Alberta conservatives must unite before October, Brian Jean says

Wildrose Leader Brian Jean says he wants to see a leadership race for a united conservative party before Oct. 15.

"We ultimately want to see one party on the right side of the spectrum … going into the next election," Jean told CBC's Edmonton AM on Monday.

Jean is meeting Monday afternoon in Edmonton with newly-crowned Progressive Conservative leader Jason Kenney to talk about how the two parties will go about uniting conservatives in Alberta.

The meeting will be in private but the two leaders will release a joint statement afterward.

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Kenney is promising to dissolve his party to form a new one with Wildrose supporters.

The new PC leader told reporters Sunday he wants to complete negotiations with the Wildrose Party this spring, with a referendum of party members wrapped up by early summer.

Kenney suggested the new party could hold a founding convention by November.

Jean told CBC's Edmonton AM Monday that Wildrose members are in the "driver's seat," and they have been clear "they want the new entity, whatever it may be, to be under the legal framework of the Wildrose Party."

Changing that framework will require the support of 75 per cent of members, he said.

But whether the new entity is the Wildrose Party or something else, Jean said he is intent on running against Kenney in a contest to lead the party.

"It's no secret I will be trying to win the leadership," he said.

He said conservatives need to be ready for what he believes will be a snap election call next spring.