A man who says “since I was 14 years old I wanted to be a Member of Parliament representing you in Ottawa,” will carry the Conservative banner in the Athabasca constituency when Prime Minister Paul Martin drops the writ sometime later this year.
Ft McMurray lawyer Brian Jean won the nomination by a 232-174 count on the second ballot last Thursday, Dave Kirschner membership/voting director for the riding’s nomination committee reported to The Leader Friday morning.
The nomination came after candidate debates and voting in Slave Lake last Tuesday, Grassland the following evening and Ft. McMurray Thursday night.
An estimated 30 individuals showed up for the Slave Lake meeting and 70 in Grassland.
And finally, between 400 and 500 arrived at the Sawridge Inn and Conference Centre in Fort McMurray to hear the debate, a message of thanks from outgoing Conservative representative and Member of Parliament Dave Chatters, and finally, the vote.
“We’re up against a savvy three-time mayor in Ft. McMurray,” Jean told party members at the nominating meetings. That’s why he urged members to select an effective person to replace Dave Chatters who was ‘moved’ to another constituency as the boundary lines were re-drawn last year.
Interviewed hours after the victory, Jean predicted his next move will be “straight ahead to Ottawa.
“I want to form the next government. I will work really hard” to defeat Liberal contender Doug Faulkner when Martin announces the election, he said.
“I want to go to Ottawa and make ‘Alberta and the whole country a better place.”
To make that happen, the 41-year-old said he’s “counting on a good turnout from the people down south – in Slave Lake, Athabasca and High Prairie — to convince their friends and neighbours across Canada” that a Conservative win is the only option.
Admitting his name is not exactly a household word in the southern parts of the constituency, Jean promised to rectify the situation in the near future.
“I’m eternally grateful for the support down there an I’ll be taking my boat down there to meet and greet the new Conservative members all summer.”
Jean was likewise grateful when supporters for candidates Tom Griffin and Blake Robert were quick to offer their support when the final ballots were counted.
“We’re going to be a great team,” he added.
At the nominating meeting last week, Jean told the audience the Conservatives are working hard to form the next government.
“Canadian taxpayers are fed up with paying too much in taxes and getting nothing in return,” he said. There is irresponsible management of our tax dollars and gross stupidity in Ottawa.” Specifically, Jean added, “they’re spending $2 million on fancy planes and $2 billion on a gun registry. And they’ve paid others $100 million just for passing cheques.”
Pledging a love for “Northern Alberta, its people and its culture,” the lawyer who has several degrees to his credit added he’s done everything from “cleaning bathrooms” in the family business to logging, farming and instructing at Keyano College in Ft. McMurray.
A member of the Conservative Party since 1979, and the Alliance Party since 1993, his community involvement has been extensive in the past two decades.

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