Can a person be a leader who unifies when his preceding experience was divisive?

Dear editor,

The recent byelection in northeastern Alberta has to be a Canadian first. Brian Jean, the UCP MLA, has as his main goal to unseat Premier Jason Kenney.

Then he wants to be the leader to unify the party, to represent the grassroots and to win the next provincial election. He believes Rachel Notley fears him, but it is doubtful she loses much sleep over him. He will rebuild the United Conservative Party and its policies because, in his words, he can make good decisions.

Yet, it seems more an opportunity to settle a score with Kenney when he is in a desperate fight for his survival. Can a person be a leader who unifies when his preceding experience was divisive?

Brian Jean’s approach appears to be a throwback to the days of the Wildrose Party. Once the late Link Byfield, founder of the Wildrose, relinquished the leadership to Danielle Smith, she and her team of overinflated egos with very elementary political knowhow set the course to selfdestruct. And, Brian Jean was at the helm when it sunk.

The movement was a mishmash of too many political wannabes. They liked their cliches — “grassroots” and “majority of Albertans” — but in practice they were more like stumbling bumpkins. Of course, southeastern Albertans haven’t had far to look to see that kind of political drama.

In hindsight, Jason Kenney’s move to merge the PC Party with the Wildrose rather than rebuild the PC Party itself has now come to fruition. It was a mismatch with those misfits right from the start. The Conservative drama continues to preoccupy and to better ensure an opposition role.

Larry Samcoe Medicine Hat