Into the race
Stratford-Kinlock MLA James Aylward announces Conservative leadership bid
Progressive Conservative (PC) leadership hopeful James Aylward is making three major promises to Prince Edward Islanders.
The Stratford-Kinlock MLA vowed that, if elected premier, he would cut corporate donations from P.E.I. politics, enact Islanders’ choice for electoral reform and launch a public inquiry on e-gaming — much to the delight of more than 200 supporters who turned out to support him as he officially launched his run for the PC leadership at Florence Simmons Performance Hall in Charlottetown.
Aylward is the second Conservative MLA to throw his hat in the leadership ring, with Rustico-Emerald MLA Brad Trivers also in the race.
Aylward said that if he becomes premier he would also bring back elected school boards, support small businesses, invest in front-line
health care and create a comprehensive plan for mental health
and addictions.
Above all else, Aylward said he will listen to Islanders from tip-to-tip.
“I’ve always been a great listener and I want to hear what Islanders have to say,” Aylward said following his speech.
“It’s one thing for me to formulate policy and platforms, but unless you’re actually listening to Islanders and understanding what they’re asking for and needing, it’s pretty hard to formulate those platform ideas.”
Aylward heavily criticized the current government, describing it as “10 years of arrogance, self interests, mismanagement, disrespect and disappointment.”
“I say we deserve better, you deserve better,” Aylward told supporters.
If elected premier, Aylward said his first act would be to call for a public inquiry of the “egaming scandal.”
He also said that within the first 18 months he would implement Islanders’ choice in an electoral reform plebiscite that will be included in the 2019 ballot.
He also vowed to reform campaign financing with a ban on corporate and union donations, a pledge he said will start with his own leadership campaign.
“I will accept no donations from corporations or unions and I will publicly release a full list of donors to my campaign,” he said. “I want to prove to Islanders I am a man of my word.”
Hubert McIsaac Sr. was one of Aylward’s supporters who felt the MLA’s message will resonate with Islanders.
“I think he said what I wanted to hear, not just what I wanted to hear but what he will do,” said McIsaac Sr. “I’ve known his dad and his family, they’re people with honesty and integrity. He means what he says, and he says what he means.”
Georgetown-St. Peters MLA Steven Myers also spoke at the announcement and said he supported Aylward.
Aylward has already been through one leadership race since becoming an MLA.
In 2015, he and Belfast-Murray River MLA Darlene Compton lost the leadership to Rob Lantz.
Aylward said he has been working with Lantz, who was at the announcement, and members of his previous campaign team.
Retired businessman Alan Mulholland declared his intention to run earlier this spring. The party will choose its new leader on Friday, Oct. 20.