# Progressive Conservative Party of Prince Edward Island

The Progressive Conservative Party of Prince Edward Island is one of three major political parties on Prince Edward Island. The party and its rival, the Prince Edward Island Liberal Party, have alternated in power since responsible government was granted in 1851.

## History

The policies of the Liberals and Progressive Conservatives (PCs) are very similar. The major differences are in their allegiances to federal parties and in personalities. The PC Party began as the Conservative Party of Prince Edward Island, and changed its name in 1942 to reflect the development of the federal Progressive Conservative Party.
The Progressive Conservatives formed the government in Prince Edward Island under Premier Pat Binns, starting in 1996. The party lost its bid for a fourth mandate in 2007.
In October 2010, following the resignation of Binns as party leader (in 2007), a leadership election was held. Jim Bagnall became interim leader of the party in 2010 when previous interim leader MLA Olive Crane resigned the post to seek the permanent leadership of the party.
Crane won the PC leadership in October 2010, and served for over two years. She resigned as party leader on 31 January 2013, and was succeeded by Steven Myers as interim leader.
Rob Lantz was elected leader of the party at a leadership election on February 28, 2015, at the University of Prince Edward Island Sports Centre, but resigned on September 23, 2015, after failing to win a seat in the 2015 provincial election.
On October 15, 2015, the party chose Borden-Kinkora MLA Jamie Fox as interim leader
James Aylward, MLA for Stratford-Kinlock, defeated Brad Trivers and was chosen leader on October 19, 2017, replacing interim leader Jamie Fox.
On September 17, 2018, Aylward announced his pending resignation as leader, effective upon the election of his successor on February 9, 2019.
Dennis King was elected leader of the party, succeeding Aylward. King resigned in 2025 and was replaced by former leader Lantz as interim leader.
Traditionally, the Tories have done better among Protestant voters, while Liberals have had more support from Catholics. Politics on the island, however, 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. This had tended to minimise religious sectarianism within the parties. The Liberals have also traditionally enjoyed the support of the province's small Acadian population concentrated in Prince County at the west end of the island. Progressive Conservative support has tended to be greater on the eastern half of the island.

## Current MLAs

* Gilles Arsenault, Evangeline-Miscouche
* Zack Bell, Charlottetown-Winsloe
* Jill Burridge, Stratford-Keppoch
* Darlene Compton, Belfast-Murray River
* Robin Croucher, Souris-Elmira
* Susie Dillon, Charlottetown-Belvedere
* Cory Deagle, Montague-Kilmuir
* Tyler DesRoches, Summerside-Wilmot
* Rob Lantz, Charlottetown-Brighton
* Ernie Hudson, Alberton-Bloomfield
* Sidney MacEwen, Morell-Donagh
* Hilton MacLennan, Tyne Valley-Sherbrooke
* Mark McLane, Cornwall-Meadowbank
* Matthew MacKay, Kensington-Malpeque
* Steven Myers, Georgetown-Pownal
* Barb Ramsay, Summerside-South Drive
* Jenn Redmond, Mermaid-Stratford
* Bloyce Thompson, Stanhope-Marshfield
* Brad Trivers, Rustico-Emerald

## Conservative and PC leaders

| Edward Palmer, 1851–1854 John Holl, 1854–1855 Edward Palmer, 1855–1863 John Hamilton Gray, 1863–1865 James Colledge Pope, 1865–1873 Lemuel Cambridge Owen, 1873–1877 William Wilfred Sullivan, 1877–1889 Neil McLeod, 1889–1894 Daniel Gordon, 1894–1903 John Alexander Mathieson, 1903–1917 Aubin E. Arsenault, 1917–1921 James David Stewart, 1921–1933 William J. P. MacMillan, 1933–1948 Reginald Bell, 1948–1957 Walter Shaw, 1957–1968 George Key, 1968–1973 Melvin McQuaid, 1973–1976 | Lloyd MacPhail, 1976 (interim) J. Angus MacLean, 1976–1981 James M. Lee, 1981–1987 Leone Bagnall, 1987–1988 (interim) Melbourne Gass, 1988–1990 Pat Mella, 1990–1996 Pat Binns, 1996–2007 Olive Crane, 2007–2010 (interim) Jim Bagnall, 2010 (interim) Olive Crane, 2010–2013 Steven Myers, 2013–2015 (interim) Rob Lantz, 2015 Jamie Fox, 2015–2017 (interim) James Aylward, 2017–2019 Dennis King, 2019–2025 Rob Lantz, 2025–present (interim) |