United Conservative Party leadership hopeful Brian Jean is promising to balance Alberta’s budget within three years by cutting government spending, jobs and pay rates.
READ MORE: United Conservative Party becomes official opposition, selects caucus leadership team
Jean’s plan calls for an immediate $2.6 billion spending reduction if the party wins the next provincial election expected in 2019.
He says a UCP government would cut the number of managers and save money by eliminating other jobs through early retirements and attrition.
READ MORE: New Alberta conservative party meets, but loses caucus member
Jean also says once union contracts expire a UCP government would negotiate new deals that would pay new employees at lower rates.
At the same time Jean is pledging to repeal Alberta’s carbon tax and reduce small-business and corporate taxes.
Members of the party that is replacing the Wildrose and Progressive Conservatives are to vote for a leader on Oct. 28.
READ MORE: A new day in Alberta politics as United Conservative Party emerges
Jason Kenney and conservative strategist Doug Schweitzer have indicated they will also run in the leadership race.
“I am here for all Albertans looking for a common sense economic and fiscal plan that shrinks the size of government and releases the unbridled potential of our economy,” Jean said in a release Tuesday.
Jean’s plan also calls for eliminating the recent cap on Alberta’s greenhouse gas emissions and repealing a law that brought in safety and employment standards for farm and ranch workers.