Some people gathered in Red Deer on Wednesday night to quiz the eight candidates vying to replace Ralph Klein and lead Alberta's Conservatives left disappointed by what one called a lack of "pizzazz."

More than 600 people packed the Tory leadership forum, the second of eight party-sanctioned events being held across the province leading up to the first ballot on Nov. 25.

Tory leadership hopefuls at the first party-sanctioned leadership forum in Medicine Hat Monday night.
(CBC)

Some left the two-hour meeting saying they were unsatisfied and would like to see more debate among the eight candidates.

"I felt they were very, very vague tonight," said Matt Cassidy.

Joe Tabler said the last leadership race featured "a lot more pizzazz."

"I'd say the debates were a little livelier than this one. There were people taking totally different stands. We're not getting the totally different stands this time around."

The format left little room for any actual debate — a moderator took written questions from the floor and then allowed each candidate to give a short reply.

However, Red Deer's Ken Van Loon said it was still early in the race to pass judgment. The premier formally announced his resignation on Sept. 20.

"I think it's going to get more interest as we get closer to Nov 25. Nothing ever heats up at the start. It starts to heat up at the end."

Same sex marriage issue raised

An audible gasp ran through the crowd as the gay-marriage issue was raised early in the two-hour event.

One of the main contenders to become the next Alberta premier said he would continue the province's fight against the federal same-sex marriage law.

"This is an issue that we do have to take a stand on. I don't believe the battle is over," former cabinet minister Lyle Oberg, the MLA for Strathmore-Brooks.

Gary McPherson, who heads a health and fitness research facility, was the only one of the eight leadership candidates to voice support for the current federal law.

"The Supreme Court has made its ruling. The Province of Alberta should respect that ruling," he said. "If you keep bringing it up, it's divisive."
 
Waiting on the federal government

Candidate David Hancock, MLA for Edmonton-Whitemud, reminded the crowd that marriage is clearly an area of federal jurisdiction.

Former cabinet minister Ed Stelmach, who represents the riding of Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville, said he's waiting for the federal Conservatives to revisit the gay-marriage issue.

Ted Morton, MLA for Foothills-Rocky View, said he was firmly against gay marriage and added that his focus as a provincial politician is to protect the religious rights of people who want to speak out against gay marriage.

Victor Doerksen, who represents Red Deer-South, reminded the crowd that he put forward a private member's bill in 2005 that defined marriage in Alberta as being between a man and a woman.

Jim Dinning, a former cabinet minister who is now chairman of Western Financial Group Inc., said he would go along with whatever the federal government decided, adding he would bring forward legislation to protect religious freedoms if it became a hot-button issue in Alberta.

The leadership candidates will hold another forum on Nov. 8 in Fort McMurray.

With files from the Canadian Press