Candidates in the PC leaders race from right, Alison Redford, Gary Mar and Doug Horner during a commerical break as they take part in a televised leadership debate at Global Studios in Edmonton, September 29, 2011.
Photograph by: Ed Kaiser, edmontonjournal.com

Alberta's new premier being chosen by Tories today

Updated: Sat Oct. 01 2011 12:39:11
CTVNews.ca Staff
Source - CTV, Winnipeg

Gary Mar, Alberta, party's leadership

Alberta PC party leadership hopeful Gary Mar casts his vote in an advanced poll in Calgary, Alta., Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2011. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Alberta will get a new premier Saturday night when the results of today's Progressive Conservative Party leadership election are announced in the capital.

After eight months of campaigning and an inconclusive first round of balloting, three candidates remain in the race to replace Premier Ed Stelmach: former health minister Gary Mar, former justice minister Alison Redford, and former advanced education minister Doug Horner.

While Mar was out in front on the first ballot two weeks ago with 41 per cent, he failed to reach the majority required to assume control of the party that has been in power in Alberta for 40 years. The new leader will be the 14th premier and the fifth for the Tories.

Mar, 49, who was in former premier Ralph Klein's cabinet, ran a strong campaign across the province. On the first ballot, he led all of the Edmonton ridings and two-thirds of those in Calgary. He also has the support of more than half the PC caucus.

Ed Stelmach, Alberta, PCs, polls

Retiring Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach is shown at his farm near Mundare, Alberta, on Friday, August 19, 2011. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Ulan

The other two candidates both served in Stelmach's cabinet but resigned to run for the leadership. Redford, 46, received most of her support from her base in Calgary, while Horner was stronger in the north of the province.

The eight-month campaign has drawn criticism for being too long and for its lack of conflict, particularly at the debates. All three candidates agree on such issues as balancing the budget, diversifying Alberta's economy and giving the province's citizens more of a voice in government.

The one issue they disagreed on was health care, with Mar saying he would be open to more private options. Both Redford and Horner said the problems with the present system, including long wait times and bed shortages, could be mended by public health care.

Stelmach became premier in 2006 and won a huge majority in 2008, taking 72 out of 83 seats. But he was sharply criticized by many in his own party for how he handled the province's finances and for taking Alberta from billion-dollar surpluses to deficits during the recession when he refused to cut government services.

With files from The Canadian Press

Race to replace Alberta’s Tory premier far from decided

Josh Wingrove
ST. PAUL, ALTA.— From Saturday's Globe and Mail
Published Friday, Sep. 30, 2011 10:54PM EDT
Source - Globe and Mail

Tuesday, September 13, 2011 - Calgary, Alberta - Alison Redford, born March 7, 1965 in Kitimat, British Columbia lives in Calgary with her husband Glen Jermyn and have one daughter Sarah. The former justice minister, Redford has moved into second place, behind leading Garry Mar according to the results of a poll of Progressive Conservative party members.

Chris Bolin/The Globe and Mail

The race to become Alberta’s next premier is in its 11th hour and, to the dismay of some, remains up for grabs.

Many Progressive Conservatives had hoped they could avoid uncertainty by rallying behind a polished front-runner who could unify the embattled governing party. That man was Gary Mar.

The former cabinet minister earned the most first-ballot votes (41 per cent), had the most money, the most caucus support and a team of veterans running his campaign. He got the only major local newspaper endorsement. Three candidates who missed the cut for Saturday’s final ballot all backed him, in the words of one, “because Gary’s the person with 41 per cent.” The troops rallied.

So why did Mr. Mar, with every apparent advantage, take a private plane to squeeze in a stop this week in tiny St. Paul, Alta., and speak to 34 people over coffee and Timbits?

He’s there because the race, unpredictable by design, is still not wrapped up. Second-place candidate Alison Redford seems to have surged this week, in part because of a strong debate performance less than 24 hours after the sudden death of her mother. Meanwhile, third candidate Doug Horner is backed by many of the same people who thrust Premier Ed Stelmach from third to first during the last leadership race. Voter turnout is also expected to spike.

It all has Mr. Mar sprinting toward the finish line. “We do not take the outcome for granted,” he said. “You can’t let up on this.”

Critically, if no candidate has more than 50 per cent, a preferential ballot kicks in. Second choices matter. And that’s also why Mr. Mar was in St. Paul.

The region had exceptionally high first-ballot turnout, and 81 per cent backed Mr. Horner. Mr. Mar wants their second-choice votes this time around. “It doesn’t take a Rhodes Scholar to figure out why he came to this rural riding,” Don Schultz, head of the local constituency association, said outside the meeting Monday.

“We’re backing Horner, but the second choice we’re leaving up to people,” Mr. Schultz said. “Up to this point, I thought I was going with Alison. But I’m on the fence after the meeting tonight.”

This was precisely the point. “Showing up makes a difference,” Mr. Mar said. “Diefenbaker famously said polls are for dogs. I happen to agree with him.”

Mr. Mar has been perceived as the front-runner since his glitzy campaign launch in March. The 49-year-old Calgary lawyer and father of three has sought to cast himself as a candidate to transcend the three traditional bases of Alberta politics: Calgary, Edmonton and rural.

This would matter more if it were a general election; it’s not. Only party members can vote for their leader, who will immediately become premier. And the last two party front-runners have lost. “Ultimately, a race like this is a retail sales operation,” Mr. Mar said.

A Mar win would shift Alberta to a more aggressive pro-oil-sands position, with Mr. Mar keeping the intergovernmental affairs portfolio and becoming the face of an energy sector he unabashedly backs – he questions science around man-made climate change and dismisses climate activists as “professional cause-pleaders.” He has mused about attacking Quebec on its asbestos industry.

He’ll win if party members are fed up with the current cabinet (which he wasn’t a part of) and want an articulate oil-sands champion.

Ms. Redford, meanwhile, has focused on health care and education, and Saturday’s vote will likely be about whether her late surge is enough. Mr. Horner could win if he captures the same support as Mr. Stelmach, with whom he has much in common.

All three are relatively centrist, though Mr. Mar is open to more private health care and has cast himself as a fiscal hawk. He would be Canada’s first premier of Chinese descent. Ms. Redford would be Alberta’s first female premier. They’d all face a stiff challenge on the right flank from the libertarian Wildrose Party.

Second choices could be crucial. If there’s no majority after Saturday’s voting, the third-place candidate is dropped and only that person’s supporters’ second choices are counted. It’s how Mr. Stelmach edged out Jim Dinning. “We learned a lot from Jim’s campaign,” Mr. Mar said.

At this week’s final debate, candidates were asked who their second choice would be. Mr. Mar wouldn’t say; Ms. Redford said Mr. Horner; Mr. Horner demurred, but plainly hinted his preference for Ms. Redford is “obvious.” Mr. Mar, meanwhile, was the top second choice among respondents in the most recent poll.

The process is, as such, unpredictable. It’s meant to open the doors of the party, president Bill Smith said. He likened the second ballot to a playoff round. “Once you’re into the playoffs,” he said, “it’s a whole different ballgame.”

quote:

Stelmach became premier in 2006 and won a huge majority in 2008, taking 72 out of 83 seats.

Updated: Sat Oct. 01 2011 12:39:11
CTVNews.ca Staff
Source - CTV, Winnipeg

Some non-PC supporters bite the bullet to pick new premier

Updated: Sat Oct. 01 2011 18:41:02
Julia Parrish, ctvedmonton.ca
Source - CTV, Edmonton

As the PC leadership race wraps up, some polling stations are reporting a higher number of voters this time around - after the party saw a huge drop in turnout in the first round.

Some of the voters heading to the polls on Saturday were taking part in a vote for the leader of a party they don't otherwise support.

"It's really the only way in this province to have a say in who the next premier will be," NDP supporter Alison Palmer said. "Because it's always conservative."

Voters such as Palmer contributed to growth in voter turnout for the second round.

The three candidates can only wait to hear what Albertans think of their pitch for leadership.

"It's a big relief," Doug Horner said of the months-long campaign wrapping up. "I've talked to both Gary [Mar] and Alison [Redford] and wished them good luck.

"I think all of us are kind of saying ‘Thank God it's over.'"

"I think Gary and Doug are great people," Alison Redford said of her opponents. "They've [done] tremendous public service in the province.

"At the end of the day when this is all over we're one party that needs to go out and earn the trust of Albertans, not eachother."

Whoever becomes the new premier-designate, will have to also convince Albertans who don't vote conservative.

Including Albertans such as Alison Palmer, who took part in Saturday's vote – simply to be heard.

"I guess you just go with the best of the worst," Palmer said.

With files from Kevin Armstrong

The count is on for PC leadership vote

Ryan Cormier and Meghan Potkins
October 1, 2011 6:30 PM
Source - Calgary Herald

Janet Wagar casts her vote into the ballot box at the Calgary French & International School in Calgary on October 1, 2011.
Photograph by: Christina Ryan, Calgary Herald

Voting is underway to to pick the new leader of the Alberta Progressive Conservatives and the province’s next premier.

A gruelling eight-month political contest will come to an end Saturday as Alberta Progressive Conservatives cast their vote for one of three candidates to become the next party leader and premier of Alberta.

Unofficial campaigning began in January when Premier Ed Stelmach — facing unpopularity in the polls and divisions in caucus — announced he would resign.

Although six candidates originally stepped forward to try to take his place, the Tories whittled it down to the final three — Doug Horner, Gary Mar and Alison Redford — in last month’s first ballot vote.

Polls opened across the province at 9 a.m. local time and close at 7 p.m.

All three candidates were trying to win over new supporters and mobilize their volunteers right up until the last minute.

In Edmonton, Russell Mulawka said he didn’t vote in the first round two weeks ago, but now that’s its down to last three, it was the first thing he did Saturday.

“We feel that we have to get out and vote for the guy we support,” said Mulawka, who voted for Horner. “I get sick and tired of Calgarians being our premier. I’ll support the Edmonton guy provided that he’s capable.”

Mulawka said he wanted Stelmach to stay as Alberta’s leader, but thought that perhaps being a gentleman was his downfall.

Two weeks ago, only 59,000 voters turned out for the first round of voting, a sharp drop from 97,690 who voted in 2006 in the first round of the race to replace Ralph Klein.

In Calgary, assistant chief returning officer Joe Lougheed said he expects the second ballot could reflect a stronger turnout.

“When you’re down to the three candidates it can certainly lead to a higher voter turnout because the province is now engaged,” said Lougheed. “People know that one of these individuals will become the premier and that creates excitement and interest.”

David Johnston, a Redford supporter in Edmonton, said he was happy to see the long leadership contest come to an end. Stelmach first announced his resignation in January 2011.

“It was a longer process than normal, that’s for sure,” Johnston said. And it’s good that it’s done, it’s good to move on with new leadership.”

Voters will make a first and second choice on the ballots under the preferential voting system. The winning candidate must get 50 per cent of the vote plus one.

If no one takes a majority of first choices, the preferential ballots kick in. The third-place candidate drops out and the second choice votes from that candidate are distributed to the first and second place finishers to determine a winner

A “nervous and excited” Redford voted early Saturday at the North Glenmore Community Centre.

She said she felt good about her chances and expected turnout to rise across the board after disappointingly low numbers in the first round.

“I think there will be more interest. There’s certainly a lot more momentum in the campaign. ... I think we will see an increase in turnout and that helps our campaign,” she told reporters.

Two weeks of furious campaigning have passed since the first ballot in the leadership race that saw Mar capture the support of 41 per cent of members.

Saturday morning Mar took in a few hours of relative calm. He had already voted at an advanced poll last Tuesday, but he tagged along with his wife Nancy, son Jared and daughter Lauren as they voted at an Edmonton poll and then ate breakfast at a south Edmonton diner.

Mar was to spend the remainder of the day making phone calls to supporters and potential supporters, before joining other Alberta PC party members at an election night event in Edmonton to await the results.

By midday, Horner’s camp was buoyed by indications that turnout — especially in areas expected to support the Spruce Grove-Sturgeon-St. Alberta MLA — were up compared to two weeks ago.

New membership sales were also significantly on the rise, his camp said.

Horner voted Saturday morning in his riding, before heading to the campaign office to answer phones and make calls.

No matter who wins the vote, turnout remains a concern for the party.

“It’s going to be a test of the popularity of the Conservative party,” said University of Calgary political scientist Doreen Barrie.

“If they can’t muster their own members to come out and vote, I think they are in bigger trouble than they might realize.”

Polls closed as Alberta Tories choose next leader and premier

Dawn Walton and Josh Wingrove
EDMONTON AND LLOYDMINSTER, ALTA.— Globe and Mail Update
Published Saturday, Oct. 01, 2011 7:11PM EDT
Last updated Saturday, Oct. 01, 2011 10:43PM EDT
Source - Globe and Mail

Alberta PC party leadership hopeful Gary Mar casts his vote in an advanced poll in Calgary, Alta., Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2011.

Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press

Alberta will soon know who will be its next premier – and an upset may be in the offing.

Gary Mar, Alison Redford and Doug Horner are in the running to take the reins of the province's long-ruling Progressive Conservative party at a time when it's in need of an identity overhaul and facing challenges on both its left and right flank.

Going into Saturday's preferential ballot, Mr. Mar was considered the front-runner based on first-ballot results two weeks earlier. With 41 per cent of those votes, which are now irrelevant, he also ran the table on endorsements from candidates who didn't earn a spot on Saturday's final ballot. However, he was far from a sure winner and was urging his supporters not to become complacent.

“If you haven't already voted in the [leadership] race we need your vote now,” Mr. Mar said over Twitter Saturday. The campaign said they matched their first-ballot vote totals in many ridings by noon, with strong numbers particularly in northwest Calgary and southwest Edmonton. “Our ridings are really coming in strong,” said Michael Lohner, Mr. Mar's manager of campaign organization.

However, turnout was up in many polls (compared to the dismally low first-ballot total of 59,359), making first-ballot results less significant in predicting an outcome. Meanwhile, the two other campaigns, particularly Ms. Redford's, were cautiously optimistic, even though their first ballot results combined didn't equal the support earned by Mr. Mar.

“We are very happy,” her campaign manager, Stephen Carter, said Saturday afternoon.

Mr. Horner had many of the same backers that pushed Ed Stelmach to power five years ago, but wasn't getting the same support Saturday. In Mr. Stelmach's home riding of Fort Saskatchewan - Vegreville, where more than 4,000 votes were cast in 2006, one poll - Vegreville - had roughly 350 votes cast with only an hour left in voting. It was up from 219 at the same station, one of a handful spread across the riding, on the first ballot.

"I just think it's a combination of voter apathy, and it's not our guy anymore," said Peter Arnold, a local financial advisor who cast a ballot for Mr. Horner, making Ms. Redford his second choice. "Regardless of who I vote for, I think the important thing is to vote," he added.

Polls closed at 7 p.m. local time, and results are expected to begin rolling in soon. Each ballot allows a voter to mark a second choice, though they don't have to. Once all the first choices are tallied Saturday evening, the race is over if any one of the three candidates has a majority of first-choice votes. If none do, the third-place candidate is dropped from the ballot. Only that candidate's supporters' second choices are then counted to determine a winner.

That system appeared to be fostering an anyone-but-Mar movement on Saturday. Ms. Redford had asked her supporters to choose Mr. Horner as a second choice, while Mr. Horner suggested his supporters pick Ms. Redford. Many voters approached by Globe reporters Saturday were doing just that – suggesting Mr. Mar was facing an uphill battle to seal his victory.

Among them included nurse Susan Fields and her mother, a retired nurse, Joan MacKenzie, who voted in Edmonton-Riverview. They picked Ms. Redford as their first choice and Mr. Horner as their default.

“She has far more appeal for the party to go forward. She's not the same old, same old,” Ms. Fields said.

“I really don't want Gary Mar in,” Ms. MacKenzie added. “He's had his chance. He's not straight forward enough for me.

Turnout was brisk in the Liberal-held riding, set to eclipse 1,500 with almost 300 new members signing up with just a few hours left to vote, according to Tory constituency association president Steve Young. “It's exciting to see,” he said. “This is a PC leadership, not a general election. Anybody from any party has a say in who is the next premier of Alberta,” he added.

Each camp said their turnout was up, though a sense of apathy looms over a race that began in January when departing premier Ed Stelmach announced his leave. Many ridings had low turnout. In the small city of Lloydminster, Alta., which sits on the Saskatchewan border, the polling station had a morning rush but four volunteers sat idly in the afternoon, often with no voters.

“It's just voter apathy. A lot of people my age, they don't care,” said Wes Heath, 24, one of the few to cast a ballot at the polling station. On the first ballot two weeks ago, he voted for Mr. Mar; this time around, he chose Ms. Redford, while selecting Mr. Horner as his second choice. He switched on the basis of Ms. Redford's performance at the final televised all-candidates debate Wednesday evening. “She had no notes. It all came from up here,” Mr. Heath said. “We've just got to get the PC party back on track.”

MLAs fanned out to help boost turnout, but came under fire – they're not permitted to advocate for a preferred candidate at polls. Among the ridings with the lowest turnout was Red Deer North, where 242 first-ballot votes were cast. Local Tory MLA Mary Anne Jablonski pledged to change that.

“Our goal is to double our vote,” said Ms. Jablonski, who is supporting Mr. Mar in the campaign. Through radio advertisements and public appearances, Ms. Jablonski has been urging people to vote for Mr. Mar. Despite a wide lead after the first ballot, he is not a shoo-in, she said.

“It's like the clock has been reset,” she said. “I just feel Gary has the depth of experience and international statesmanship,” she said.

But Ms. Jablonski was among a small group of Tory MLAs, cabinet ministers Dave Hancock and Cindy Ady among them, who came under fire from the Redford campaign for politicking at polling stations. Mr. Carter complained to party officials that Mar supporters weren't following the honour system to stay away from the polls.

Saturday's winner will become premier as leader of a party with a large majority. The province isn't required to go to election until early 2013, but many in government expect an election call early next year (the province doesn't have fixed election dates). Ms. Redford and Mr. Horner are both MLAs who could immediately serve as premier in the legislature; Mr. Mar would need to call a by-election or general election to win a seat, or rely on another colleague to lead his government in the house. He's a long-time cabinet minister who served most recently as the province's advocate in Washington.

Mr. Mar would be Canada's first premier of Chinese descent. Ms. Redford would be the first woman to serve as Alberta's premier.

quote:

[

Doug Horner, Gary Mar and Alison Redford

Doug Horner might be the winner with Gary Mar receiving less than 50% of the votes.

What, no Green Party people?

Green Party members are in extremely small numbers, Cain.

tHAT'S WHY i VOTE FOR THEM. wE KEEP PUTTING IN THE SAME PEOPLE EACH ELECTION, TIME FOR CHANGE. jUST AS IT IS IN gUYANA.

Oops, sorry for the screwed up type.

Well, this is my prediction ..

Guyana == PPP/C 2011 victory.

Alberta, Canada == Alison Redford, PC winner.

This Canadian state is right next to the Neo Nazi heartland of America where Hitler is still worshipped as an avatar of god by many. Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. I was in these states recently during my trip to South Dakota.

Redford is Alberta's next premier

Dawn Walton and Josh Wingrove
EDMONTON— Globe and Mail Update
Published Saturday, Oct. 01, 2011 7:11PM EDT
Last updated Sunday, Oct. 02, 2011 3:12AM EDT
Source - Globe and Mail

Alberta Progressive Conservative party leadership candidate Alison Redford (C) enters the convention center before the results of the leadership race in Edmonton Oct. 1, 2011.
Dan Riedlhuber/Reuters

Alison Redford has overcome long odds to become Alberta’s new premier – the first woman to hold the post, after a victory that tossed Progressive Conservative Party establishment on its head.

Ms. Redford, with second choices of Mr. Horner's supporters applied, won by just over 2,000 votes, according to her campaign manager.

The 46-year-old human rights lawyer from Calgary, who is firmly on the party’s left flank, was selected leader early Sunday, eight months after the resignation of embattled premier Ed Stelmach. She more than doubled her vote total from a first-ballot contest two weeks earlier, but needed the second-choice votes of another candidate to overtake the frontrunner, Gary Mar.

Both camps suggested Ms. Redford had roughly 80 per cent of Horner's support - more than enough to put her past Mr. Mar's lead on first choices. The announcement was to be made official imminently. "We'll know shortly," Ms. Redford said, with a smile, before going into a private room with campaign staff.

Ms. Redford, with second choices of Mr. Horner's supporters applied, won by just over 2,000 votes, according to her campaign manager.

Mr. Stelmach's long-time security guards are gathered outside Ms. Redford's campaign room, waiting to escort her into the main hall. Meanwhile, there are tears among Mr. Mar's supporters, who are covering their orange campaign shirts with PC party shirts.

Ms. Redford's campaign pitched a series of high-cost social programs, including topping up salaries of non-profit sector workers; introduce family care clinics as a costly pillar of what is already Canada's most expensive health system; immediately restore $100-million in education cuts; and expand payments to the severely disabled. And yet, she drew support from many on the party's right flank after the first ballot reduced the field to three.

Her campaign manager, Stephen Carter, is the same man who led Naheed Nenshi’s long-shot bid to become Calgary’s mayor. Both Ms. Redford and Mr. Nenshi won with a distinctly centrist vision and by casting themselves as agents for change.

”It’s the miracle on the prairies. Nobody would have picked her,” PC party president Bill Smith said.

While the choice of party faithful, she’s not the toast of the party establishment – Ms. Redford entered the first ballot with the support of just one fellow caucus member.

The victory also came four days after the sudden death of Ms. Redford’s mother. She temporarily suspended campaigning, but returned with a strong debate performance less than 24 hours later, and dominated much of the weekly news cycle.

Ms. Redford has had a distinguished legal career with international stints, including one in Afghanistan. She was first elected in 2008, and has deep family ties to the waning PC wing of the federal Conservative party. The incoming premier is married with one 9-year-old daughter.

“I think people are starting to realize her resume,” said MLA Dave Rodney, who began backing Ms. Redford after his preferred candidate, right-wing stalwart Ted Morton, missed the cut for the final ballot.

Mr. Rodney dismissed any notion Ms. Redford is too liberal for the party.

“Not at all. The truth is - the name of our party is the Progressive Conservatives. It's cliche to say that, but that's what it is,” Mr. Rodney said, adding Ms. Redford's campaign has rejuvenated the party by bringing in new members. “This is a perfect opportunity for great things to happen,” Mr. Rodney said.

While opposition parties have been busy planning for a fall election, during the leadership campaign Ms. Redford ruled out a snap election call if elected leader of the province's ruling majority.

When the first-choice ballots were counted, Mr. Mar, a former cabinet minister and the province’s former envoy in Washingston, led with 42.5 per cent of the vote, followed by Ms. Redford at 37 per cent and Doug Horner, another former cabinet minister, with 20 per cent. A majority is required to win. As such, Mr. Horner played queen-maker. He was dropped from the ballot and his supporters’ second-choice votes were applied. Ms. Redford overwhelmingly captured them.

It immediately called into question the voting system, which some say shouldn’t allow a person who didn’t lead the pack of first-choice votes to pull an upset win.

”You don’t want a decision to be based on technicalities,” said Mar backer Aleem Dhanani, 34, who was among hundreds gathered at an Edmonton conference hall to see the results roll in.

However, the party president, Mr. Smith, said the system is designed to produce a candidate that appeals to as much of the party as possible, and Mr. Horner’s supporters clearly preferred Ms. Redford to Mr. Mar. The party has emerged “a newly united party,” he added.

Mr. Mar entered Saturday’s final run-off having earned 41 per cent of first-ballot votes. Ms. Redford had 19 per cent and Mr. Horner had 15 per cent. Mr. Mar won the endorsements of all three of the first-ballot leadership hopefuls who didn’t grab a spot on the final ballot.

The landscape, however, shifted. On Saturday, Ms. Redford carved into Mr. Mar’s support in Edmonton. Mr. Horner, meanwhile, won only a handful of northern, rural ridings that were among the first to report, including his own.

There were mixed opinions among leadership hopefuls who had missed the cut for the second ballot – two said the system needs to be overhauled, while one said it worked as it was meant to.

”I think it’s better to have a runoff between the top two,” said Rick Orman, who finished fifth on the first ballot and then backed Mr. Mar. He also ran in 1992, and dropped out after finishing third. “If the third choice’s second choices are affecting the winner, that doesn’t feel right.”

Doug Griffiths, however, said the system worked. He finished in last place on the first ballot, and also backed Mr. Mar.

”Some people wonder why I wasn’t more upset two weeks ago ... and they’re probably going to wonder why I’m still smiling now if Alison or Doug wins, because it’s an excellent process. It’s good for the party and it’s good for the province,” Mr. Griffiths said. “We probably don’t focus enough on the fact that whoever wins, we’re all on the same team and we have to work on building a better Alberta.”

Turnout, however, was low – just over 78,000, down from 144,000 on the final ballot in the 2006 leadership race that saw Mr. Stelmach as the surprise winner to be elevated to the premier’s office. Opposition parties have pounced on the low figures, insisting it’s a sign support is waning for the PC government, which has strung together consecutive majorities since 1971.

Ms. Redford won by bringing in new voters and convincing others to switch over to her. Wes Heath, 24, was one of 587 people to vote in the riding of Vermilion-Lloydminster. On the first ballot, he voted for Mr. Mar; this time around, he chose Ms. Redford on the basis of Ms. Redford’s performance at the final televised all-candidates debate Wednesday evening.

“She had no notes. It all came from up here,” Mr. Heath said. “We’ve just got to get the PC party back on track.”

It’s a lofty task. Ms. Redford leaves right-wing politics open to Danielle Smith’s Wildrose Party. Members of the upstart party believe she’ll be easy to attack.

Ms. Smith published a statement calling Ms. Redford's leadership campaign "perplexing," challenging the incoming premier's decisions as a member of Mr. Stelmach's cabinet as contradictory to some campaign promises.

However, Ms. Redford drew new people into the party – at a time when the Liberals are rebuilding with their own new leader, mercurial former Tory Raj Sherman. The new blood included nurse Susan Fields and her mother, a retired nurse, Joan MacKenzie, who voted in Edmonton-Riverview, a Liberal-held riding.

”She has far more appeal for the party to go forward,” Ms. Fields said. “She’s not the same old, same old.”

Alison Redford,
Premier Designate, Alberta.

Alberta's next premier vows to unite former rivals
Alison Redford elected province's 1st female premier-designate

CBC News
Posted: Oct 1, 2011 7:57 PM ET
Last Updated: Oct 2, 2011 7:26 AM ET
Source - CBC News

Alison Redford celebrates becoming Alberta Progressive Conservative leader and premier-designate after second ballot results are announced in Edmonton early Sunday morning. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press )

Alberta Premier-designate Alison Redford is vowing to bring her former Tory leadership rivals together following her come-from-behind win on Sunday, saying the fierce contest for the leadership is "exactly what a party should do."

Redford became Alberta's first female premier-designate early Sunday after coming from behind to take the reins of the province's Progressive Conservative party.

Redford will replace Ed Stelmach, who announced in January he would resign as party leader and premier.

Redford with her husband Glen Jermyn and daughter Sarah on a trip to India in December 2010. Courtesy Redford campaign

The premier-designate said one of her first changes will be to give backbenchers more of a say in decision-making, while she added she would be speaking to her main former rival Gary Mar later Sunday about a "leading role" in her cabinet.

"We are all Progressive Conservatives," she said in Edmonton. "What happened was exactly what a party should do. We should build a debate, we should be exploring our future, then after the leadership campaign, we should come together."

The Calgary Elbow MLA and former Alberta justice minister was a close second to Mar throughout the evening as the second ballot votes rolled in from 85 polling stations across the province.

But votes from Doug Horner supporters who made Redford their second choice on the ballot put her over the top, beating Mar by just 1,613 votes. Redford received 37,104 votes or 51.1 per cent of the votes, compared to 35,491 for Mar.

The result was a come-from-behind victory for Redford who placed a distant second to Mar on the Sept. 17 first ballot, winning 19 per cent of support, compared to 41 per cent for Mar.

Gary Mar was widely seen as the front runner in the race. CBC

Mar, a former cabinet minister under Ralph Klein who resigned his position as Alberta's envoy in Washington D.C. to run for party leader, conceded the race to Redford in a short speech at the Expo Centre.

"I said all along that I would listen and tonight the people of Alberta have made their wishes known and I respect their decision," Mar told.

Premier Ed Stelmach is flanked by Redford and his wife Marie on the stage at the Expo Centre early Sunday. CBC

Stelmach addressed the crowd before the party announced the results.

"I know that I am leaving this province in very good hands. We have a very good team and a strong group of Progressive Conservative supporters," he said. "And I say 'progressive' conservative supporters, that's very important."

"To all of you, a profound thank you from both [wife] Marie and I, and all the very best," he said.
'Change' the theme of Redford's campaign

Redford is relatively new to the Alberta political scene. She was first elected the MLA for Calgary-Elbow in March 2008 and was immediately appointed justice minister and attorney general.

Redford, a married mother of a nine-year-old daughter, is a lawyer by profession and a life-long conservative who was voted the president of the Alberta Young Conservatives as a high school student in Calgary.
Redford with her husband Glen Jermyn and daughter Sarah on a trip to India in December 2010. Redford with her husband Glen Jermyn and daughter Sarah on a trip to India in December 2010. Courtesy Redford campaign

After graduating from law school at the University of Saskatchewan in 1988, Redford worked in the Prime Minister's Office and for Joe Clark while he was the Secretary of State for External Affairs.

She later worked in South Africa, Vietnam, Bosnia and served as one of four international observers appointed by the United Nations to observe Afghanistan's first parliamentary elections in 2005.

She resigned from cabinet in February after joining the race to replace Ed Stelmach as party leader and premier.

During her campaign, she frequently took positions that were contrary to party policy. In a recent interview with CBC News, Redford said that she didn't receive a single endorsement from any of her former cabinet colleagues when she decided to run.

Former rivals Ted Morton, Doug Griffiths and Rick Orman threw their support behind Mar after failing to gain enough support on the first ballot.

Over the last two weeks, her campaign — which was headed by Stephen Carter, the same political strategist behind Naheed Nenshi's election as Calgary mayor — continued to insist that Redford was gaining momentum.

She suffered a personal setback on Tuesday when her mother, Helen Redford, died suddenly in hospital.

However, Redford participated in a televised debate with Mar and Horner the next night, a decision that won her much praise, both for her performance and her resilience in the face of personal adversity.

Redford spoke about her mother during her speech early Sunday.

"I'm proud of my mom. She got me involved in politics 30 years ago," Redford said. "She's a big part of the reason I'm here and I'm thinking about her tonight."

It isn't known when Redford will be sworn in as premier, though she suggested that it would be sooner rather than later, as she plans to travel to Washington D.C. later this week for congressional hearings about the controversial Keystone XL pipeline.

Redford has said she supports the project, which would take crude from the Alberta oilsands to refineries on the Gulf Coast of the United States.

I liked Joe Clark when he was Canada's foreign Affairs Minister. Clark like Gaddafi were rocks of solid support in the struggle against the genocidal racist Apartide South African government. We must never forget these stalwarts.