Brian Jean

Brian Michael Jean (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.

Jean was born in Kelowna, British Columbia, and moved to Fort McMurray, Alberta in 1967 when he was four years old.

His mother, Frances Jean founded Fort McMurray's first newspaper in this same year, as well as City Centre Group, Inc., a business that primarily owns car-washes, car-detailing services, and some commercial office space rentals.

City Centre Group, Inc. also owns Alberta Local History Publishing, a small-scale publishing house with titles focused on the "determination, adventure, and [...] new frontier" history of Northern Alberta.

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.

Jean was first elected to the House of Commons as a Conservative Party of Canada candidate in the riding of Athabasca in 2004, sitting in the Official Opposition to Paul Martin's Liberal government.

Despite frequently claiming to have a poor working-class background, Jean stated as recently as 2006 that his family's net-worth grew in just 10 years from "$2 million to $20 million".

Jean has a Bachelor of Science degree from Warner Pacific College in Portland, Oregon, and Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Laws degrees from Bond University in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

He also attended the law school at the University of Calgary, where he received qualification to be admitted to the Law Society of Alberta.

This allowed him to practice law for 11 years in Fort McMurray prior to his political career.

Jean has worked as a farmhand, a printer's assistant, a businessperson, a lawyer, and an inspirational speaker.

In his community, Jean served as the chairman of the Children's Health Foundation in Northern Alberta, chair of the Alberta Summer Games, president of the Fort McMurray Downtown Business Association, and director of the Fort McMurray Chamber of Commerce.

He currently sits on the advisory board of Barkuna Capital, a Calgary-based financial institution that describes itself as "More Than Merchant Banking".

He was re-elected in the renamed riding of Fort McMurray—Athabasca in 2006, when the Conservatives formed government under Stephen Harper.

In February 2006, Jean was appointed as the parliamentary secretary to minister of transport, infrastructure and communities, Lawrence Cannon.

Jean was re-elected again in 2008 and 2011.

After the 2011 election, he declined reappointment as parliamentary secretary in order to focus on his constituency needs.

In the House of Commons, Jean served on the Finance, Justice, and Industry Committees.

The party retained its standing as Official Opposition in the legislature, growing its caucus from 17 in 2012, and 5 at dissolution, to 21.

For the first time in Alberta history, the NDP formed government, with Rachel Notley becoming the premier of Alberta.

This marked the end of 43 years of government by the Progressive Conservatives.

On January 10, 2014, Jean announced that he would be resigning his seat on January 17, 2014, to return to private life in Fort McMurray.

The Wildrose Party was in disarray in late 2014 after eleven MLAs, including leader Danielle Smith, crossed the floor to the ruling Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta.

A leadership election was organized to choose a new leader and Jean was encouraged to run.

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).

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 entered the race on February 25, 2015.

He was elected party leader on March 28, 2015, with 55 per cent of the vote, defeating Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Drew Barnes and former Strathcona County mayor Linda Osinchuk.

The 2015 Alberta election was held on May 5, 2015, less than two months after Jean became Wildrose leader.

On August 30, 2016, Jean was hosting a forum in Fort McMurray when a local advocate for seniors complained about the quality of housing and health care for seniors.

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.

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.