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CALGARY — Conservatives in Stephen Harper’s former constituency in Calgary have chosen a new candidate to represent their party.

Businessman Bob Benzen beat out two other candidates to win the nomination for Calgary-Heritage on Saturday.

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The riding is currently unrepresented following Harper’s resignation in August.

A byelection has not yet been called.

Benzen paid tribute to Harper in a speech after his second-ballot win was announced, and credited the former prime minister for creating the Conservative party as it exists today.

He called it an honour to succeed Harper as the riding’s candidate.

“His whole decade of excellence was incredible and I’d really like to thank him for his 10 years of excellence as prime minister and all the years he was an MP for us,” Benzen told party members after voting took place at Henry Wise Wood High School.

Three “Re-Elect Stephen Harper” campaign signs served as part of the backdrop as he spoke.

Benzen helped spearhead a campaign of print advertisements and billboards that thanked Harper following the Conservatives’ general election loss in October 2015.

In that election, Harper won the riding with more than twice as many votes as his closest rival, Liberal Brendan Miles.

Benzen ended his speech with criticism of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, saying Trudeau isn’t creating jobs, isn’t getting pipelines built and that Calgary buildings are sitting empty.

“We’re going to send him a message that he’s not doing a good job,” he said.