CALGARY – Wildrose Leader Brian Jean says he has no regrets about asking his members for approval at the party’s annual general meeting in Calgary this weekend.
The Opposition leader requested it after May’s provincial election in which the party won 21 seats after entering the campaign with five.
The Wildrose added another seat in a Calgary byelection.
Jean says there has to be a leadership review every three years under the party constitution and he thought it was a good time to ask supporters to rate his performance.
He says it’s a chance to speak up for anyone who has a problem with the job he’s been doing since taking over as leader earlier this year.
Jean says the party is coming off its most trying year ever following a floor-crossing last December by former leader Danielle Smith and several MLAs to join what was then the Progressive Conservative government.
Policy discussions will be closed to the media this weekend to allow delegates a chance to speak their minds.
“I asked for a leadership review because it’s necessary under the constitution rules. Once every three years we have to have a review and I thought since it was going to be this year or next year it would be most appropriate to actually have members be able to give their opinion on how the leader did after a general election and after a byelection. Since I became leader we’ve had a general election where we’ve performed very well and we had a byelection where I think we performed exceedingly well and both of those ought to give our membership an opportunity to tell me how they think I’ve done. If they think I should have done better that’s there opportunity and if they think that I’ve done great that’s there opportunity to give me their seal of approval. I would suggest Wildrose is coming off of our most trying year in the history of the party and I couldn’t be more proud of our 22 MLAs and the opportunity for our members to discuss policy.”
- Toronto’s offices are emptying out. The city wants to know what to do with them
- Capital gains changes could have ‘irreversible’ effects, business groups warn
- Could notwithstanding clause be used on abortion? Poilievre’s office says ‘never’
- U.K. takes aim at allies like Canada, wants higher NATO targets
The AGM is taking place at the Coast Plaza Hotel and Conference Centre in the northeast.
Brian Jean will face the first test of his Wildrose leadership Friday as party members gather behind closed doors to plot Wildrose’s future after the most tumultuous year in its history.
The Wildrose annual general meeting, which runs Friday and Saturday in Calgary, will include a leadership review vote after Jean addresses delegates.
The last leadership review was held in 2013 and party rules require such a vote at least once every three years.
But Jean asked for the review now since the AGM closely follows this year’s provincial election, which saw Wildrose win 21 seats and form the official Opposition.
READ MORE: Notley spars with opponents over layoffs; says no ‘magic wand’ to fix it
Comments