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PC Alberta leader's dinner to proceed despite having no leader

Alberta’s Progressive Conservatives are going ahead with their annual Calgary Leader’s Dinner despite this week’s crushing electoral defeat that left the party with fewer than a dozen MLAs and no leader.

Progressive Conservative fundraising event drew 1,800 party faithful last year

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The Progressive Conservatives' 2014 Calgary Leader's Dinner, headlined by Jim Prentice before he took the party's helm, attracted a record crowd. With the party's crushing defeat this week in the provincial election, it's uncertain who will be the main event at the fundraiser Thursday. (Jeff McIntosh/Canadian Press)

Alberta's Progressive Conservatives are going ahead with their annual Calgary Leader's Dinner despite this week's crushing electoral defeat that left the party with fewer than a dozen MLAs and no leader.

The $500-a-plate fundraiser, which is set for next week, usually raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Tories.

Last year's event, hosted by then leadership contender Jim Prentice, attracted a record 1,800 party faithful.

But after Prentice's hasty resignation on election night this week, with the NDP coming out on on top, it's not clear who will host the dinner on Thursday.

A PC party spokesman would only say the format is still being finalized.

PC member and Rocky View County Coun. Rolly Ashdown says he's not sure what to expect — but still plans to attend.

"I think it'll be probably a bit sombre," he said.

The Progressive Conservative Party is going ahead with its annual fundraising dinner in Calgary despite being leaderless after a stunning election defeat. (Progressive Conservative Party )

"I think it'll be probably a mood of how to rebuild. You know, just because a party isn't in power doesn't mean you don't continue to support them."

Party member Jamie Mackie, a portfolio manager at a Calgary investment firm, says the event needs to have a good turnout to show the party is still intact.

"It's a huge fundraiser for the party and to show the support is important. And for the, I guess, continuity of the party, it would be really important at this point," he said. 

On the classified ad site Kijiji, someone posted an ad poking fun at the party's expense.

An ad posted on Kijiji pokes fun at the prospect of the Tories having a leader's dinner days after losing the provincial election, and losing their leader. (Kijiji)

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