Brian Jean

Brian Jean
MLA
Leader of the Official Opposition in Alberta
Assumed office
June 1, 2015
Preceded by Heather Forsyth
Leader of the Wildrose Party
Assumed office
March 28, 2015
Preceded by Heather Forsyth (interim)
Member of the Alberta Legislative Assembly
for Fort McMurray-Conklin
Assumed office
May 5, 2015
Preceded by Don Scott
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Fort McMurray—Athabasca
Athabasca (2004-2006)
In office
June 28, 2004 – January 17, 2014
Preceded by David Chatters
Succeeded by David Yurdiga
Personal details
Born Brian Michael Jean
(1963-02-03) February 3, 1963
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
Political party Conservative (federal)
Wildrose (provincial)
Residence Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada (until home destroyed by the recent wildfire in the region)[1]
Alma mater Bond University
Occupation Lawyer
Profession attorney, businessman, farm worker, logger, publisher
Website brianjean.ca

Brian Michael Jean[2] (born February 3, 1963) is a Canadian politician and Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta and the Wildrose Party. Jean was a federal Member of Parliament who represented the riding of Fort McMurray—Athabasca in the House of Commons from 2006 to 2014 and Athabasca from 2004 to 2006.

On February 25, 2015, he returned to political life to enter provincial politics by declaring his candidacy for the leadership of the Wildrose Party.[3] He was elected party leader on March 28, 2015.[4] On May 5, 2015, in result of the 29th Alberta provincial general election, Jean was elected to his seat in Fort McMurray-Conklin to become Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta and the Wildrose Party the Official Opposition in the 29th Legislative Assembly of Alberta.[5]

Background

Jean was born in Kelowna, British Columbia, and moved to Fort McMurray, Alberta when he was five years old in 1968.

Jean has a Bachelor of Science degree from Warner Pacific in Portland, Oregon, a Master of Business Administration degree and a Bachelor of Laws degree from Bond University in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. He also attended the law school at the University of Calgary, where he received Alberta qualification to be admitted to the Law Society of Alberta and practiced law for 11 years in Fort McMurray.

Jean has worked as a farm hand, logger, publisher, businessperson, lawyer, and inspirational speaker. He was the chairman of the Children's Health Foundation in Northern Alberta, chair of the Alberta Summer Games, president of the Downtown Business Association, and director of the Chamber of Commerce.

Federal political career

Jean was elected as a Conservative to the House of Commons of Canada for the riding of Athabasca in 2004. He was re-elected in the renamed riding of Fort McMurray—Athabasca in 2006 when the Harper Conservatives formed a minority government. In February 2006 he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. He was re-elected again in 2008 and again in 2011 and then declined reappointment as parliamentary secretary in order to focus more attention on his increasing constituency needs. He then served on the Finance, Justice, and Industry Committees.

On January 10, 2014, Jean announced that he would be resigning his seat on January 17, 2014 after a decade in parliament in order to return to private life in Fort McMurray.[6][7]

Provincial politics

The Wildrose Party was in disarray in late 2014 after leader Danielle Smith and eight other MLAs defected to the ruling Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta. A leadership election was organized to choose a new leader and Jean was encouraged to run. He was elected party leader on March 28, 2015 with 55 percent of the vote defeating Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Drew Barnes and former Strathcona County Mayor Linda Osinchuk.[4]

On April 15, 2015, Jean disallowed a candidate in Calgary-Varsity for a 2007 blog post critical of organizers for holding a brunch to raise funds for a GLBTQ youth camp in a hall owned by the Roman Catholic archdiocese of Edmonton, Alberta.[8]

On August 30, 2016 Jean, responding to questions about the need for more seniors housing in the city he represents, told an audience he has been "beating this drum" for more than a decade. "I will continue to beat it, I promise," Jean said. "But it's against the law to beat Rachel Notley." He quickly apologized for what he later characterized as an "inappropriate attempt" at humour.[9]

Electoral record

Provincial

Alberta general election, 2015: Fort McMurray-Conklin
Party Candidate Votes%∆%
WildroseBrian Jean 2,950 43.87 +3.71
New DemocraticAriana Mancini 2,071 30.80 23.05
Progressive ConservativeDon Scott 1,497 22.26 −26.69
LiberalMelinda Hollis 207 3.08 0.11
Total valid votes 6,725 –
Total rejected ballots   –
Turnout    
Eligible voters  ––

Federal

Canadian federal election, 2004
Party Candidate Votes%∆%Expenditures
ConservativeBrian Jean 17,942 60.3 -6.40 $84,096
LiberalDoug Faulkner 7,158 24.05 -4.35 $52,713
New DemocraticRobert Cree 3,115 10.46 +7.94 $4,942
GreenIan Hopfe 1,542 5.18 +4.18 $112
Total valid votes 29,757100.00
Total rejected ballots 1120.37+0.07
Turnout 29,86947.85-8.43
Canadian federal election, 2006
Party Candidate Votes%∆%Expenditures
ConservativeBrian Jean 20,342 64.45 +4.16 $59,027
LiberalMel H. Buffalo 4,663 14.77 -9.28 $3,333
New DemocraticRoland Lefort 4,573 14.49 +4.03 $19,091
GreenIan Hopfe 1,547 4.90 -0.28 $8
First Peoples NationalJohn Malcolm 437 1.38 –
Total valid votes 31,549100.00
Total rejected ballots 970.31-0.06
Turnout 31,64648.32+0.47
Canadian federal election, 2008
Party Candidate Votes%∆%Expenditures
ConservativeBrian Jean 17,160 67.12 +2.67 $48,046
New DemocraticMark Voyageur 3,300 12.91 -1.58 $1,853
LiberalJohn Webb 2,710 10.60 -4.17 $5,459
GreenDylan Richards 1,628 6.37 +1.47
IndependentShawn Reimer 350 1.37 – $666
First Peoples NationalJohn Malcolm 233 0.91 -0.47
Christian HeritageJacob Strydhorst 186 0.73 – $733
Total valid votes/Expense limit 25,567 100.00 $101,823
Total rejected ballots 86 0.34+0.03
Turnout 25,65336-12
Canadian federal election, 2011
Party Candidate Votes%∆%Expenditures
ConservativeBrian Jean 21,988 71.84 +4.72 $68,113
New DemocraticBerend Wilting 4,053 13.24 +0.33 $24
LiberalKaren Young 3,230 10.55 -0.05 $20,825
GreenJule Asterisk 1,374 4.49 -1.88 $2,734
Total valid votes/Expense limit 30,605 100.00
Total rejected ballots 144 0.47+0.13
Turnout 30,749 40.75+5
Eligible voters 75,456 ––

References

  1. ↑ news, CBC (4 May 2016). "Wildrose Leader's home among those destroyed by Fort McMurray wildfire".
  2. ↑ http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Riding+profile+Fort+McMurray+Conklin/10999673/story.html[]
  3. ↑ "Brian Jean enters Wildrose leadership race". Calgary Herald. February 25, 2015. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Brian Jean named new Wildrose leader". Edmonton Journal. March 28, 2015. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Brian Jean brings Wildrose back to respectability". Globe and Mail. May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Alberta Conservative MP Brian Jean stepping down". CBC News. January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Conservative MP representing oil sands resigns". Globe and Mail. January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Wildrose leader punts Calgary candidate Russ Kuykendall over remarks about ‘gay activists’"/ Metro, April 15, 2015.
  9. ↑ http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/wildrose-leader-s-beat-rachel-notley-joke-provokes-widespread-condemnation-1.3743095
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