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Conservative Party of Canada leadership election, 2004

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March 20, 2004
  
2017 →

22,286
  
7,968

22.9%
  
8.2%

67,143
  
22,286

68.9%
  
22.9%

17,296
  
10,613

Conservative Party of Canada leadership election, 2004

The 2004 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election took place on March 20, 2004, in Toronto, Ontario, and resulted in the election of Stephen Harper as the first leader of the new Canadian Conservative Party. The Conservative Party was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada, in December 2003.

Contents

Stephen Harper, the former leader of the Canadian Alliance, was elected on the first (and only) ballot. Tony Clement, a former Ontario Progressive Conservative health minister, and Belinda Stronach, the former Chief Executive Officer of Magna International, were the other candidates on the ballot.

The leader was selected by a system in which each of the party's riding associations was allocated 100 points, which were allocated among candidates in proportion to the votes that he or she received. This system was selected as a condition of the merger, to prevent the far larger Canadian Alliance membership base from overwhelming that of the Progressive Conservatives.

Members voted using ranked ballots. If no candidate won a majority of votes on the first ballot, the ballots supporting the candidate with the smallest number of votes would be re-distributed according to the voters' second preferences. Subsequent ballots were not needed, however, because Stephen Harper won on the first ballot.

Candidates

  • Tony Clement - 42, Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario Member of Provincial Parliament for Brampton South (1995-2003), provincial Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (2001-2003), provincial Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing (1999-2001), provincial Minister of the Environment (1999-2000), provincial Minister of Transportation (1997-1999), third place candidate in Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario leadership election (2002)
  • Stephen Harper - 44, Reform Party of Canada MP for Calgary West (1993-1997), Canadian Alliance MP for Calgary Southwest (2002-), Leader of the Canadian Alliance (2002-2003), President of the National Citizens Coalition (1998-2002)
  • Belinda Stronach - 37, CEO of Magna International (2001-)
  • Announced they would not run

  • Scott Brison - Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament (has since defected to the Liberals)
  • Mike Harris - former Premier of Ontario
  • Ralph Klein - Premier of Alberta
  • Bernard Lord - Premier of New Brunswick
  • Peter MacKay - former Progressive Conservative Party Leader
  • Brian Pallister - Canadian Alliance Member of Parliament
  • Jim Prentice - Progressive Conservative 2003 leadership race runner up
  • Bob Runciman - former Ontario public security minister
  • Larry Smith - Publisher of the Montreal Gazette
  • Chuck Strahl - Canadian Alliance Member of Parliament
  • Results

    Points needed to win: 15,401

    Each of 308 ridings had 100 points which were distributed by proportional representation according to votes cast by party members in the riding.

    Total expenses

  • Belinda Stronach $2,496,482
  • Stephen Harper $2,073,084
  • Tony Clement $826,807
  • December 2003

  • December 5 - The Canadian Alliance votes with a 96% majority in favour of merging with the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada.
  • December 6 - The Progressive Conservative Party votes, with 90% of delegates in favour of merging with the Canadian Alliance.
  • December 8 - The Conservative Party of Canada is officially registered with Elections Canada. The party's first interim leader is Senator John Lynch-Staunton, with a formal leadership race scheduled for March 2004.
  • December 10 - Scott Brison, Progressive Conservative MP, crosses the floor, and sits with the Liberal Party of Canada. Brison is the fourth PC MP, out of an original caucus of 15, to decide not to sit with the new Conservative Party of Canada.
  • December 30 - Bernard Lord, Premier of New Brunswick, reconfirms that he will not seek the leadership of the Conservative Party. He had been considered a potential frontrunner.
  • January 2004

  • January 12 - Stephen Harper announces his entry into the race to lead the new Conservative Party of Canada. Earlier that day, Jim Prentice drops out of the leadership contest, citing a lack of funds.
  • January 13 - Peter MacKay declares he will not enter the race to lead the new Conservative Party of Canada.
  • January 15 - Auto parts magnate Belinda Stronach and former Ontario Health Minister Tony Clement both announce their intention to run for leadership of the Conservative Party.
  • January 16 - Fraser Valley MP Chuck Strahl announces he will not seek the Conservative leadership, citing financial barriers.
  • January 20 - Belinda Stronach formally announces the launch of her campaign to seek the Conservative leadership. She rounds out the field at three; no other serious contenders are now seen as planning an entry.
  • March 2004

  • March 19 - The leadership convention opens in Toronto; the candidates give opening speeches.
  • March 20 - Stephen Harper wins on the first ballot with 56% of points, under the party's weighted voting system.
  • March 22 - Harper names former PC leader Peter MacKay the deputy leader of the Conservative party.
  • Harper

    Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, Halifax West, Sackville—Eastern Shore, West Nova, Beausejour, Fredericton, Fundy, Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, St. Croix—Belleisle, Tobique—Mactaquac, Argenteuil—Mirabel, Brome—Missisquoi, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, Laval, Mount Royal, Outremont, Pontiac, Repentigny, Richelieu, Rimouski—Temicouata, Rivière-du-Nord, Roberval, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, Vaudreuil—Soulanges, Westmount—Ville-Marie, Ajax—Pickering, Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, Barrie, Beaches—East York, Beant, Burlington, Cambridge, Carleton—Lanark, Chatham—Kent—Essex, Clarington—Scugog—Uxbridge, Davenport, Don Valley East, Don Valley West, Dufferin—Caledon, Eglington—Lawrence, Elgin—Middlesex—London, Essex, Etobicoke Centre, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, Etobicoke North, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, Grey—Bruce—Owen Sound, Guelph, Haldimand—Norfolk, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, Halton, Hamilton Centre, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, Hamilton Mountain, Huron—Bruce, Kenora, Kingston and the Islands, Kitchener Centre, Kitchener—Conestoga, Kitchener—Waterloo, Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, Leeds—Grenville, London—Fanshawe, London North Centre, London West, Middlesex—Kent—Lambton, Mississauga East—Cooksville, Mississauga—Erindale, Mississauga South, Mississauga—Streetsville, Nepean—Carleton, Niagara Falls, Niagara West—Glanbrook, Nipissing—Timiskaming, Northumberland—Quinte West, Oak Ridges—Markham, Oakville, Oshawa, Ottawa Centre, Ottawa—Orleans, Ottawa South, Ottawa—Vanier, Ottawa West—Nepean, Oxford, Parkdale—High Park, Parry Sound—Muskoka, Perth—Wellington, Peterborough, Pickering—Scarborough, Prince Edward—Hastings, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, St. Catharines, St. Paul's, Sarnia—Lambton, Sault Ste. Marie, Scarborough—Agincourt, Scarborough Centre, Scarborough—Guildwood, Scarborough—Rouge River, Scarborough Southwest, Simcoe—Grey, Simcoe North, Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, Sudbury, Thornhill, Thunder Bay—Rainry River, Thunder Bay—Superior North, Toronto Centre, Toronto—Danforth, Trinity—Spadina, Welland, Wellington—Halton Hills, Whitby—Oshawa, Willowdale, Windsor—Tecumseh, Windsor West, York Centre, York—Simcoe, York South—Weston, Brandon—Souris, Charleswood—St. James, Churchill, Dauphin—Sawn River, Elmwood—Transcona, Kildonan—St. Paul, Portage—Lisgar, Provencher, Saint Boniface, Selkirk—Interlake, Winnipeg Centre, Winnipeg North, Winnipeg South, Winnipeg South Centre, Battlefords—Lloydminster, Blackstrap, Churchill River, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, Palliser,

    Prince Albert, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, Regina—Qu'Appelle, Saskatoon—Humboldt, Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, Saskatoon—Wanuskewin, Souris—Moose Mountain, Wascana, Yorkton—Melville, Athabasca, Calgary East, Calgary North Centre, Calgary Northeast, Calgary—Nose Hill, Calgary South Centre, Calgary Southeast, Calgary Southwest, Calgary West, Crowfoot, Edmonton—Beaumont, Edmonton Centre, Edmonton East, Edmonton—Leduc, Edmonton—St. Albert, Edmonton—Sherwood Park, Edmonton—Spruce Grove, Edmonton—Strathcona, Lethbridge, Macleod, Medicine Hat, Peace River, Red Deer, Vegreville—Wainwright, Westlock—St. Paul, Wetaskiwin, Wild Rose, Yellowhead, Abbotsford, Burnaby—Douglas, Burnaby—New Westminster, Cariboo—Prince George, Chilliwack—Fraser Canyon, Delta—Richmond East, Dewdney—Alouette, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, Fleetwood—Port Kells, Kamloops—Thompson, Kelowna, Kootenay—Columbia, Langley, Nanaimo—Alberni, Nanaimo—Cowichan, Newton—North Delta, New Westminster—Coquitlam, North Okanagan—Shuswap, North Vancouver, Okanagan—Coquihalla, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, Prince George—Peace River, Richmond, Saanich—Gulf Islands, Skeena-Bulkley Valley, Southern Interior, South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, Surrey North, Vancouver Centre, Vancouver East, Vancouver Island North, Vancouver Kingsway, Vancouver Quadra, Vancouver South, Victoria, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast, Yukon, Western Arctic

    Stronach

    Avalon, Bonavista—Exploits, Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, Random—Burin—St. George's, St. John's North, St. John's South, Cardigan, Charlottetown, Egmont, Malpeque, Cape Breton—Canso, Central Nova, Halifax, Kings—Hants, North Nova, South Shore—St. Margaret's, Sydney—Victoria, Acadie—Bathurst, Madawaska—Restigouche, Miramichi, Saint John, Abitibi—Temiscamingue, Ahuntsic, Alfred-Pellan, Beauce, Beauharnois—Salaberry, Beauport, Berthier—Maskinonge, Bourassa, Brossard—La Prairie, Chambly—Borduas, Charlesbourg, Charlevoix—Montmorency, Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, Drummond, Gatineau, Hochelaga, Honore-Mercier, Hull—Aylmer, Jeanne-Le Ber, Joliette, Jonquière—Alma, Lac-Saint-Louis, La Pointe-de-l'Île, LaSalle—Emard, Laurentides—Labelle, Laurier, Laval—Les Îles, Levis—Bellechasse, Longueuil, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, Louis-Hebert, Louis-Saint-Laurent, Manicouagan, Marc-Aurele-Fortin, Matapedia—Matane, Megantic—L'Erable, Montcalm, Notre-Dame-de-Grace—Lachine, Nunavik—Eeyou, Papineau, Pierrefonds—Dollard, Portneuf, Quebec, Richmond—Arthabaska, Rivière-du-Loup—Montmagny, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, Saint-Bruno—Saint Hubert, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, Saint-Jean, Saint-Lambert, Saint-Leonard—Saint-Michel, Shefford, Sherbrooke, Terrebonne—Blainville, Trois-Rivières, Vercheres—Les Patriotes, Bramalea—Gore—Malton, Newmarket—Aurora, Nickel Belt, Richmond Hill, Timmins—James Bay, York West, Nunavut

    Clement

    Brampton—Springdale, Brampton West, Mississauga—Brampton South, Vaughan

    Stronach/Harper tie

    Labrador, Compton—Stanstead, Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles

    Harper/Clement tie

    Markham—Unionville

    References

    Conservative Party of Canada leadership election, 2004 Wikipedia