Another complaint calls for Jason Kenney to be removed from PC leadership race

The Progressive Conservative party's executive board will meet once again to discuss a complaint calling for leadership candidate Jason Kenney to be booted from the race.

A letter sent to party members Wednesday says the board of directors will meet Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. to discuss the latest complaint made by Jeffrey Rath against Kenney.

On Feb. 9, Rath filed a complaint with the party, calling for Kenney to be disqualified from the race, arguing his campaign has repeatedly violated the rules for the leadership contest by harming the party and its brand.

• Complaint against Kenney dismissed unanimously by PC executive

That was dismissed unanimously by the party's Leadership Election Committee on Sunday, which found Kenney's campaign has not crossed any moral or ethical lines.

Rath's latest complaint was filed the same day, saying the Leadership Election Committee did not consider whether Kenney's campaign had breached the party's constitution by damaging its brand with his commitment to unite the PCs with the Wildrose so a new, unified party can take on the NDP in the 2019 election.

"We will invite Mr.Rath to appear in person to present his concerns, and we will invite Mr Kenney's campaign to appear, immediately following Mr.Rath, to respond to the allegations contained in the complaint," the letter reads.

In an emailed statement, Kenney said he is "disappointed" the party's board is considering a motion to disqualify him, "just days after a similar effort was rejected unanimously by the Leadership Election Committee."

"I do not expect all PC members to agree with our effort to re-unite Alberta conservatives, and put the grassroots in charge with a referendum on the party's future," it reads. "But I do expect all members to respect the basic principle of democracy that the voters get to decide. Disqualifying my candidacy would violate this principle by disenfranchising the thousands of PC members who have voted to support our campaign."

Rath was formerly the lead fundraiser for the Richard Starke campaign, who is running against Kenney, along with Byron Nelson.

Starke earlier said he does not agree with the complaint and asked Rath to step away from his campaign, which he did.

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