▁Minister ▁of ▁Education ▁following ▁the ▁provincial ▁election ▁in ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁ ▁He ▁has ▁approved ▁fund ing ▁increases ▁to ▁acc red ited ▁private ▁schools , ▁and ▁announced ▁plans ▁to ▁build ▁ 1 8 ▁new ▁schools ▁in ▁Ed mont on ▁and ▁Cal g ary . ▁ ▁On ▁December ▁ 6 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁Han cock ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁Deput y ▁Premier , ▁Minister ▁of ▁In nov ation ▁and ▁Advanced ▁Education ▁and ▁was ▁the ▁Minister ▁of ▁Human ▁Services ▁and ▁Government ▁House ▁Le ader ▁under ▁the ▁Red ford ▁government . ▁▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁Le ad ership ▁bid ▁ ▁In ▁April ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁Han cock ▁res igned ▁his ▁post ▁as ▁Minister ▁of ▁Advanced ▁Education ▁and ▁announced ▁his ▁intent ions ▁to ▁replace ▁Klein ▁as ▁the ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁Progress ive ▁Conserv ative ▁Party . ▁He ▁was ▁considered ▁a ▁long ▁shot ▁against ▁favour ites ▁like ▁former ▁provincial ▁tre as urer ▁Jim ▁Din ning ▁and ▁Ted ▁Mort on . ▁His ▁leadership ▁campaign ▁was ▁managed ▁by ▁Brian ▁Mul aw ka . ▁It ▁was ▁head qu arter ed ▁in ▁Ed mont on ▁where ▁he ▁had ▁been ▁an ▁M LA ▁and ▁where ▁most ▁of ▁his ▁support . ▁Han cock ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁secure ▁any ▁end ors ements ▁from ▁PC ▁c au cus ▁members , ▁but ▁was ▁end ors ed ▁by ▁Ed mont on - C entre ▁Conserv ative ▁MP ▁Laur ie ▁Ha wn ▁and ▁placed ▁fifth ▁on ▁the ▁first ▁ball ot , ▁gar ner ing ▁ 7 , 5