'It was apparently a timing issue': Brian Jean on mayoral endorsement confusion
UCP leadership candidate says he spoke too soon revealing endorsement by mayor of Rimbey, Alta.
Former Wildrose Party leader and current United Conservative Party leadership candidate Brian Jean said he jumped the gun announcing a campaign endorsement from the mayor of a central Alberta town.
In a press release Wednesday, Jean revealed endorsements by Rocky Mountain House Mayor Fred Nash, former Sundre mayor Myron Thompson and Rick Pankiw, mayor of Rimbey.
"I believe most of my entire Town of Rimbey supports Brian all the way to become our leader of not only the United Conservative Party but the next premier of Alberta. I am proud to say I support Brian Jean," read a statement from Pankiw included in Jean's release.
But, as Postmedia reports, Pankiw distanced himself from Jean's campaign hours after the announcement, saying he is endorsing no leadership candidate and his quote was from a personal text to Jean and was never meant to be made public.
"It was apparently a timing issue," Jean said Thursday at an event held by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. "That was the quote from Mr. Pankiw … but he wanted it released at a different time."
CBC News contacted Pankiw but he declined to comment on the record.
Mixed messages
Jean confirmed he received the quote directly from Pankiw in a text message and there were "no restrictions on it to send out."
Postmedia said Pankiw turned down a request from Jean's campaign to publicly endorse the candidate, while Jean says Pankiw simply wanted it released "later in time."
Jean said he respects Pankiw's wish not to endorse his leadership bid, adding he is backed by "the majority" of the UCP caucus.
"We have the endorsements of the people I'm really looking for, and that is the everyday Albertan that wants their taxes lowered and, frankly, a better quality of life," Jean said.
Carbon tax pledge
Jean was in Calgary on Thursday with fellow UCP leadership candidates Jason Kenney and Doug Schweitzer to sign a "taxpayer protection pledge."
All three candidates agreed that, if elected, they would commit to scrapping Alberta's carbon tax within 100 days of becoming leader. The candidates also pledged to balance the provincial budget.
Colin Craig, interim Alberta director of the tax federation, said the group surveyed supporters across the province and found "it was abundantly clear" that Albertans want to remove the carbon tax.
All three candidates said they are committed to eliminating the carbon tax and said they would challenge the federal government if it tries to establish a provincial carbon tax on Alberta.
With files from Dan McGarvey