September 06, 2017

Fiscal leadership questions: Jean brings $322K Wildrose debt into newly united party

Holly NicholasRebel Commentator

As the dust settles from the unification of the Wildrose and Progressive Conservative parties, leadership candidate Brian Jean is being blamed for saddling the new United Conservative Party with $322,000 in debt.

Jean led the Wildrose Party which brought almost one third of a million in debt into the new UCP. As a result of that shortfall, seven staff members have been laid off, mostly from the former Wildrose caucus.

He is also being accused of hiring extra staff to get a head start on his leadership campaign.

The UCP had 38 staffers for 28 MLAs before layoffs, and now those laid off staff members are speaking out.

Watch as I report what’s being said about this situation and why those speaking out lay the blame at Brian Jean’s feet.

This, added to other issues of financial accountability, may be a tough sell for Jean’s leadership campaign.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but all of this happened under the leadership of Brian Jean and it’s important for leaders to take responsibility.

If this is what he has to offer, how is it different from what we’ve been getting from past leaders and what we have right now with the NDP?

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commented 2017-09-07 01:22:05 -0400

Andrew nope, the Rebel is showing integrity and criticizing conservative politicians , the trolls always say they never do that , but they do.

commented 2017-09-06 21:49:30 -0400

Reveals that Jean is a sleazy politician.

commented 2017-09-06 21:26:46 -0400

I think Brian Jean was able to increase the WR party because of the wild free for all state of mind the voters were in for the last election. Remember the voters were ticked off that Danielle Smith and friends crossed the floor, and Prentice kept insulting the voters. How did Jean manage to wrack up that kind of debt? I’d like to see the books because I thought they had a stash of money from funds raised for the party. Something stinks!

commented 2017-09-06 20:53:03 -0400

Hi Holly. I love how you hammer conservative politicians for their wrong doings.

commented 2017-09-06 19:42:43 -0400

I’m not an Albertan, however I’ve followed Fildebrandt for years. He is young, experienced and can be wild.
What a winner he would be for Albertans, after Redford and Notley.
I can not stand Jason Kenney when it comes to anything regarding Immigration , but if Alberta and or other Western Provinces SEPARATED, Kenney’s experience would be irreplaceable.

commented 2017-09-06 17:48:36 -0400

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commented 2017-09-06 17:46:42 -0400

I still like Jean, he did good duty for a party on the ropes under tough personal circumstances. However, I do look at the fact he never rose to ministerial rank under Harper, and there must have been a reason for being overlooked. Granted, Jean was a parliamentary secretary 2006-11 but not re-appointed for the majority government.

But I do support for Jean for purely sentimental reasons. Not the best reasons to decide a leader, but realistically what other reasons has the leadership race produced? It is as if the unification was the big vote and everyone in UCP will be happy with whoever is leader, including the candidates themselves.

commented 2017-09-06 17:11:13 -0400

Well said Flat Earth.

commented 2017-09-06 17:11:12 -0400

Well said Flat Earth.

commented 2017-09-06 15:19:54 -0400

Derek Fildebrandt was a much better man for the position and his shortfalls weren’t even illegal or this morally challenged.. Brian jeans Frankenstein amalgamation of the two parties benefits only a small group of people while convincing hundreds of thousands that this is the be-all end-all of what Alberta needs.!! I am glad I am old but I feel sorry for the world-class stupid’s that support the changes sweeping not only our nation but the world as well..

commented 2017-09-06 12:13:25 -0400

These issues were always there. Conservative politicians are still politicians first and foremost. Were they any good at any sort of real job, they’d have one. The only difference is, you don’t like the leadership and are not putting them on a pedestal that allows you to ignore it this time around.