James Aylward (born January 12, 1964) is a Canadian politician affiliated with the

Prince Edward Island Progressive Conservative Party The Progressive Conservative Party of Prince Edward Island (PEIPC) is one of three major political parties on Prince Edward Island. The party and its rival, the Prince Edward Island Liberal Party, have alternated in power since responsible gove ...

. His political career began with his election to the

Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island The Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island () together with the Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island, lieutenant governor of Prince Edward Island form the General Assembly of Prince Edward Island. The Legislative Assembly meets at ...

in the 2011 provincial election, representing the district of Stratford-Keppoch. Prior to this

leadership Leadership, is defined as the ability of an individual, group, or organization to "", influence, or guide other individuals, teams, or organizations. "Leadership" is a contested term. Specialist literature debates various viewpoints on the co ...

role, Aylward campaigned for the party’s leadership in December 2014 but was narrowly defeated by

Rob Lantz Robert Lantz (born 1969/1970) is a Canadian politician who has served as the 34th premier of Prince Edward Island since February 21, 2025. He is the interim leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Prince Edward Island, and previously ser ...

on the second ballot during the leadership convention held on February 28, 2015. Aylward served as the

Leader of the Opposition The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the Opposition (parliamentary), largest political party not in government, typical in countries utilizing the parliamentary system form of government. The leader of the ...

and leader of the

from October 2017 until February 2019 after defeating MLA, Brad Trivers. On September 17, 2018, Aylward announced his resignation as the Leader of the Prince Edward Island Progressive Conservative Party. He stated that "It has become clear to me over the past couple of months that despite my best efforts, I have not been able to make a strong enough connection with Islanders." On May 9, 2024, Aylward announced he was seeking the nomination for the

Conservative Party of Canada The Conservative Party of Canada (CPC; , ), sometimes referred to as the Tories, is a Government of Canada, federal List of political parties in Canada, political party in Canada. It was formed in 2003 by the merger of the two main Right-wing ...

for Cardigan.

Parliamentary roles

* Opposition House Leader (2015–2016): As the Opposition House Leader, Aylward was responsible for coordinating the opposition’s activities in the legislature, such as debating bills and review government policies. * Leader of the Official Opposition (2017–2018): In this role, Aylward led the main opposition party, challenging the government’s agenda and offering alternative policies. * Minister of Health & Wellness (2019–2021): As the Minister of Health & Wellness, he administered the public health and healthcare systems and promoting wellness * Minister of Transportation & Infrastructure (2021–2023): Aylward would was in charge of the development and maintenance of the region’s transportation systems and infrastructure projects.

Electoral Record

References

External links

James Aylward
Living people 1964 births Members of the Executive Council of Prince Edward Island Politicians from Queens County, Prince Edward Island Progressive Conservative Party of Prince Edward Island MLAs 21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island Conservative Party of Canada candidates in the 2025 Canadian federal election {{PrinceEdwardIsland-politician-stub