Wildrose Party leadership candidate Brian Jean is suspending his campaign until further notice following the death of his son.
The 24-year-old died after spending a year in hospital with an undisclosed illness.
A statement from Jean’s campaign says scheduled events over the next two days will proceed.
The former head of the Canadian Taxpayers Association, Derek Fildebrandt — who is running for the party in Strathmore-Brooks — will fill in for Jean during his absence.
The new leader of the party will be announced on March 28.
“With profound sadness, on behalf of all my colleagues, I extend my deepest condolences to Brian Jean, his family and his friends,” said Wildrose interim leader Heather Forsyth in a statement.
“All of our hearts are broken by this sudden and unexpected news. The loss of a relative is one of the most devastating experiences a person can face. Brian is a fighter and I’m proud to call him my friend. Wildrose [members] will be here to support Brian and the Jean family in any way we can.”
Jean is a former MP from Fort McMurray. He has said one of the reasons he wants to be a provincial politician is because of what he has seen first-hand in the health-care system.
