Earlier, we reported former Alberta treasurer Jim Dinning was spotted doing some fundraising in Vancouver as part of his bid to win the Progressive Conservative leadership in Alberta. And it seems he's not the only contender counting on British Columbia bankrolling. Later this month, The BC Friends of Ted Morton will be hosting a $150 per ticket luncheon for their candidate later this month at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver.

The flyer advertising the event notes that, "since winning election as an Alberta MLA in 2004, Ted has successfully pushed for an expanded role for the private sector in health care delivery, a lobbyist registry, fixed election dates, tax cuts, greater legislative protection for freedom of speech and religion, and parental choice in education." And "as the next Premier of Alberta, he will be an effective advocate for low taxes and more accountable government. He will be a strong ally for British Columbians who want more influence for the West in Ottawa, and less Ottawa influence in Western affairs."

The following is a complete copy of that flyer, which was distributed by Earnscliffe Strategy Group Inc. senior consultant and federal Conservative national councillor Byng Giraud.

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From: Byng Giraud
Sent: Friday, September 08, 2006 9:28 AM
Subject: Ted Morton Fundraiser

Friends,

Apologies for the impersonal email blast.

I thought you might be interest in the following:

Ted Morton, who is considered one of the frontrunners in the Alberta Progressive Conservative Leadership contest, will be holding a fundraising dinner. Dr. Morton has been a strong conservative voice in Canada and a strong supporter and colleague of our current Prime Minister. He has some innovative and fresh ideas that will likely be of interest to many of you. I personally believe Dr. Morton would make an excellent Premier.

Dr. Morton will be speaking at a luncheon fundraiser Friday, September 22 12:00 Noon at the The Hyatt Regency, 655 Burrard Street, Vancouver. The cost is $150 per person or $1,500 per table. Please email me back or call Call Marilyn Brown at 778-995-8151 for tickets

Below is some biographical material.

Hope to see you there.

Byng Giraud

PS: Please feel free to forward this email to whomever.

Dr. Morton was an early supporter of the reforms to the Senate of Canada, which as you know is back in the media. He was elected as a Reform Party Senator-in-Waiting in the 1998 Alberta Senate nominee election. In 2001, Canadian Alliance leader Stockwell Day appoined him Parliamentary Director of Policy and Research. That same year, he was one of a group of six Albertans (including Stephen Harper—later to become Prime Minister in 2006) who authored the “Alberta Agenda”, a document that calls on the government of Alberta to use all of its constitutional powers to reduce the influence of the Federal government on the lives and personal finances of Albertans.

In the 2004 Alberta general election, Morton won the newly created seat of Foothills-Rocky View and now sits as an MLA for the Alberta Progressive Conservatives. In that roll, he has advocated for tax cuts, for increased saving of energy revenues, for a lobbyist registry, and for fixed election dates.He was the only Conservative MLA to publicly oppose the Prosperity Bonus.

Within six months of his election, the Calgary Herald gave Morton the highest grade of all new Calgary-area MLAs and rated him “Most likely to succeed.”

Official Biography
Dr. Ted Morton was elected to his first term as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for the constituency of Foothills-Rocky View on November 22, 2004.
Dr. Morton obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Colorado College in 1971, his Master of Arts in Political Science from the University of Toronto in 1975, and his PhD in Political Science from the University of Toronto in 1981.
He began his teaching career as an instructor at Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts, from 1978 to 1981. From 1981 to 2004 he was a professor with the University of Calgary and a visiting professor with a number of institutions.

* Visiting adjunct professor, Colorado College (1986, 1989, 1991 and 1994)
* Visiting professor, Institute for American Universities, Aix-en-Provence, France (1987)
* Professeur invité, science politique, Université de Montréal (1993)
* Visiting professor, University of Connecticut (1997)
* Visiting research scholar, University of Melbourne (2002)
* Visiting resident scholar, Senate, Parliament of Australia (2002).

Dr. Morton also served as director of policy and research, Office of the Leader of the Official Opposition, Parliament of Canada, in 2001. In 1998, Dr. Morton was elected as a Senator-in-waiting in Alberta’s second-ever Senate election. Dr. Morton has received several career awards and distinctions.

* Phi Beta Kappa and Pi Gama Mu, Colorado College (1971)
* Best Non-Fiction Book of 1992, Alberta Writers’ Guild
* Bora Laskin National Fellowship in Human Rights (1995)
* Recognized in Maclean’s Guide to Canadian Universities (2001) as one of 20 most popular professors at the University of Calgary
* Runner-up, Donner book prize for best book on Canadian public policy published in 2000
* Visiting Research Scholars award, University of Melbourne.
He has had numerous articles published and has edited, authored and co-authored the following books.
* Law, Politics and the Judicial Process in Canada, editor, University of Calgary Press, Third edition, 2002. Second edition, 1992. First edition, 1984.
* The Charter Revolution and the Court Party with Rainer Knopff, Broadview Press, 2000
* Federalism and the Environment: Environmental Policymaking in Australia, Canada, and the United States, co-editor with Kenneth M. Holland and Brian Galligan. Greenwood Press, 1996.
* Morgentaler v. Borowski: Abortion, The Charter and The Courts the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, 1995.
* Morgentaler v. Borowski: Abortion, The Charter and The Courts, McClelland & Stewart, 1992.
* Pro-Choice v. Pro-Life: Abortion and the Courts in Canada University of Oklahoma Press, 1992 (US edition).
* Charter Politics with Rainer Knopff. Nelson Canada, 1992.
* Federalism and the Charter: Leading Constitutional Decisions - A New Edition, editor and chapter introductions, Carleton University Press; with Peter Russell and Rainer Knopff, 1989.

He and his wife, Patricia, have three children. In his spare time Dr. Morton enjoys hunting, fishing, gardening, golfing and skiing.

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A luncheon presented by
The BC Friends of Ted Morton
I’m Supportin’ Morton
Friday, September 22 12:00 Noon
The Hyatt Regency
655 Burrard Street, Vancouver
$150 per person; $1,500 per table
Call Marilyn Brown 778-995-8151 for tickets

Ted Morton has been working for a more prosperous, more democratic Canada for years. As a Reform Party Senator-in-Waiting, Ted campaigned for a stronger Western voice in Ottawa decision-making. As Director of Policy and Research for the Canadian Alliance in Ottawa, Ted helped lay the foundations for our current Conservative government.

Since winning election as an Alberta MLA in 2004, Ted has successfully pushed for an expanded role for the private sector in health care delivery, a lobbyist registry, fixed election dates, tax cuts, greater legislative protection for freedom of speech and religion, and parental choice in education. Now, as a prominent contender for the Leadership of the Alberta Progressive Conservatives, Ted has a comprehensive policy plan for Alberta’s future, based on sound conservative principles. His plan will strengthen Alberta both internally and on the national stage. It builds the economy, saves health care, expands educational opportunities, enhances the environment and returns control of the PC party to its members.

Ted’s believes strongly that Canada’s well-being is directly tied to the well-being of the West. As the next Premier of
Alberta, he will be an effective advocate for low taxes and more accountable government. He will be a strong ally for British Columbians who want more influence for the West in Ottawa, and less Ottawa influence in Western affairs.

Ted Morton is running for the leadership of the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party, and to succeed Ralph Klein as Premier of Alberta. The outcome of the Alberta leadership race is important for British Columbia too. Find out
why from Ted Morton, the leading conservative voice in the race.