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Brian Jean spent his first day on the job as Wildrose leader Sunday preparing for a provincial election by meeting with his party’s candidates — then firing one of them.

The former Conservative MP for Fort McMurray-Athabasca won the Wildrose leadership Saturday, taking 55 per cent of the vote to defeat Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Drew Barnes and former Strathcona County mayor Linda Osinchuk.

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In one of his first moves as leader, Jean removed Bill Jarvis as the Wildrose candidate for Calgary South-East for joking as candidates gathered on stage at the leadership announcement that “we need lots of brown people in the front.”

The remark was caught on an open microphone.

“The comment was disrespectful, and while I accept that Mr. Jarvis did not intend to insult, I will not accept inappropriate statements that fail to show respect for all Albertans,” Jean said in a statement.

Jarvis, who also ran for the party in 2012, apologized for his comment in the same statement. He could not be reached for comment.