A day after the PC Party leadership election, premier designate Jim Prentice has released details of his transition team.
According to a statement the team includes former Edmonton mayor Stephen Mandel as well as former chairman and CEO of Imperial Oil, Tim Hearn.
Other members will be MLA for West Yellowhead, Robin Campbell, Sarah Raiss and QC Robert Seidel.
“Under my leadership we will restore the bond of trust between Albertans and their elected officials and return to sound conservative fiscal principles,” Prentice said in the statement.
However, opposition leaders said they believe the PC Party was on its way out.
NDP leader Brian Mason said the voting process over the weekend showed many Albertans were tired of the PCs.
“We have just a dramatic collapse in the number of people who have joined the PC Party and voted in that leadership election compared to last time or the time before that,” Mason said.
“I think that is because people don’t care about the PC Party anymore. They no longer see it as the natural governing party of the province. They are tired of it.”
Over 23,000 votes were cast by PC Party members over the two-day process, but that is much lower than the 60,000 votes cast on the first ballot the last time the party elected a leader.
In a statement Liberal leader Raj Sherman said the leadership campaign demonstrated a party that was too self-absorbed.
“This has been one of the most bitter and divisive leadership races in recent years, which made all but the most die-hard PC supporters realize that this old, tired party is quite simply out of ideas, out of touch with the needs and sensibilities of modern Albertans and outright obsessed with clinging to power at all costs.”
Following the vote Prentice told media that he was optimistic about the future of his party.
“We're celebrating a great result today, an overwhelming result for the Party, which makes it very clear that together we're going to go forward and build this party and build this province.”
He said he had faith in his ability to do just that.
“I put my cowboy boots on and my jeans and I spoke at over 750 events in this province over the course of the summer. I was everywhere meeting with Albertans, restoring that sense of trust.”
Mason said he doubted Prentice’s leadership will change direction for the party.
“It is just too far down the road for that to happen.
“All the scandals and infighting in the Tory party are all part and parcel of a party that has been there way too long and is starting to gradually lose its cohesion and lose its direction.”
Wildrose leader Danielle Smith congratulated Prentice in a statement Saturday but said that he had a big job ahead.
“Mr. Prentice has a tremendous road ahead of him in order to rebuild trust with Albertans and get a grip on a government that has spiraled out of control. Albertans will now look to him to start repairing the government’s damaged reputation and making progress on the many challenges we face as a province. I look forward to debating him in the Legislature and holding his government to account.”
Smith will have to wait several more weeks for her opportunity to challenge Prentice in the Legislature as the assembly will not be meeting again until the last week of October.
With files from Amanda Anderson, Julia Parrish
