberta; Calgary, Alberta and Grande Prairie, Alberta.-Education:He graduated from St. Paul's High School...
broke his silence and endorsed Ed Klop
Ed Klop
Ed Klop is a politician and business man from Red Deer, Alberta Canada born in 1966.Klop is the President and Founder of Klop Construction based in Red Deer...
, and attacking the Chandler campaign. The Crutcher camp resonded with a deamon dialer phone message attempting to dismiss the statements as campaign propaganda. Craig Chandler responded with legal action against Randy Thorsteinson.
Speculated candidates
The following people had been mentioned as possible choices to run for leader:- Gary Horan: Senator-in-waiting candidate, had contemplated running, but backed Marilyn Burns.
- Preston ManningPreston ManningErnest Preston Manning, CC is a Canadian politician. He was the only leader of the Reform Party of Canada, a Canadian federal political party that evolved into the Canadian Alliance...
: the former Reform Party of CanadaReform Party of CanadaThe Reform Party of Canada was a Canadian federal political party that existed from 1987 to 2000. It was originally founded as a Western Canada-based protest party, but attempted to expand eastward in the 1990s. It viewed itself as a populist party....
leader. Manning had been helping out Paul Hinman in the Legislative Assembly of AlbertaLegislative Assembly of AlbertaThe Legislative Assembly of Alberta is one of two components of the Legislature of Alberta, the other being the Queen, represented by the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta. The Alberta legislature meets in the Alberta Legislature Building in the provincial capital, Edmonton...
. This caused the rumour mill to circulate his name as a possible leadership candidate.
- Deborah GreyDeborah GreyDeborah Cleland Grey, OC, sometimes called Deb Grey is a former Canadian Member of Parliament from Alberta for the Reform Party of Canada, Canadian Alliance and Conservative Party of Canada....
: was also mentioned as a possible leadership candidate.
- Ted MortonTed MortonFrederick Lee Morton , known commonly as Ted Morton, is a Canadian politician and Minister of Energy for the Province of Alberta. As a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta he represents the constituency of Foothills-Rocky View as a Progressive Conservative...
: some Alberta Alliance members believed that Randy Thorsteinson should have waited until after the Progressive Conservative Party chooses a successor to Ralph Klein, so that Ted Morton could have run for leader of the Alliance if he did not win the leadership of the PC party. Randy Thorsteinson felt that the Alberta Alliance should never be a fall-back position for anyone. He has stated "The Alberta Alliance is the home of principled conservatives. Those that truly believe in reforming the Alberta Government realize that trying to change the Progressive Conservatives from within is a lost cause. It has never happened and never will. We must ensure that principled conservatives have a home led by people of character and integrity not opportunists. I chose to step down early to allow the new Leader as much time as possible to prepare for the next election and to make leadership aspirants choose between the Progressive Conservative or the Alberta Alliance leadership races. You will be able to determine their commitment to principle by the leadership race they choose to enter".
Timeline of campaign developments
- April 15, 2005: Randy Thorsteinson steps down as leader of the Alberta Alliance
- May 27, 2005: Alberta Alliance convention held in Calgary, four candidates make their intentions known
- May 28, 2005: Day 2 of Alberta Alliance convention
- July 20, 2005: Marilyn Burns launches her campaign with backing of Gary Horan
- July 26, 2005: Marilyn Burns gains momentum after Paul Jackson publishes a column on her in the Calgary SunCalgary SunThe Calgary Sun is a daily newspaper published in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It is a division of Sun Media, a Quebecor company.First published in 1980, the tabloid-format daily replaced the long-running broadsheet newspaper, The Albertan soon after it was acquired by the publishers of the Toronto...
- August 1, 2005: Convention registration opened
- August 11, 2005: David Crutcher announces leadership bid.
- August 29, 2005: Paul Hinman announces leadership bid.
- September 12, 2005: Paul Hinman becomes the first candidate to officially be nominated.
- September 16, 2005: David Crutcher becomes the second candidate to officially be nominated.
- September 20, 2005: Marilyn Burns becomes the third candidate to officially be nominated.
- September 20, 2005: Nominations close
- September 22, 2005: Alberta Alliance leadership debate to be taped before a live audience
- September 24, 2005: Alberta Alliance leadership debate part 1 on AM 1140 at 6:30 p.m. MST
- September 28, 2005: Ed Klop officially announces leadership bid.
- October 1, 2005: Alberta Alliance leadership debate part 2 on AM 1140 at 6:30 p.m. MST
- October 6, 2005: Closing date for new members to vote for Leader.
- October 17, 2005: 2nd leadership debate, old timers cabin in Edmonton.
- October 23, 2005: Randy Thorstienson endorses Ed Klop
- November 18, 2005: Day 1 of leadership convention
- November 19, 2005: Day 2 of leadership convention
See also
- Alberta Alliance PartyAlberta Alliance PartyThe Alberta Alliance was a right wing provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Many of its members were former supporters of the now-defunct Canadian Alliance federal political party and its predecessor, the Reform Party of Canada. Members also joined from such other provincial fringe parties...
- leadership conventionLeadership conventionIn Canadian politics, a leadership convention is held by a political party when the party needs to choose a leader due to a vacancy or a challenge to the incumbent leader.- Overview :...
- Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta leadership election, 2006
External links
Campaign websites- Paul Hinman
- David Crutcher
- Marilyn Burns old site (Archived 2009-10-25)
- Marilyn Burns new site
- Ed Klop
News Articles on the Alberta Alliance leadership campaign
- Lawyer may have what it takes to rejuvenate the right Calgary Sun July 26, 2005
- Paul Hinman announces Leadership Bid Peace River Gazette August 30, 2005
- David Crutcher visits Nanton September 21, 2005
- Tenacious new Alliance leader would make Klein regime blink Calgary Sun September 27, 2005
- Fledgling Alliance hosts leadership elections November 19 Edmonton Sun October 25, 2005
- Tom Olsen Column the Alberta Alliance leadership convention November 20, 2005
Online Forums covering the Alberta Alliance Leadership election