Organizer’s suspension fuels feud among PCs
McIver says party board erred by revoking status of Kenney backer
The PC party's suspension of veteran political operative Alan Hallman has set off more party infighting in the midst of the Interim Progressive Conservative leadership race.
On Saturday, Hallman, field organizer for Jason Kenney's leadership campaign, had his PC party membership taken away for a year by the party's board over social media comments aimed at two party members last month.
Interim PC Leader Ric McIver, a friend of Hallman's, showed his support for the organizer by tweeting a picture of the two together watching Sunday's PC leadership debate following the suspension.
And in an interview Monday, McIver said Hallman's offence should be seen in perspective.
“All he's been accused of is having bad manners on social media once or twice, for which he's apologized,” said the Calgary-Hays MLA.
Asked whether the board should rethink the suspension of Hallman, McIver said “the board should think about all the decisions they've made and think about whether they are right.”
McIver, a member of the board as interim leader, said he abstained from the vote on Hallman's suspension. However, PC party executive director Troy Wason said McIver did not abstain the ballot and the expulsion had unanimous backing from the board members.
Hallman, who has been involved with the PC party for decades, is demanding to be reinstated as a party member.
He said he's received strong support from PC members and is hoping the weight of public opinion — and potentially legal action — would lead the party board to return him to the fold.
“I' m looking at all kinds of options ,” said Hall man. Was on said there is no mechanism for Hallman to appeal his suspension but the board would potentially listen to his argument if he asked for reinstatement.
Wason, who is not a member of the board, said Hallman was dealt with under a code of conduct that all campaign teams signed off on and the board had made clear it was adopting a zero-tolerance policy after issues of bullying and harassment arose at the party's November convention.
“You say 'zero tolerance' and somebody breaks that, do you say, 'well next time?'" said Wason.
The Progressive Conservative Youth Association, a hotbed of support for Kenney since last fall's party convention, issued a statement giving its backing to Hallman Monday by naming him honorary chair of the association. However, some members of the youth association board said online there had been no vote on the matter and the honorary chair must be a party member in good standing.
Meanwhile, Kenney campaign spokesman Blaise Boehmer said the terms of Hallman's suspension made it unfeasible for him to keep working for the campaign, but he paid tribute to the organizer as “a great team member.”
Under Hallman's suspension, he is banned from PC party events and from having access to party data for a year.