The local city councillor is seeking the nomination for the Alberta Liberal Party in the upcoming provincial election.
McLean also ran in 2012, earning 4.85Â per cent of the vote, but says he’ll be campaigning more aggressively this time around.
“I never said this, because I was quite nice last election to all parties, is that the Wildrose Party is really a conservative party. A lot of the money and votes that went towards the Wildrose should have just went to the Conservatives. A lot of people that thought they were voting for change with the Wildrose, you were wrong, because it wasn’t the change that you thought.”
He says his top priorities include education, the new hospital in Grande Prairie, and improving Highway 40.
“This government is not a proactive government; they’re retroactive. Rumours I heard they should be building a school every year in the City of Grande Prairie for the next 10 years; this is how far behind they are. They’re not ahead, and if they’re talking about hurting the teachers that have had no raises for three years, I stood for the teachers three years ago.”
He also plans to speak about funding differences with the County of Grande Prairie and the MD of Greenview.
McLean says he’s lucky he’s able to take a leave of absence from city hall, and has the support of his employer and his wife.
“A lot of people are scared of losing their job or speaking out. A lot of people don’t want to speak in public; they’re terrified. But you also feel like you never change it; it’s never going to change, and I believe we can. There’s always a chance, and why would I want to run if I didn’t think there’s a chance.”
The region has been a stronghold for the Progressive Conservative Party for decades, but McLean argues the community is vastly different than it was back in the early 90s.