James Aylward picked to run for Conservatives in Cardigan, as former candidate questions process

James Aylward has won the nomination for the Conservative Party of Canada in the eastern P.E.I. riding of Cardigan, but not without controversy.

Aylward, a former provincial cabinet minister and former leader of the province's Progressive Conservatives, was nominated at a meeting held Tuesday afternoon in Vernon River.

"People are looking for change. People are looking for fresh ideas and reinvigoration," he said.

"It's no secret if you're looking at the polling numbers, all across Canada, that the Conservative Party led by Mr. [Pierre] Poilievre is going to form government. Whether it's a majority, that will be up to the voters."

Aylward left politics two years ago, but said he returned because he felt he still had more to offer.

There were three other candidates for the nomination: Darryl Berger, Peter MacKenzie and Jeff MacNeill. Billy Cann had said he would seek the nomination as well, but was not on the ballot Tuesday.

Not on the list of candidates was Wayne Phelan, who ran for the Conservatives in Cardigan in the last two federal election campaigns, but that was not because he didn't put his name forward.

"My paperwork was refused by the Conservative Party about 10 minutes before the deadline. No idea why. Their policy is that they don't have to give you a reason," Phelan told CBC News, minutes before the nomination meeting began.

Phelan complained the process was rushed and unfair.

People had been told the nomination meeting would not be held until the fall or later, he said. But shortly after midnight on Sunday, the Conservative Party's national office, which sets the timing of nominations, sent out an email announcing the meeting would be Tuesday afternoon.

Phelan believes the party wanted a particular candidate — he would not say who — and said it was unfortunate they didn't tell him that before he wasted time and money on a nomination campaign.

"The only way Mr. Poilievre is going to lose the election is if this BS continues across the country," he said.

"It's that simple. We need change, people want change, but why change to somebody who can't even have a fair nomination?"

Phelan has no hard feelings toward the other candidates, he said, and he went to the meeting to show his support.

While the Conservatives are polling strongly nationally, Aylward faces a hard fight in Cardigan.

Liberal Lawrence MacAulay has held the Cardigan seat since 1988. He has won 11 straight elections, including the two contests in 2019 and 2021 that involved Phelan as his closest runner-up.

A federal election must be held by October 2025.