2005 Alberta Alliance Party leadership election

The leadership position was vacated by Alberta Alliance Party founder and leader Randy Thorsteinson in March 2005.

Paul Hinman was elected leader on the third ballot, defeating the other candidates, Marilyn Burns, David Crutcher and Ed Klop.

Campaign slogan: "A new Alberta" David Crutcher, a member of the Progressive Group for Independent business, backed by Craig Chandler, ran in Calgary-Egmont, and won the largerst percentage of the popular vote of any Alliance candidate in Calgary in the 2004 election.

Campaign slogan: "Moving Forward" Paul Hinman: deputy leader of the Alberta Alliance and the party's only current Member of the Legislative Assembly, representing Cardston-Taber-Warner.

Has been endorsed by Lethbridge Conservative MP Rick Casson and former Little Bow Member of the Legislative Assembly Raymond Speaker.

The election race's major developments in October 2005 centred on Craig Chandler and David Crutcher, whom many Alberta Alliance members began increasingly attacking for what they viewed as undesirable spin and campaign tactics.

These tactics included attacking leadership candidates, former election, some party policies and the provincial council.

The Crutcher team believes many on the council, including Eleanor Maroes, the interim leader, are actively campaigning for other candidates against party rules.

[3] The Crutcher camp responded with a deamon dialer phone message attempting to dismiss the statements as campaign propaganda.