Calgary MLA loses PC nomination

A Progressive Conservative MLA in Calgary has failed to hang on to his party's nomination for the next provincial election.

Art Johnston was defeated Wednesday night for the Tory nomination in the new riding of Calgary Southeast.

The former police officer has been elected twice for the PCs in Calgary Hays and chose to run for the nomination in the new riding this time around.

The former head of the Calgary paramedics union, Rick Fraser,won narrowly by78 votes to the MLA's 74.

Johnston says he was surprised by the low turnout at the nomination meeting.

As for the future, he said he has not yet decided what to do next.

"I will have done eight years at the end of this term, and as you know I've done 25 years in policing, and a kind of a military career for 11 years. So the wife and I have been through all that. We'll sit down and she'll have her input but I'm just not totally sure at this time," he said.