View source for 2003 Progressive Conservative leadership election

{{Short description|Canadian political party leadership race}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 2003 Progressive Conservative Party leadership election
| country = Canada
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 1998 Progressive Conservative leadership election
| previous_year = 1998
| next_election = 2004 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election
| next_year = 2004 (Conservative)
| election_date = May 31, 2003
| 1blank = {{nowrap|Sixth ballot}} {{nowrap|delegate count}}
| 2blank = {{nowrap|Fifth ballot}} {{nowrap|delegate count}}
| 3blank = {{nowrap|Fourth ballot}} {{nowrap|delegate count}}
| 4blank = {{nowrap|Third ballot}} {{nowrap|delegate count}}
| 5blank = {{nowrap|Second ballot}} {{nowrap|delegate count}}
| 6blank = {{nowrap|First ballot}} {{nowrap|delegate count}}
| image_size = x150px
| image1 = Peter Mackay 110127-D-7203C-008 (cropped).jpg
| colour1 = {{Canadian party colour|CA|Progressive Conservative|nohash}}
| candidate1 = '''[[Peter MacKay]]'''
| 1data1 = 
| 2data1 = 
| 3data1 = '''1,538<br>(64.8%)'''
| 4data1 = 1,128<br>(45.0%)
| 5data1 = 1,018<br>(39.7%)
| 6data1 = 1,080<br>(41.1%)
| image2 = 412-APD-446-2009-03-03 CanadianEnviroMinJimPrentice (cropped).jpg
| colour2 = {{Canadian party colour|CA|Progressive Conservative|nohash}}
| candidate2 = [[Jim Prentice]]
| 1data2 = 
| 2data2 = 
| 3data2 = 836<br>(35.2%)
| 4data2 = 761<br>(30.4%)
| 5data2 = 466<br>(18.2%)
| 6data2 = 478<br>(18.2%)
| image4 = <span style="width:100%; line-height:150px; vertical-align:center; text-align:center; color:{{Canadian party colour|CA|PC}}; font-size:38px;"> '''PC'''</span>
| colour4 = {{Canadian party colour|CA|Progressive Conservative|nohash}}
| candidate4 = [[David Orchard]]
| 1data4 = 
| 2data4 = 
| 3data4 = ''Eliminated''
| 4data4 = 617<br>(24.6%)
| 5data4 = 619<br>(24.1%)
| 6data4 = 640<br>(24.3%)
| image5 = Scott Brison (38490985791) (cropped).jpg
| colour5 = {{Canadian party colour|CA|Progressive Conservative|nohash}}
| candidate5 = [[Scott Brison]]
| 1data5 = 
| 2data5 = 
| 3data5 = ''Eliminated''
| 4data5 = ''Eliminated''
| 5data5 = 463<br>(18.0%)
| 6data5 = 431<br>(16.4%)
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| title = Leader
| posttitle = Elected leader
| before_election = [[Joe Clark]]
| after_election = [[Peter MacKay]]
}}{{Use Canadian English|date=October 2025}}
{{Infobox leadership election|
 party = Progressive Conservative|
 colour = {{Canadian party colour|CA|PC}}|
 year = 2003|
 logo = <!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Pclogo.jpg|200px]] -->|
 date  = May 31, 2003|
 location = [[Metro Toronto Convention Centre]],<ref>{{cite web|title=2003 PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE LEADERSHIP CONVENTION|url=http://www.cpac.ca/en/2003-progressive-conservative-leadership/|website=CPAC|publisher=Cable Public Affairs Channel|accessdate=14 February 2016}}</ref> [[Toronto|Toronto, Ontario]] |
 winner = [[Peter MacKay]] |
 replaces = [[Joe Clark]] |
 numcands = 5|
 ballots = 4|
 entryfee = [[Canadian dollar|C$]]|
 spendcap = None|
}}

The '''2003 Progressive Conservative leadership election''' was held on May 31, 2003, to elect a leader of the [[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada]]. [[Peter MacKay]] was elected as leader to replace former Prime Minister [[Joe Clark]], who then retired as party leader.  In the end, five candidates emerged as challengers for the leadership by the convention date.  Two other candidates had participated in the race but both withdrew as contestants before the vote. Quebec Member of Parliament (MP) André Bachand withdrew his candidacy from the race due to financial concerns and backed Peter MacKay. Former Cabinet Minister and Quebec MP Heward Grafftey also withdrew his candidacy from the race due to health concerns and backed [[David Orchard]].

The results of the race produced immediate controversy when it emerged that winner Mackay had signed an agreement with David Orchard in order to get elected.  This deal promised the party would review the [[Canadian-American Free Trade Agreement]], and that it would not cooperate or merge with the [[Canadian Alliance]].  This controversy continued when MacKay ignored the agreement, and signed an agreement to merge his party with the Canadian Alliance to form the new [[Conservative Party of Canada]].<ref>[https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/orchard-hopes-lawsuit-will-save-tory-party-1.370793 "Orchard hopes lawsuit will save Tory party"]. ''CBC News''. November 21, 2003.</ref> The merger was approved by party members in December 2003. After the merger was approved, Brison announced that he was defecting to the Liberals.

==Candidates==
*'''[[Peter MacKay]]''', 37, Member of Parliament for [[Central Nova]], [[Nova Scotia]], former Crown Attorney.(<ref>[https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/mackay-to-run-for-tory-leadership-1.390588 "MacKay to run for Tory leadership"]. ''CBC News''. January 16, 2003.</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070817120136/http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2003/05/31/tory_vote2030531.html "New Tory leader MacKay calls for unity"]. ''CBC News''. June 1, 2003.</ref>
*'''[[Jim Prentice]]''', 46, [[Calgary]] lawyer and past Progressive Conservative candidate for parliament.
*'''[[David Orchard]]''', 52, [[Saskatchewan]] farmer and campaigner against [[globalization]] and [[free trade]]. Runner-up in [[1998 Progressive Conservative leadership election|1998 leadership election]].
*'''[[Scott Brison]]''', 35, Member of Parliament for [[Kings—Hants]], Nova Scotia.
*'''[[Craig Chandler]]''', 32, executive director of [[Progressive Group for Independent Business]] and a social conservative activist in Alberta. Ran on a [[Unite the Right (Canada)|Unite the Right]] platform calling on the Progressive Conservatives to merge with the [[Canadian Alliance]].

==Withdrawn==
*'''[[André Bachand (Progressive Conservative MP)|André Bachand]]''', 41, Member of Parliament for [[Richmond—Arthabaska]], Quebec. Withdrew to support MacKay<ref>[https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/bachand-bows-out-of-pc-race-1.358218 "Bachand bows out of PC race"]. ''CBC News''. May 12, 2003.</ref>
*'''[[Heward Grafftey]]''', 74,  former MP for [[Brome—Missisquoi (federal electoral district)|Brome—Missisquoi]], Quebec (1958–1968, 1972–1980) and former Minister of State for Social Programs and Minister of State for Science and Technology (1979–1980).

==Results==

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Delegate support by ballot
|-
! rowspan="2" colspan="2" | Candidate
! colspan="2" | 1st ballot
! colspan="2" | 2nd ballot
! colspan="2" | 3rd ballot
! colspan="2" | 4th ballot
|-
! Votes cast 
! % 
! Votes cast 
! % 
! Votes cast 
! % 
! Votes cast 
! % 
|- style="background:lightgreen;"
| [[File:Peter-MacKay.jpg|50px]]
| '''[[Peter MacKay]]'''
|align="right"|  1,080
|align="right"|  41.1%
|align="right"|  1,018
|align="right"|  39.7%
|align="right"|  1,128
|align="right"|  45.0%
|align="right"|  '''1,538'''
|align="right"|  '''64.8%'''
|-
| [[File:Jim Prentice.jpg|50px]]
| [[Jim Prentice]]
|align="right"|  478
|align="right"|  18.2%
|align="right"|  466
|align="right"|  18.2%
|align="right"|  761
|align="right"|  30.4%
|align="right"|  836
|align="right"|  35.2%
|-
|
| [[David Orchard]]
|align="right"|  640
|align="right"|  24.3%
|align="right"|  619
|align="right"|  24.1%
|align="right"|  617
|align="right"|  24.6%
| style="text-align:center; background:pink;" colspan="2" | Endorsed MacKay
|- 
| [[File:Scott Brison 2010.jpg|50px]]
| [[Scott Brison]]
|align="right"|  431
|align="right"|  16.4%
|align="right"|  463
|align="right"|  18.0%
| style="text-align:center; background:pink;" colspan="4" | Endorsed Prentice
|-
|
| [[Craig Chandler]]
| align="right"| 0
| align="right"| —
| style="text-align:center; background:lightblue;" colspan="6" | Withdrew before 1st ballot began; Endorsed Prentice
|-
! colspan="2" |Total
!align="right"|  2,629
!align="right"|  100.0%
!align="right"|  2,566
!align="right"|  100.0%
!align="right"|  2,506
!align="right"|  100.0%
!align="right"|  2,374
!align="right"|  100.0%
|}
{{Bar box|title=First round|titlebar=#ddd|width=600px|barwidth=410px|bars={{Bar percent|MacKay|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Progressive Conservative|}}|41.08}}
{{Bar percent|Orchard|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Progressive Conservative|}}|24.34}}
{{Bar percent|Prentice|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Progressive Conservative|}}|18.18}}
{{Bar percent|Brison|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Progressive Conservative|}}|16.39}}
{{Bar percent|Chandler|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Progressive Conservative|}}|0.00}}}}{{Bar box|title=Second round|titlebar=#ddd|width=600px|barwidth=410px|bars={{Bar percent|MacKay|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Progressive Conservative|}}|39.70}}
{{Bar percent|Prentice|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Progressive Conservative|}}|24.10}}
{{Bar percent|Orchard|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Progressive Conservative|}}|18.20}}
{{Bar percent|Brison|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Progressive Conservative|}}|16.39}}}}{{Bar box|title=Third round|titlebar=#ddd|width=600px|barwidth=410px|bars={{Bar percent|MacKay|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Progressive Conservative|}}|45.0}}
{{Bar percent|Prentice|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Progressive Conservative|}}|30.4}}
{{Bar percent|Orchard|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Progressive Conservative|}}|24.6}}}}{{Bar box|title=Final round|titlebar=#ddd|width=600px|barwidth=410px|bars={{Bar percent|MacKay|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Progressive Conservative|}}|64.79}}
{{Bar percent|Prentice|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Progressive Conservative|}}|35.21}}}}Chandler withdrew before voting began to endorse Prentice. Estimates suggest that Chandler had six committed delegates from Calgary ridings who voted in favour of Prentice. After the second ballot, Brison dropped off and supported Prentice. Brison was the only candidate to gain votes on this ballot compared to his first ballot result; all of the other candidates lost votes. After the third ballot, Orchard threw his support to MacKay after the two men signed an agreement committing MacKay to not merge the PCs with the [[Canadian Alliance]] and to hold a review of the [[Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement]].

==References==
{{reflist}}

==See also==
*[[Progressive Conservative leadership conventions]]
*[[2004 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election]]

{{Progressive Conservative Party of Canada}}{{Canadian federal leadership elections}}{{DEFAULTSORT:Progressive Conservative Leadership Convention, 2003}}
[[Category:Progressive Conservative Party of Canada leadership elections|2003]]
[[Category:2003 elections in Canada]]
[[Category:2003 political party leadership elections|Progressive Conservative leadership election]]
[[Category:May 2003 in Canada]]