Brian Jean returns to Alberta legislature as UCP member with anti-Kenney intentions

After taking home a win in the Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche byelection on Tuesday, Brian Jean returned to the legislature Thursday to applause.

But that applause also came with the accusation that he is colluding with the Opposition NDP.

The newest member of Alberta’s United Conservative Party won on a platform urging the party to sack current leader and Premier, Jason Kenney.

On Thursday, Jean said he had not heard from Kenney since his win other than a congratulatory tweet.

Congratulations to Brian Jean and the UCP team on winning the Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche byelection.

Thank-you to all of the candidates & their volunteers for their commitment to democracy, and to local voters for participating in the electoral process.

— Jason Kenney ???????????????????????? (@jkenney) March 16, 2022

Kenney and Jean were fellow federal Conservative MPs under former prime minister Stephen Harper.

Both eventually entered Alberta politics. Jean took over as head of the Wildrose Party and Kenney won the Progressive Conservative leadership.

Together, they founded the UCP in 2017, but Jean lost to Kenney to head the new party in a contest stained by accusations of secret deals, colluding candidates and fraud.

Government House Leader Jason Nixon made an appearance in the house and took part in question period on Thursday.

He noted that Jean recently said that if he were premier, he would have brought Notley into cabinet on a short-term basis to remove partisan bickering and improve response to the COVID-19 crisis.

“(Notley’s) close personal alliance with Mr. Jean seems to be quite obvious,” said Nixon as both sides shouted insults at each other until the Speaker called for order.

Read more:

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• Brian Jean wins by-election, immediately takes aim at Jason Kenny

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Outside the house, Jean said his focus in the next few days is on getting more party members signed up to vote against Kenney. The cutoff for new memberships is Saturday at midnight.

“I’m encouraging all Albertans to come out … to say what they want to say about the leadership of the UCP,” said Jean.

4900 so far…
Almost 1000 people clicked the button to Register for the Leadership Vote on our last large email.
But we still need more. #RenewtheUCP pic.twitter.com/uXUCRQ6Uyd

— Brian Jean (@BrianJeanAB) March 10, 2022

The vote is expected to be hotly contested. Party rules state a leadership race must be called if Kenney gets less than majority support. He has said 50 per cent, plus one, will be enough for him to continue.

Kenney has characterized the vote as a potential takeover of his mainstream big-tent conservative party by extremists, including those angry over health restrictions his government brought in during the pandemic.

When asked if he is worried about voting irregularities on April 9, Jean responded “No comment.”