Prince Edward Island Liberal Party leadership elections

The Prince Edward Island Liberal Party, a political party in the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island chooses its leadership by an open vote of party members at a convention called by the party executive when there is a vacancy in the leadership (or there is a temporary interim leader). The first convention was held when Alex W. Matheson sought reelection as leader in 1961.

(Held in September 1961)

• Alexander Wallace Matheson 751
• J. Watson MacNaught 278
• W.E. Callahan 25

(Held on December 11, 1965)

• Alex Campbell 765
• Lorne Bonnell 592

(Held on December 9, 1978)

• Bennett Campbell 963
• Gerard Mitchell 382

(Held on October 24, 1981)

• Joe Ghiz 905
• Gilbert Clements 482

(Held on January 23, 1993)

• Catherine Callbeck 1,229
• Larry Creed 250
• Bill Campbell 77

The election was held on October 5, 1996. Former provincial cabinet minister, Keith Milligan won the leadership on the first and only ballot, defeating Wayne Cheverie, Ian "Tex" MacDonald and Dan Mullen. Milligan succeeded previous leader Catherine Callbeck as premier on October 9, 1996. Candidates were:

• Keith Milligan, former Liberal provincial cabinet minister
• Wayne Cheverie, former Liberal provincial cabinet minister
• Ian "Tex" MacDonald, former mayor of Charlottetown
• Dan Mullen, Charlottetown businessman

Result:

(Held on March 5, 1999)

• Wayne Carew acclaimed

The Prince Edward Island Liberal Party leadership election of 1999 was held on March 5, 1999 to choose a new leader upon the resignation of former premier Keith Milligan. As the lone candidate for the leadership, Wayne Carew won by acclamation. Carew was defeated in the 2000 general election & resigned as leader. Ron MacKinley was chosen interim leader.

The election was held on April 5, 2003. Ron MacKinley had served as interim leader since 2000, following the resignation of Wayne Carew as the previous leader.^[1] Robert Ghiz (son of former premier Joe Ghiz) won the leadership on the only ballot, defeating Alan Buchanan.^[2][3]

The candidates were:

• Robert Ghiz, son of former Premier Joe Ghiz^[4][5]
• Alan Buchanan, former Liberal provincial cabinet minister^[6]

Results:

The Liberal Party of Prince Edward Island, on February 21, 2015,^[7] chose a new leader to replace outgoing leader, Premier Robert Ghiz.^[8] On November 13, 2014, Ghiz announced his pending resignation. The Liberal Party had been the Government of Prince Edward Island with a majority in the Legislative Assembly since 12 June 2007, having won the 2007 and 2011 provincial elections. With the Liberals forming the PEI government, the newly-selected leader consequently became Premier of Prince Edward Island.

To be nominated, a candidate needed signatures from 50 party members, to pay the entry fee of $2,500, and to be approved by a green light committee.^[9] Nominations closed on January 20, 2015^[10] with Wade MacLauchlan as the sole registered candidate. MacLauchlan officially became leader by acclamation at the February 21, 2015 convention.^[11]

Wade MacLauchlan was the only declared candidate. Former University of Prince Edward Island president^[12]

Date candidacy declared: November 28, 2014^[12]

Date nomination submitted: December 4, 2014^[13]

Supporters

Support from caucus members: Robert Vessey, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister;^[14] Wes Sheridan, Finance and Energy Minister; Doug Currie, Health Minister; Allen Roach, Innovation and Higher Learning Minister; Alan McIsaac, Education Minister; George Webster, Agriculture Minister;^[15][16] Kathleen Casey (MLA for Charlottetown-Lewis Point);^[17] Robert Henderson, Tourism Minister; Janice Sherry, Minister of Environment, Labour and Justice; Pat Murphy, (Alberton-Roseville); Ron MacKinley, Minister of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Rural Development; Buck Watts (Tracadie-Hillsborough Park); Hal Perry (Tignish-Palmer Road); Charlie McGeoghegan (Belfast-Murray River); Gerard Greenan (Summerside-St. Eleanors); Sonny Gallant (Evangeline-Miscouche); Bush Dumville (West Royalty-Springvale); Richard Brown (Charlottetown-Victoria Park); Paula Biggar (Tyne Valley-Linkletter)^[18]

Support from former caucus member: Alex Campbell, Premier of Prince Edward Island (1966–1978)^[16]

Support from federal caucus members: Wayne Easter (Malpeque), Sean Casey (Charlottetown), Lawrence MacAulay (Cardigan)^[19]

Other prominent supporters: Joe McGuire (MP for Egmont 1988–2008)^[17]

Policies

Keith Kennedy, an unsuccessful candidate for Mayor of Charlottetown in 2014, small businessman and environmental activist, ultimately withdrew.^[20] Kennedy joined the Liberal Party on November 21, 2014,^[9] and planned to walk through all of the province's 27 districts to collect signatures for his nomination and learn about the concerns of Islanders.^[21] Kennedy announced on January 16, 2015, that he was ending his unofficial candidacy due to MacLauchlan's insurmountable lead and his difficulty in fulfilling the nomination criteria.^[22]

Date candidacy declared: December 4, 2014^[9]

Date nomination submitted: None

Date candidacy withdrawn: January 16, 2015^[22]

Declined:

• Richard Brown, MLA (Charlottetown-Victoria Park 1997–2000, 2003–present)^[23][24]
• Allan Campbell, former MLA (Souris-Elmira 2007–2011)^[23]
• Doug Currie, Health Minister^[12][23]
• Robert Henderson, Tourism Minister^[18][23]
• Robert Mitchell, MLA (Charlottetown-Sherwood 2007–present)^[25]
• Wes Sheridan, Finance Minister^[23]
• Kali Simmonds, Charlottetown naturopathic doctor^[26]
• Robert Vessey, Transportation Minister^[12][23]

The Liberal Party held a leadership election on 19 November 2022. On October 7, 2022 the party announced that Sharon Cameron, having been the only candidate to enter the race by the close of nominations, would be acclaimed as leader at the convention.^[27]

Sharon Cameron announced her resignation on April 6, 2023 as party leader. Having not won a seat in the 2023 Prince Edward Island general election. On April 12, 2023, Hal Perry was named interim leader.

• Leadership convention
• Prince Edward Island Liberal Party

• Carty, Kenneth R. et al., Leaders and Parties in Canadian Politics : Experiences of the Provinces. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Canada, 1992.
• Stewart, Ian and Stewart, David K., Conventional choices : Maritime leadership politics. University of British Columbia Press, 2007.
• Canadian Annual Review 1961.