UCP Associate Minister of Natural Gas and Electricity Dale Nally said “wannabe leader” Brian Jean — newly elected MLA for Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche — is unfit to lead the party..In a column published by the Western Standard, Nally slammed Jean for saying he would have welcomed NDP Opposition leader Rachel Notley into the COVID-19 decision-making process had he been running the province..Nally — speaking to the UCP’s handling of the pandemic — said, “Alberta struck the right balance of preventing deaths and protecting our economy” and said under Notley’s direction, Albertans would have seen more severe measures, including continued masking of kids in schools..“So what are you for, Brian? Never-ending lockdowns and crippling economic damage?” said Nally..Nally said he wasn’t shocked by the NDP’s demand for “more businesses to close and classes to be cancelled.”.“What did shock me, however, was hearing Brian Jean — only hours after becoming a UCP MLA — say he would have had Ms. Notley at the cabinet table making decisions on COVID-19 if he were premier,” said Nally..“I honestly couldn’t believe my ears — and judging by the response to Mr. Jean’s olive branch to the NDP’s hardcore lockdown approach, I’m not alone.”.Nally said while Premier Jason Kenney worked to bring a balanced approach to public health orders and restrictions, “the NDP opposed it all.”.“If Mr. Jean was calling the shots on COVID with Ms. Notley at his side, there’s no telling how much more misery and suffering the two of them would have inflicted on Albertans,” said Nally..“That Brian Jean — someone who aspires to lead our party — would hand any kind of decision-making authority to Rachel Notley shows a shocking lack of judgment and, in my view, makes him unfit to sit in our caucus let alone lead it.”.Nally’s criticism of Jean doesn’t end there. He slammed Jean for supporting environmental extremists calling for a slowing of oil sands development while serving as a member of parliament for Fort McMurray..As the leader of the Wildrose Party, Nally said Jean supported bringing in a carbon tax. In 2017, Jean was critical of former Premier Ralph Klein in an email to party supporters, whereas Nally said most conservatives “consider Ralph a hero for slaying the debt and deficit.”.“Not only will I not support Brian Jean as leader, but I am concerned with the distraction that this presents to our party,” said Nally..“We need to focus on beating Rachel Notley in 2023. We should not be spending valuable time and resources on a leadership that we don’t need, at a time when we can’t afford it.”.“I will not support a Brian Jean-Rachel Notley alliance. I will support Jason Kenney.”.Melanie Risdon is a reporter with the Western Standard.,.mrisdon@westernstandardonline.com
