Jason Kenney, the former federal MP vying for leader of the province’s PC Party, has been punished for crashing a delegate meeting in Edmonton.

The punishment comes from an incident on November 16, during a Delegate Selection Meeting in the riding of Edmonton-Ellerslie.

The PC Party says the campaign team for Jason Kenney rented and operated a hospitality room at the meeting and allowed Kenney to speak ahead of the meeting.

Campaigning during a Delegate Selection Meeting is against the rules of the leadership race, officials say.

Kenney has been fined $5,000 for the act and will lose the 15 delegates he gained at the meeting.

“Our party is committed to a fair, open and transparent race during this leadership process,” said Party President Katherine O’Neill in a release, “we want to rebuild our trust and relationship with all Albertans.”

A new meeting will be held at a later date in the riding.

Kenney's campaign team says they are disappointed with the decision made by the PC Party, but will comply with it.

Officials say that Kenney had set up a get-together shortly before the DSM for those supporting his campaign and it was not his intention to attend the already planned meeting.

In fact, Kenney's team said that they had attempted to work out the issue about holding the event at the same location as the DSM, but received no response.

"Our campaign repeatedly sought clarification of the vague rules regarding activities prior to DSMs, but we received none. All of those running in support of our campaign in Edmonton Ellerslie were elected in an open and fair process, winning the full allotment of fifteen delegate positions. We regret that grassroots members in Edmonton Ellerslie will have to spend another evening to repeat their DSM, but are confident that the democratic will of the members will be expressed with the same clarity."

The money to cover the fine will come from a $20,000 deposit that each leadership candidate is required to put up to enter the race in order to guarantee their good conduct and compliance with the rules.

(With files from The Canadian Press)