The Progressive Tory Party in Alberta has officially named its first candidate and is gearing up for the upcoming byelection in Calgary-Shaw. Under the leadership of Airdrie-Cochrane MLA Peter Guthrie, the party rebranded from the dormant Alberta Party late last year. Guthrie, a former UCP MLA and cabinet minister, now represents the Progressive Tory Party in the Alberta legislature.
Bonnie Critchley, a retired member of the Canadian Armed Forces who contested against Pierre Poilievre in the federal byelection in Battle River-Crowfoot in August 2025, has been selected as the Progressive Tory candidate for the provincial Camrose riding. Despite finishing second in the federal byelection with 9.8% of the vote, Critchley originally had no intentions of seeking political office again. However, she changed her mind following the UCP government’s swift passage of legislation to end a teachers strike, prompting her to take action.
Expressing her concerns about the erosion of Albertans’ rights, Critchley emphasized the need for accountability and a stand against corruption. The Progressive Tory Party plans to prioritize enacting new legislation to ensure politicians face real consequences for unethical behavior.
The party’s nomination of Critchley marks a significant milestone as it builds itself from the ground up. After being expelled from the UCP caucus for advocating for a public inquiry, Guthrie took steps to establish the Progressive Tory Party, opting for the name change to comply with new restrictions on party names imposed by the UCP government.
Guthrie has been actively laying the groundwork for the party’s growth, setting up constituency associations and aiming to nominate more candidates in the near future. With plans to field candidates in all 91 constituencies in the fall 2027 provincial election, the party is also eyeing the Calgary-Shaw byelection to fill the vacancy left by former UCP MLA Rebecca Schulz.
Despite concerns about potential vote-splitting, both Guthrie and Critchley remain resolute in their commitment to offering Albertans an alternative to the existing political landscape. They believe in the importance of preserving the province’s unity within Canada and addressing the issues that matter most to voters.