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Alberta Liberal Leader David Swann. David Bloom / David Bloom

As the Liberal leadership race sputters into gear, talk of a broader effort of uniting Albertas centrists is heating up with the involvement of former Edmonton mayor Stephen Mandel.

Friday is the deadline for candidates for leadership of the provincial Liberals to submit their papers to the party, with two having done so by midday: David Khan and Kerry Cundal.

Khan, a lawyer who has run twice previously for the Liberals, definitely intends to run while Cundal, a lawyer and former federal candidate, hasnt yet made a final decision on whether she will contest the leadership.

FILE PHOTO: David Khan Submitted

In an interview Friday, Khan said he wants to rebuild the Alberta Liberals, who currently hold only one legislature seat the Calgary-Mountain View ridingof leader David Swann.

Weve got a great opportunity to rebuild this party and provide a real middle-of-the-road option for most Albertans who arent far-right or left, said the 42-year-old Khan, who ran for the party in Calgary-Buffalo in the 2015 provincial election and in Calgary-West in a 2014 byelection.

Cundal, who is an adviser to federal Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen, declined to comment further as she weighs whether to enter the race. St. Albert mayor Nolan Crouse had been running for the Liberal leadership but abruptly pulled out earlier this week.

The formal start of the Liberal race comes as the election of former Conservative cabinet minister Jason Kenney as the leader of the Progressive Conservatives on a platform of unifying with the Wildrose has given new impetus to the idea of uniting moderates in the province.

Former Edmonton mayor and PC cabinet minister Stephen Mandel is one of the organizers of a meeting in Red Deer in two weeks that will bring together membersof the Liberals, the Alberta Party and some Progressive Conservatives.

In an interview Friday, Mandel downplayed what he said is a very preliminary meeting but said it is being held to discuss whether theres a willingness to join together.

Theres a lot of people talking about how to bring the centre together and a lot of people talk to me about it and I said, Ill see what I can do about bringing people together and see what happens,' he said.

Mandel said that on a personal level he thinks the PCs uniting with the Wildrose and shifting rightward is a bad idea.

Theres a tremendous number of people who think some of the Progressive has been lost (in the PC party), he said, numbering himself in that group.

Alberta Party Leader Greg Clark, who holds his partys only seat in the legislature, has confirmed he will attend the April 15 Red Deer meeting.

Clark, who has been hosting meet-ups across the province since the PC leadership vote, said the Mandel event is just one of many discussions being held about unifying centrists.

Theres a recognition that those of us in the centre need to get behind one thing anyone who wants to have that conversation, Im all in, said the Calgary-Elbow MLA.

Clark said that if common ground and shared values are found, he will advocate for the Alberta Party as the best vehicle to move forward. However, he said hewill listen to arguments for a different path, such as cooperation or a new party.

Khan said he had only recently heard about the meeting but he is interested in whats happening.

Im open to discussions with Albertans across the spectrum, he said.

jwood@postmedia.com

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Liberals prep for leadership race as talk of uniting moderates heats up - Calgary Herald