'I cleaned up Danielle's mess last time. People are forgetting that, I think,' says Jean
Author of the article: Don Braid • Calgary Herald
Publishing date: Sep 26, 2022 •
UCP leadership candidate Brian Jean.
PHOTO BY GREG SOUTHAM /Postmedia
He’s, of course, talking about Danielle Smith, who seems to be leading the leadership race to be premier, although nobody can be really sure until votes are counted Oct. 6.
After Smith led eight Wildrose MLAs across the floor to join the Progressive Conservatives in December 2014 (two had already defected), Jean stepped up and won the Wildrose leadership she abandoned
“The turmoil she left was incredible,” Jeans says, “and the best predictor of the future is the record of the past.”
He feels Smith’s current support, especially over the Sovereignty Act, is driven by party members “who want to talk about blowing things up. They want things to happen even if they’re chaotic, even if they don’t work. That’s what worries me about what’s happening in this vote.”
Jean argues that his plan for dealing with Ottawa — forcing national talks by invoking Section 46 of the Constitution — is not only legal but far more effective.
“Section 46 is clear. We’ve got everything we need to do that. If I’m premier, it will happen on Day 1.
“This will be the most aggressive and realistic approach ever taken by any Alberta premier, by any Alberta leader.”
He calls Smith’s proposal a “gimmick.”
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He’s, of course, talking about Danielle Smith, who seems to be leading the leadership race to be premier, although nobody can be really sure until votes are counted Oct. 6.
After Smith led eight Wildrose MLAs across the floor to join the Progressive Conservatives in December 2014 (two had already defected), Jean stepped up and won the Wildrose leadership she abandoned
“The turmoil she left was incredible,” Jeans says, “and the best predictor of the future is the record of the past.”
He feels Smith’s current support, especially over the Sovereignty Act, is driven by party members “who want to talk about blowing things up. They want things to happen even if they’re chaotic, even if they don’t work. That’s what worries me about what’s happening in this vote.”
Jean argues that his plan for dealing with Ottawa — forcing national talks by invoking Section 46 of the Constitution — is not only legal but far more effective.
“Section 46 is clear. We’ve got everything we need to do that. If I’m premier, it will happen on Day 1.
“This will be the most aggressive and realistic approach ever taken by any Alberta premier, by any Alberta leader.”
He calls Smith’s proposal a “gimmick.”
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Back in 2014, “her entire caucus was falling apart” because of her lack of leadership, he says. “People were already leaving. That never happened to me.”
Wildrose was supposed to disappear with the floor-crossing, according to Smith herself. She even sent a letter to the party advising it to wind itself up and rush to the PCs.
Smith seemed to have no earthly idea of the explosion she would detonate. Thousands of loyalists who donated money, worked in campaigns, ran for nominations — anything to beat the PCs they’d come to loathe — were enraged. They saw nothing less than betrayal.
After Jean took over, the party with only five leftover MLAs won 21 seats in the 2015 election.
Wildrose was stronger than ever. But the PCs were decimated — and the NDP was in government.
Smith has since acknowledged that the deal with the PCs was “very, very naive,” and blamed the then-PC premier, the late Jim Prentice.
Premier Jim Prentice and Danielle Smith speak at a press conference on Jan. 24, 2015.
Postmedia archive photo
But the NDP victory was in many ways down to her. She destabilized the conservative movement only months before an election.
Jean had retired from federal politics after years as an MP in the Stephen Harper government. He was so incensed at Smith’s action that he threw himself into the rushed Wildrose contest to replace interim leader Heather Forsyth.
Forsyth and four other Wildrose MLAs had refused to cross. She did not intend to run again.
The very evening Jean won the leadership in March 2015, Smith faced a vote for the PC nomination in her Highwood riding.
She lost. People at the Jean event cheered louder for news of Smith’s defeat than Jean’s victory.
The raw emotions of that time are indelible to anyone familiar with what happened, either as a participant or a close observer.
It seems incredible, as former Wildrose and UCP staffer James Johnson has pointed out, that many of the very people who were furious at Smith then are supporting her now.
It happened more than seven years ago. Memories fade, views change. Smith herself has been masterful at rebottling the anger once aimed at her.
“Danielle Smith never lets a good grievance go to waste,” as Johnson noted in a CBC piece.
Jean says many party members still haven’t voted. In the end, he feels, “people know me and I think they will vote for me. They know they can trust me.
“I do think I’m the only person who can stop Danielle.”
Smith has never been a very successful politician. Many still blame her for the 2012 Wildrose loss to the PC party led by Alison Redford.
But she just might erase all that on Oct. 6. Predicability is not one of her qualities.
Don Braid’s column appears regularly in the Calgary Herald.
But the NDP victory was in many ways down to her. She destabilized the conservative movement only months before an election.
Jean had retired from federal politics after years as an MP in the Stephen Harper government. He was so incensed at Smith’s action that he threw himself into the rushed Wildrose contest to replace interim leader Heather Forsyth.
Forsyth and four other Wildrose MLAs had refused to cross. She did not intend to run again.
The very evening Jean won the leadership in March 2015, Smith faced a vote for the PC nomination in her Highwood riding.
She lost. People at the Jean event cheered louder for news of Smith’s defeat than Jean’s victory.
The raw emotions of that time are indelible to anyone familiar with what happened, either as a participant or a close observer.
It seems incredible, as former Wildrose and UCP staffer James Johnson has pointed out, that many of the very people who were furious at Smith then are supporting her now.
It happened more than seven years ago. Memories fade, views change. Smith herself has been masterful at rebottling the anger once aimed at her.
“Danielle Smith never lets a good grievance go to waste,” as Johnson noted in a CBC piece.
Jean says many party members still haven’t voted. In the end, he feels, “people know me and I think they will vote for me. They know they can trust me.
“I do think I’m the only person who can stop Danielle.”
Smith has never been a very successful politician. Many still blame her for the 2012 Wildrose loss to the PC party led by Alison Redford.
But she just might erase all that on Oct. 6. Predicability is not one of her qualities.
Don Braid’s column appears regularly in the Calgary Herald.
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