Jean says he'd change rules for MLAs

United Conservative Party (UCP) leadership candidate Brian Jean says if he becomes leader of the party he'll work to change the rules in the legislature about what can and cannot be claimed as expenses.

Jean made that statement in an interview with reporters during a campaign stop at the A & W in Olds this past Thursday.

He was reacting to the fact that Derek Fildebrandt, an outspoken member of the UCP, resigned last week after a series of scandals involving rental of his taxpayer-funded home on Airbnb, allegedly double-billing for food expenses, and claiming a living allowance while rooming for a while with Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre MLA Jason Nixon.

He is also alleged to have been involved in a hit and run. He's fighting that allegation in court.

Fildebrandt said the meal receipt expenses were due to administrative errors and pledged to reimburse the province for any overage.

Last week, Fildebrandt resigned from the UCP caucus.

"I'm a flawed man and I can do better," he said in a social media post.

"I'm very disappointed first of all," Jean told reporters during the stop in Olds. "But I'll tell you, the rules always need to change, because they need to reflect ñ to make sure that we have ethics in government.

"There are a few places (where) we would change the rules," he said.

"I actually spoke about this during the last election process and I talked specifically, there were rules that I wanted to change. In fact, the NDP agreed with me during one of their own announcements, and they haven't changed those rules yet, but I would like to see them do so."

However, Jean said in the end, MLAs have to do what's ethically right ñ not just stay within the rules.

"Ethics is beyond just rules," he said. "I mean there are lots of things you do that are not specifically ruled out. You need to make sure that you continue to be ethical, you continue to represent your people and always ask yourself, ëwould my constituents appreciate me doing this?'

"And that's what I always do and that's what I've been doing for almost 14 years now. And that's what I ask myself, ëwould my constituents appreciate me buying this on their money, because it's their money, it's not mine.'

"If I want to spend my money, then I have the right to do that. But I don't have the right to spend constituents' money except for how constituents approve me doing," he added.

Jean was asked if he becomes leader, would he let Fildebrandt back into the party?

"Well you know, I'm not going to deal with hypotheticals and I especially won't deal with a hypothetical that doesn't take into consideration what the local constituents want, because for me, I really, truly believe in democracy," he said.

"I believe the local members of our party and the local constituents within his riding should make that decision, just like they're going to make the decision for me and every single other MLA across the province if they're going to get that privilege.

"So I think first of all I need to make sure we respect that, and we'll see the final outcome of these issues in relation to Mr. Fildebrandt in the near future, including of course the trial that's coming up in September," he added.

Late last week, the UCP announced that it had found $557.30 in invalid payments during an internal audit of its MLAs' expenses. Like Fildebrandt himself, the party said those invalid payments were the result of "administrative errors."

"All UCP MLAs with anomalies in their expenses have reimbursed the Crown and are taking additional steps to ensure proper due diligence in the future," interim leader and Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills MLA Nathan Cooper said in a news release.

The party said its caucus will create draft recommendations to improve the expense system and update the rules. Those recommendations will be brought to a meeting of the members services committee on Sept. 14.