All Manitoba PC memberships to expire 2 weeks before party approves new leadership-race rules

Every membership in the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba is set to expire at the end of December, prompting concerns from a former PC cabinet minister about the validity of a January party vote about new leadership rules.

The Manitoba PCs have approximately 29,000 members, all of whom will see their memberships expire on Dec. 31, party spokesperson Michele Halverson said.

Two weeks later, on Jan. 13, the party has scheduled a special meeting where delegated members will vote to approve new rules for the next PC leadership race, which will see the party choose a successor to outgoing leader Heather Stefanson.

Former Kirkfield Park MLA Kevin Klein, who served as a PC government environment minister before he lost his seat in the October provincial election, said it's not realistic to expect party members to renew their memberships and select delegates to vote on new rules within such a compressed time frame.

"After a tumultuous leadership race and a disastrous, disastrous election, I think this is disrespecting our base," Klein said Tuesday in an interview.

"By quickly pushing some questionable leadership rules through, it's insulting to conservatives. This is a time that we must rebuild. We've lost conservative voters' trust and regaining it is vital for our party's future. This is not the way to do that."

Klein is the second high-profile person associated with the PCs to criticize the process of determining new leadership-race rules.

Former PC leadership contestant Shelly Glover, who is no longer a party member, said last week the proposed weighting of votes in constituencies with different membership numbers would benefit poorly run constituency associations to the detriment of those that are well-run.

Klein said he intends to speak out against the time frame for approving the new leadership-race rules when members of the PC executive council meet to consider those rules on Dec. 16.

As a defeated MLA, Klein is a member of that council, which also includes PC MLAs, board members, constituency association presidents, former presidents and former party leaders, according to the party's constitution.

Halverson did not respond to a CBC News query about the expiry of party memberships prior to the vote on the new leadership-race rules. It is unclear how many Progressive Conservatives have been notified their memberships are about to lapse.

Stefanson, the party's leader, said Tuesday the rule requiring party memberships to expire at the end of this year has been in place for some time. She said any Progressive Conservative can renew their membership in time to help select delegates to vote at the special meeting slated for Jan. 13.

The outgoing PC leader nonetheless expressed mixed feelings about the expiration of tens of thousands of party memberships.

"I don't particularly like it, because I would like those people to continue to be members of our party and certainly we will reach out to all those individuals and welcome them back to the party if they choose to do so," Stefanson said during a scrum following question period.

The party will replenish its membership base during the next leadership race, she suggested.

So far, the field for such a race is wide open. No candidates have expressed an interest in running, though former Conservative MP Candice Bergen said in October she has not ruled out the idea.

Klein also did not rule out the prospect of running for PC leader.

"You never say never. I've learned that in my short time in politics," he said.