The Pollcast: Alberta, P.E.I. and Manitoba choose new party leaders

The CBCPollcast, hosted by CBC poll analyst ric Grenier, explores the world of electoralpolitics,political polls and the trends they reveal.

The long campaign to merge Alberta's right finally comes to an end Saturday.

Members of the United Conservative Party, the result of the merger between the Alberta Progressive Conservatives and Wildrose, began voting on Thursday to choose who will lead their new party into the 2019 provincial election.

Jason Kenney, who mounted his bid to lead the PCs and then take them into merger talksover a year ago, is hoping to defeat former Wildrose leader Brian Jean and Calgary lawyer Doug Schweitzer. Will he manage to pull it off and if he does, will he keep the party united?

• Alberta's right begins voting for new leader
• Podcasts: Subscribe to the CBCPollcast

Polls suggest that the UCP is well-positioned to defeat Premier Rachel Notley's NDP government. But they also suggest that Jean is more popular than Kenney at least among the general population.

But all Albertans won't be voting over the next few days. Only the 62,000 registered members of the UCP will cast their ballots.

To break down how the race has unfolded and what to watch this weekend and in the months to come Pollcast host ric Grenier is joined by Kim Trynacity, the CBC's provincial affairs reporter in Edmonton.

New party leaders in P.E.I. and Manitoba

Then, the CBC's provincial affairs reporter in Prince Edward Island, Kerry Campbell,joins the podcast to discuss the P.E.I. Progressive Conservative leadership race that ended on the weekend.

Members choseMLA James Aylward over fellow MLA Brad Trivers as the party's new leader. He will try to return the PCs to power after 10 years on the opposition benches.

• James Aylward wins PEI PC leadership
• Dougald Lamont elected Manitoba Liberal leader

Finally, the CBC's Cameron MacIntosh in Winnipeg breaks down the surprising result of the Manitoba Liberal leadership that propelled Dougald Lamont into the party's top job. The Manitoba Liberals have only three seats in the provincial legislature and Lamont doesn't sit in any of them.

Listen to the full discussion above or subscribe to the CBCPollcast and listen to past episodes.

Follow ric Grenier, Kim Trynacity, Kerry Campbell and Cameron MacIntoshon Twitter.