Brian Jean

Brian Jean
Jean in 2015
Minister of Energy and Minerals
Assumed office
June 9, 2023
PremierDanielle Smith
Preceded byPeter Guthrie
Minister of Jobs, Economy and Northern Development
In office
October 21, 2022 – June 9, 2023
PremierDanielle Smith
Preceded byTanya Fir (Jobs, Economy and Innovation)
Succeeded byMatt Jones
Leader of the Opposition of Alberta
In office
May 5, 2015 – July 24, 2017
Preceded byHeather Forsyth
Succeeded byNathan Cooper
Leader of the Wildrose Party
In office
March 28, 2015 – July 24, 2017
Preceded byHeather Forsyth (interim)
Succeeded byNathan Cooper (as interim leader of the UCP)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
In office
February 7, 2006 – March 26, 2011
MinisterLawrence Cannon
John Baird
Chuck Strahl
Denis Lebel
Preceded byCharles Hubbard
Succeeded byPierre Poilievre
Parliamentary constituencies
Member of the
Legislative Assembly of Alberta
for Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche
(Fort McMurray-Conklin; 2015–2018)
Assumed office
March 15, 2022
Preceded byLaila Goodridge
In office
May 5, 2015 – March 5, 2018
Preceded byDon Scott
Succeeded byLaila Goodridge
Member of Parliament
for Fort McMurray—Athabasca
(Athabasca; 2004–2006)
In office
June 28, 2004 – January 17, 2014
Preceded byDavid Chatters
Succeeded byDavid Yurdiga
Personal details
Born
Brian Michael Jean

(1963-02-03) February 3, 1963 (age 61)
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
Political partyUnited Conservative Party
Other political
affiliations
Conservative (federal)
Wildrose (provincial; until 2017)
Spouse
Kimberley Michelutti
(m. 2016)
Residence(s)Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada
Alma materWarner Pacific College
Bond University
University of Calgary
Occupation
  • Politician
  • lawyer
Websitebrianjean.ca

Brian Michael Jean KC ECA MLA (born February 3, 1963) is a Canadian politician who has previously served as Alberta's and Minister of Jobs, Economy and Northern Development. On June 9, 2023 Jean was appointed as Alberta's Minister of Energy and Minerals, with Larry Kaumeyer as his Deputy-Minister, the former CEO of Ducks Unlimited. He has served as member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche since March 16, 2022. He was leader of the Opposition and the last leader of the Wildrose Party from 2015 to 2017 before its merger into the United Conservative Party (UCP). Jean was a member of Parliament (MP) with the Conservative Party from 2004 to 2014 before entering provincial politics.

Jean worked as a lawyer in Fort McMurray for 11 years before he was elected to Parliament, where he represented Athabasca from 2004 to 2006 and Fort McMurray—Athabasca from 2006 to 2014, when he resigned from the House of Commons. He returned to political life in February 2015 when he announced that he would seek the leadership of the Wildrose Party. He was elected party leader on March 28, 2015. In the 2015 provincial election, Jean was elected in the provincial riding of Fort McMurray-Conklin and became the leader of the Opposition as the Wildrose Party formed the Official Opposition to the governing Alberta New Democratic Party (NDP). Jean ceased to lead the Wildrose Party merged with the Progressive Conservatives (PCs) to become the United Conservative Party in 2017 and ran to be leader of the new party, losing to Jason Kenney. He resigned his seat in the Alberta legislature on March 5, 2018.

Jean re-entered provincial politics after winning a by-election on March 16, 2022. Upon Premier Kenney's resignation announcement on May 18, 2022, Jean declared his candidacy in the United Conservative party leadership election, which took place on October 6, 2022.[1] He finished third on the first ballot with 11 percent of the vote, ultimately losing to Danielle Smith after his elimination from the sixth and final ballot.[2]

  1. ^ McDermott, Vincent (May 25, 2022). "Jean confident in UCP's preparedness for 2023 provincial election as leadership campaign begins". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  2. ^ "Danielle Smith wins UCP leadership race, to be next Alberta premier". Global News. Retrieved March 18, 2023.