UCP leadership hopeful Jean visits Lethbridge ahead of membership deadline

“I provide them with the vision I have for a better Alberta, and how people can get involved . I’m visiting the Lethbridge Seniors Centre today, like I do every time I visit town. Talking with seniors and listening to them is incredibly important for me,” Jean continued. “They’ve been around for a long time, and if we look at bad things that’ve happened in the past, we can work to prevent it from happening again. At the same time, if we look at some of the good things that happened in the past, we can work on bringing those things back.”

Jean says the seniors he’s talked to have told him, frankly, the amount of money they have in their pockets today is less than a few years ago.

He took the opportunity at that point to discuss the federal government’s proposed tax changes that have dominated headlines lately.

“Due to taxation changes from various levels of government, people are concerned about the future and I share those concerns. I think Trudeau is going the wrong way on this issue and he needs to stop. He’s changing the laws in relation to small business and family farms which is going to have a tremendously negative impact on the way of life in Alberta,” Jean stated.

He told local members of the media it’s one of the biggest issues he’s hearing consistently from people as he travels around the province.

Jean has been to Lethbridge quite a few times over the past few months, and says despite the city being one of the more stable during the economic downturn, business leaders still voice concerns to him about the future.

“Everybody likes getting the oil and gas revenues when the industry is booming. I believe that a strong Calgary means a strong Lethbridge, and a strong Lethbridge means a strong Edmonton which means a strong Fort McMurray. We’re stronger together than we are separate, so we have to worry about the local economies throughout the province,” he continued to say.

“It’s imperative to me that we get our oil and gas sector going, and at the same time we invest in things that are going to give us the long term payoff which is our renewable industries like farming and agriculture. We need to make sure those industries are competitive so we can continue to have the good quality of life we have,” Jean said.

Jean also spoke about lowering taxes for corporations to 10 per cent during a two-year period, and small businesses down to 1 per cent.

“Small businesses are opened by Albertans, so the best way to stimulate the economy and get people back to work is to give them the opportunity they need to get started,” Jean said.

On both his Twitter and Facebook accounts the past few days, Jean has been making a concerted effort to talk about education in Alberta and was asked today about his issues and what he would do if elected leader.

“The most important thing we would change is to make sure parents are always in charge of their children’s education, that means they need to have choice in education so they can pick the proper path for their kids,” Jean said adding that as a father himself he knows children aren’t made equal and they all learn differently.

“I also think we need to get back to basics when it comes to teaching things like math and science. 30 years ago we had the best education system in the country, now we’re number 5 behind Quebec. We need to help our children be more competitive, look at where we are today in Lethbridge,” Jean continued. “Within 100 kilometres we have tons of natural resources, tons of opportunities for people to create wealth and yet if the government keeps getting in the way with regulations those opportunities won’t be fulfilled.”

Jean believes that removing regulatory burdens doesn’t mean removing safety, health or environment standards.

“It just means that everyday people like me can understand, and more regular people in Alberta need a voice in the government. If I’m successful in my bid for the leadership, people’s voices will be heard,” Jean said.

There’s only ten days remaining for anyone interested in deciding who will become the leader of the UCP to sign up as a member for $10.

Jean says most Albertans believe the leader of this party, whoever it may be, will be the next Premier of this province.

Other contenders in the running for leader include former federal MP Jason Kenney, and a lawyer from Calgary by the name of Doug Schweitzer.

When asked what a UCP party led by Jean would do for Albertans, as opposed to the other candidates, Jean decided against any attacks and spoke about his vision.

“They both bring good ideas to the table, and each have strengths. I believe that what I am is a real Albertan, I’ve lived her for 50 years and raised my family in Fort McMurray. I think Alberta is the greatest place in the world. I’ve raised dog teams, worked on a farm, I’ve been a lawyer, opened a handful of businesses, represented Alberta at the federal level and then as the leader of the official opposition. I think my experience in a bunch of different fields helps me connect with everyday people. Albertans need to be a part of the political process, and if I’m chosen as leader of this party, I’ll make sure they have a seat at the table moving forward,” Jean finished.

by Aaron Mahoney (@Mahones93 on Twitter)

UCP leadership hopeful Jean visits Lethbridge ahead of membership deadline

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