PCs working to build their brand on P.E.I., Opposition Leader says

P.E.I. Leader of the Opposition James Aylwardsat down withCBCNews:Compass on Thursday to look back on a year in which he was elected leader of the Progressive Conservatives. Aylwardspoke with Steve Bruce, who was filling in for Louise Martin.

This is an edited transcript of that interview.

Steve Bruces year-end interview with James Aylward

7 years ago

Duration 7:29

Steve Bruces year-end interview with James Aylward

For this party to have a permanent leader, how important a moment was that when you were elected?

I think it's paramount as far as the Progressive Conservative party goes moving forward and rebuilding our brand and strengthening our position on the political landscape here on P.E.I. We've had some great interim leaders over the last number of years but I think the party was really looking forward to the opportunity to have a permanent leader within the rail to direct the party and lead us forward.

There was criticismof this leadership race that it didn't really grab a lot of attention, that the race between you and Brad Triversjust wasn't all that compelling. Does that concern you that there was an opportunity missed here?

Not at all, the cynics are going to say what they're going to say at the end of the day. The Progressive Conservative party, we did have a true race, we had two candidates as compared to the last leadership here on P.E.I. which had an acclamation of a leader. Brad Triverswas a tremendous friend of mine going into this race. I believe we both ran a very commendable campaign and we came out at the end of it even stronger friends and running mates.

You guys came out friends, but what about the profile of the party andthe popularity of the party? Do you feel the race and you winning had any sort of impact?

I know that throughout the race, Brad signed up a lot of new members, I signed up a lot of new members, but we reinvigorated our grassroots base as well just from travelling across the Island, speaking to Islanders and talking to, in particular, small business owners, farmersand just regular Islanders. It was very engaging andinvigorating to hear the concerns and issues that are out there.

The month after you were elected leader, there was the District 11 byelection that was won by the Green party. What do you make of that result?

I think that we had a very viable candidate in Melissa [Hilton]. It was a tight race throughout and full credit to the Green party for having a great ground game and I know Hannah Bell and I respect her tremendously.

The success that the Green party has had on P.E.I., how does that change things for you and the PC party and the way you politic here on P.E.I.?

As far as I'm concerned it's part of democracy. A lot of people talk about the two entrenched political parties here on P.E.I. and although the Liberal party and the Progressive Conservative party have been around for quite a long time, there's no fooling ourselves that we have had over the years different ideas and scenarios within the partiesand adding a new dimension with the Green party I think it only strengthens the democracy here on P.E.I.

It's unclear when the next election will be called.How election ready are you and the PCs?

We're going through a process right now because of the electoral boundaries redraw of the map. We're starting to go through the process of identifying candidates in the new districts as they have been drawn. There's a lot of work to be done but I feel the Progressive Conservative party has a very good solid footing on where we're going.

What is success for the PCs at this point?Is it only winning the election and forming government the next time around?

Wellno, I mean success I think we've already seen it in the fall sitting of thelegislative assembly where we held the government accountable with regards to the whistle blower legislation, the various other acts they brought in, where we saw last winter where the government seemed bent on closing schools in rural communities, where we've challenged them on the health issues here on P.E.I., whether it be the long wait times to get seniors into long-term care facilities or access to mental health services and things like that.

When you have a government that has been in power the length of time this government has been in power, I think it's incumbent upon the opposition to prove and to show that they are connected to Islanders and that they are ready to go.

So that's the job now, what about when an election does come?If you don't form the government, will that be seen as a failure?

No.It's up to the premier when the next election will be called. But we are doing the job we need to do right now, holdthe government to account and show Islanders thatthere is an alternative to this current Liberal government. Meanwhile, we're going to be developing our own policy and platform and as Isaid before, meeting with and speaking with potential candidates in various districts across P.E.I.

I know the premier talked about in 2018 wanting to find a better work-life balance. As you go into 2018 as the leader of the Opposition, do you worry about that? How do you see your life being different now that you're the leader?

I don't see it really being any different from the last six years since I was first elected in 2011.Olive Crane, who was the leader at the time, appointed me as the critic for health and wellness, a role I took extremely serious. I immediately understood that I'm not just representing the people of Stratford-Kinlock, but I was representing all Islanders. And now as the leader of the Progressive Conservative party of P.E.I., that hasn't changed. I'm still representing all Islanders, just on a different level.

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