United Conservative Party leadership hopeful Brian Jean is paying a visit to High River tomorrow evening.
According to a flyer circulating on social media, Jean will be at the Bandstand Stage in George Lane Park (343 Macleod Trail SW) for a meet and greet from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Aug. 11. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own lawn chair.
In the event of rain, the event will take place in the Sheppard Family Park Barn at 205-5 St. SE in High River.
The former Wildroser is arriving in town one day before the membership purchasing deadline. The Oct. 6 vote is open to all current UCP members and will be held via mail-in ballot and day-of voting.
Jean was once a Conservative MP for Fort McMurray-Athabasca prior to his retirement from federal politics in 2014. Upon his return, he became leader of Alberta's Wildrose Party prior to the merger with the Progressive Conservatives in 2017.
On May 18, Premier Jason Kenney announced he would be stepping down from the helm following the election of a new leader after receiving just 51.4 per cent support from party members in a leadership review.
Jean submitted his candidacy paperwork the same day.
Earlier this year, he undertook his bid to return to the provincial politics scene after departing in 2017. Jean ran for the seat in Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche on the premise of replacing Kenney, though his fate had yet to be decided at the time Jean won the by-election in March.
High River is located in the Livingstone-Macleod riding, currently held by MLA Roger Reid.
Perceived leadership race front-runner and former Wildrose colleague, Danielle Smith, has said she intends to run for Reid's spot in the May 2023 provincial election.
Jean has run on a platform of Albertan autonomy, similar to that of Smith, although Jean has said his proposal is different.
"The difference between my proposal and Danielle's is that if I succeed on even a few of these step the injuries of the past get corrected," says a graphic post to Jean's website.
The post continues to say that Smith's Alberta Sovereignty Act is "only defensive for the future – it surrenders on everything that has already happened."
