Prince Edward Island Progressive Conservative Party

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PEI Progressive Conservative Party
Active Provincial Party
Founded	1851
Leader	Pat Binns
President
Headquarters	30 Pond Street, Unit B Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island C1A 9P2
Political ideology	Conservatism
International alignment
Colours	Blue
Seats	27
Website	http://www.pcparty.pe.ca

The PEI Progressive Conservative Party is one of two major political parties on Prince Edward Island. It and its rival, the Liberals have alternated in power since responsible government was granted in 1851 and are the only two parties represented in the PEI Legislative Assembly.

The policies of the Liberals and Conservatives are very similar. The major differences are in their allegiances to federal parties and in personalities. Historically, the Tories originated as the Conservative Party changing their name in 1942 to reflect the development of the federal Progressive Conservative Party.

The original PEI Conservative Party opposed responsible government, and supported the elites who owned large landed estates on the island, while the Liberals were more sympathetic to tenant farmers. When the "land question" was settled as part of the terms of joining Canadian confederation in 1873 (money was provided to buy out the land owners, break up the estates and turn them over to residents), there was little left to distinguish the two parties.

Generally, however, the Conservatives have leaned slightly to the right and are more sympathetic to business while the Liberals slightly to the left. Traditionally, the Tories have done better among Protestant voters while Liberals have had more support from Catholics - accordingly, the Conservatives have tended to do slightly better in the easternmost region of the island which is more Protestant while the Liberals have tended to do better on the western end where there are more Catholics. However, politics on the island has never been sectarian and both parties have always had voters and members from both populations. Indeed, it has been the custom until recently for a Liberal incumbent of one denomination to be opposed by a Tory challenger of the same denomination and vice versa and this had tended to minimise religious sectarianism within the parties.

The Progressive Conservative Party can, like other Tory parties in Atlantic Canada, be characterized as a moderate Red Tory party.

The Progressive Conservatives currently form the government in Prince Edward Island under Premier Pat Binns, who intends to seek a fourth term in office.

[edit] Past Conservative and PC leaders

Edward Palmer 1851-1854 John Holl 1854-1855 Edward Palmer 1855-1863 John Hamilton Gray 1863-1865 James Colledge Pope Lemuel Cambridge Owen 1873-1877 William Wilfred Sullivan 1877-1889 Neil McLeod 1889-1892 John Alexander Mathieson 1903-1917 Aubin E. Arsenault 1917-1921 James David Stewart 1921-1933

William J. P. MacMillan 1933-1948 Walter Shaw 1957-1970 George Key 1970-1972 Melvin J. McQuaid 1972-1976 J. Angus MacLean 1976-1981 James M. Lee 1981-1987 Leone Bagnall 1987-1988 Melbourne Gass 1988-1990 Pat Mella 1990-1996 Pat Binns 1996-present

[edit] See also

• List of Prince Edward Island premiers
• List of political parties in Canada
• Politics of Prince Edward Island

[edit] External links

• Progressive Conservative Party of Prince Edward Island
• PC Youth of PEI

Major national, provincial, and territorial conservative parties (edit):

Forming the government:

Canada - Alberta - Prince Edward Island Newfoundland and Labrador - Nova Scotia - Yukon

Forming the official opposition:

Manitoba - New Brunswick - Ontario - Saskatchewan Party

Third parties represented in legislatures:

Action démocratique du Québec - Alberta Alliance

Historical Conservative provincial governments:

British Columbia - Saskatchewan - Quebec - Northwest Territories