MLA Ric McIver runs for Alberta PC Party leadership

CTV Calgary: McIver enters leadership race Former Transportation Minister has declared his intentions to run for the PC leadership. Chris Epp reports.

Another high-ranking Tory MLA has resigned his post and announced he will seek the PC party's top job.

Ric McIver resigned from his post as Infrastructure Minister on Tuesday afternoon and on Wednesday morning announced he will run for the Alberta PC Leadership.

"I'm here today to announce that I will be a candidate to lead the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta," said McIver from Calgary.

McIver was surrounded by a team of supporters and says if he becomes premier, Albertans will be the boss.

"These people and 4.1 million others will be the boss, full stop," said McIver. "Not the insiders, not the political professional class, not the MLAs, not my political staff."

He says he wants to bring a new approach to Alberta politics. "A common-sense new approach to replace insider, establishment thinking, with new common-sense thinking. The insider, establishment thinking is something we've seen too much of."

McIver is originally from Woodstock, Ontario and moved to Calgary in 1981.

He served as Ward 12 councillor on Calgary city council for a number of years and resigned when he ran for mayor in 2010 against Naheed Nenshi.

He was elected as the MLA for Calgary-Hays in December 2011 replacing Art Johnson.

Political scientists watching the race develop say they’re surprised by McIver’s move, especially with former Calgary MP Jim Prentice expected to officially announce his candidacy soon.

“I thought there might be some minor candidates step forward to raise their profile or try to get into cabinet. Rick McIver is going to stay in cabinet. He was one of the best ministers that Redford had, so he doesn’t need to run to get into that cabinet,” says Duane Bratt with Mount Royal University. “Obviously, he thinks he’s got a shot at winning and that he can create a niche that Prentice can’t.”

Ken Hughes, the former Municipal Affairs Minister is the only other candidate to officially declare so far.

Doug Horner, Alberta’s Minister of Finance, says he will be making an announcement concerning his political future on Friday.