Tuesday, March 15, 2022

COMING FOR KENNEY'S JOB
Brian Jean back in the Alberta Legislature after claiming byelection win



Sean Amato
CTV News Edmonton
Updated March 15, 2022 

The man working to swipe Premier Jason Kenney’s job took a big step towards that ultimate goal Tuesday night, winning a byelection while carrying the United Conservative Party flag.

Former Wildrose Party leader Brian Jean won the riding of Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche receiving roughly 60 per cent of the vote.

Jean has been calling for the resignation of Kenney for months, insisting that the first-term premier will lose to the opposition NDP in a general election scheduled for May 2023.

The Fort McMurray-based lawyer and businessman has been rallying people to vote against Kenney in an April 9 leadership review, even turning down door knocking help from UCP MLAs in favour of that cause.

Jean, a former MLA and MP, defeated NDP candidate Ariana Mancini Tuesday.

She also finished second to Jean in the 2015 provincial election. Mancini captured roughly 17 per cent of the vote Tuesday.

Jean resigned as a UCP MLA for the area in 2018 after he lost a leadership vote to Jason Kenney in 2017.

Kenney was asked at a news conference in Edmonton Tuesday morning who he'd be rooting for in the contest.

"Well, obviously the United Conservative Party. And obviously I encourage people to get out and vote," he said, not mentioning Jean by name.

Wildrose Independence Party leader Paul Hinman finished third with roughly 11 per cent.

The byelection was triggered when UCP MLA Laila Goodridge resigned to run for a federal seat.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Chelan Skulski


Brian Jean after winning Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche byelection on Tuesday March 15, 2022. (CTV News Edmonton/Sean Amato)
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