CALGARY – A potential contender in Alberta’s Progressive Conservative leadership race says a $50,000 non-refundable deposit will ensure that only serious candidates come forward.
Conservative Sen. Scott Tannas is the subject of a “Draft Scott” campaign, but has made it clear at this point he is still undecided.
But Tannas says anyone serious about seeking to be party leader and Alberta’s next premier will need a lot more than $50,000, which he says is a “drop in the bucket” when one considers what is required to run a full campaign over the next six months.
“I mean we’re talking practically about the leadership of the province for the next couple of years at a minimum,” said Tannas, who is 52 and a resident of High River, south of Calgary.
“Anybody who is worthy of consideration by the voters of Alberta should be able to cobble together $50,000 plus probably another $1 million to present their case properly to the voters.
“This is not the time to have 30 guys running and everybody trying to grab the brass ring on the cheap.”
Tannas, who was only appointed to the Senate a year ago, says he had nothing to do with the public campaign to “draft” him, but adds he is willing to listen if there’s enough support within the Progressive Conservative caucus.
Alberta’s Progressive Conservative party will pick its new leader and the province’s next premier in September.
The party’s board of directors, after a meeting Monday night, announced that party members will cast their ballots on Sept. 6.
If no single candidate wins a majority of votes, the top two candidates will move on to a run-off ballot on Sept. 20.
The nomination deadline has yet to be set.
The leadership race was called after Alison Redford resigned as premier last week.
No candidate has officially announced plans to seek the leadership, but a number of cabinet ministers have confirmed they are considering a run.
Tannas said he will have to be convinced by those seeking to recruit him that it is the right decision.
“At the end of the day, I’m not going to get talked into something.”
“If I decided to it would be because I firmly and utterly believed that this is the right thing for me to be doing and so at the end of the day that’s what will sway my decision,” he said.
Tannas said those urging him to run want someone from outside the current Conservative caucus.
“I know it’s the reason why a number of people that did come forward to talk to me are talking to me. It’s out of their belief that somebody outside needs to come in.”
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