Article content

INNISFAIL — Alberta Tory Leader Jim Prentice dismissed accusations Thursday from Wildrose Leader Brian Jean that he worked to undermine Prime Minister Stephen Harper during his time as a federal cabinet minister.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Alberta premier tried to 'undermine' Harper and 'get him to quit so he could take over,' Wildrose leader says Back to video

Both Prentice and Jean — rivals now in the provincial election campaign — were elected as members of Harper’s Conservative caucus in 2004.

Jean — who resigned as an MP in 2014, four years after Prentice’s own departure from Ottawa — told CTV Wednesday that Harper was unhappy with Prentice when he resigned because he had at times worked against the prime minister’s leadership.

“What he would do, and everybody knew it, is when the prime minister would go down in the polls he would work to undermine the PM and get him to quit so he could take over,” said Jean.

But Prentice — who served in three senior cabinet positions under Harper — scoffed at Jean’s remarks.

“I think it’s ridiculous. The prime minister and I are quite close and had a fabulous working relationship the whole time I was in Ottawa,” said the premier.

The Progressive Conservative campaign later issued a statement demanding Jean provide information substantiating his claim.

Jean donated $10,000 to Prentice’s PC leadership campaign last year.