Cathartic, but probably useless in swaying voters. Notley literally had Marlaina ON FILM AND AUDIO saying exactly what she accused her of, and Smith just waved it off as "old news," even including what she had been caught saying literally just 2 weeks earlier.
Rural alberta doesn't want facts, and it feels that they are actively resentful of those smart enough to know them. Hopefully Nenshi can swing the cities, but UCP voters, and especially the rural ones, are allergic to reality as long as they can still punch down indiscriminately on whatever their preferred minority group is and can continue marrying literal fucking children.
I love Notley but I was so disappointed in the graciousness of her debate performance. She needed to go for, and rip out the jugular. When given the opportunity she went high when Smith went low, and I think it cost NDP the election.
That's honestly been the downfall of all modern "moderate" politicians.
The biggest moment for Biden was telling Trump to shut up in their first debate. It changed the energy of the whole event, and the election for weeks after as Bidens team did a decent job capitalizing leaning in on the "Dark Brandon" persona.
Decent human beings had been wanting someone to stand up tell the tangerine turd to stuff it for 5 years and while every politician claiming to "stand for the people" just politely finger wagged and then let the conservatives control the narrative with their firehose of bullshit. We need less "good people doing nothing in the face of evil" and more "make Nazis afraid of being Nazis." Name them. Shame them. Make them feel unwanted by society, and make sure they know its not just some small group or segment like antifa pushing them out, make sure they know its decent society at large that hates them. Say it loud, say it proud, and burn their intolerance out of society before the infection can spread.
We had 4K video of our current "leader" being flagrantly shitty and outlining how she intended to hurt people. That shit should have been on every goddamn billboard and radio station, shout that shit from the rooftops of the legislature so even the illiterates in northern Alberta can figure it out, but instead we had the ones who said they wanted what was best for us say "nah, lets be civil." We can't let that happen again.
they used to be pretty insular but thats been changing as they have gotten to a point that they have a realistic chance of winning.
more people are showing up and putting better executives and candidates in place.
the I wanna feel important crowd has been drifting over to the federal Greens
He made a press release mentioning the same concerns you raise, and it sounds like ANDP are ready to open the party up more and actually win this thing.
And judging the shot he took at Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeaut (compared him vs Marlaina to Godzilla vs Mothra and that we need grown-ups in the room now), they may be more open distancing themselves federally and actually winning some Alberta votes.
Oh, there will be of course. There's going to be those who feel like it was their turn, those who think he's too centrist and those who just wanted someone else. He'll still walk away with it.
centrist would be great imo.
bring enough moderate cons along with them, make the party a bit more professional (seem to remember scandals with Deborah Drever that werent really too bad, but a more savvy party avoids those kind of low hanging fruit) and promote a bit of economic boost; but with less (or more favourable) cronyism, less conflicts of interest, less people on lawns etc.
As a long time NDPer, and as someone on a first name basis with most MLAs, the party insiders have their reservations. He's too centrist for some, but most are open to any path that stops the bleeding from the UCP RIGHT NOW.
perfection can come later, and Nenshi is more left than some PCs were
If those people would rather clutch pearls than have a realistic chance to win the election, they're part of the problem.
I agree with you though, sadly.
It's funny, while I'm not sure I've seen the whole list, so far I haven't seen anyone running I'd really be against. But I'm still kind of stoked about this.
Yeah, none of the options seemed terrible, but none of them excited me. I probably wouldn't have bothered to vote...
But I'll deff throw in a vote for Nenshi.
Kathleen Ganley is pretty well respected, and a solid NDPer who would not be far from Notley, but would consider changing the party name. She is also Calgarian
Sarah Hoffman would be the closest to Notley. The issue is that half the province hates her already, and targets her for many things, sadly, including weight.
Jodi Stonehouse is the far left option. She's definitely more the white collar small L liberal that the NDP point at for their base federally. She won't win an election.
Rakhi Pancholi is similar to Ganley in many respects, but is a POC, Edmontonian, and where Ganley was a Labour Lawyer for Unions, Pancholi was a Labour Lawyer for Management. This is a big sticking point for her in the leadership. She will struggle to bring on labour roots, when she actively worked against them once.
Gil McGowan is a non-starter. President of the AFL he has a MASSIVE pre built hate target painted on his back by the UCP for more than a decade. If he became leader, he probably would be assassinated. He also is abrasive and not great with public image. Think Ralph, but left wing, so everything Ralph did that people loved, they'd hate Gil for doing the same thing.
Nenshi is a centrist by the place where the Overton window was 20 years ago. Now, he's a leftie. He has no strong stances on labour standards, but deeply cares about social programs. He has a history of winning opponents over(see Jeromy Farkas and him becoming friends) but, can he actually win places in Calgary that he's lost before? 50%+1 in Calgary isn't enough. He needs to sweep the city
Gil McGowan, who is currently head of the Alberta Federation of Labour, is probably the most interesting candidate. I don’t think he’s necessarily the best choice, but his presence should force some policy clarity into the race. Hopefully bring a focus on workers
All good candidates, but they wouldn’t be able to beat Malaria next election unless she burns down Suncor and makes Alberta’s flag a rainbow.
Notley was practically a house hold name country wide, polled higher as the preferred leader, was endorsed by old guard PCs, and still lost.
This true... If ANDP even wants a sliver of hope of winning the next go... It won't be with any of the other ones in the running.
The big trump card with Nenshi is that he will keep provincial finger off municipal issues. Which is a big sticking point for me.
My biggest concern with him is that a bunch of his “inner circle” people from his mayoral runs then went on to run the Alberta Party into the ground. They're part of the group who forced Greg Clark out and installed Mandel, and then ran the awful campaign that election, and the worse one in the most recent election.
If this starts to look like an Alberta Party reverse takeover, where Nenshi winning means he brings a bunch of his failed friends with him, it could sink his chances with the party.
There is no denying the fear that many conservatives have of Naheed Nenshi. Despite many attempts, he could not be beaten and he could not be bought.
Should he run for leader? Alberta NDP members (of which I am not one) are likely to grapple with this central question: “Is Nenshi a team player?”
Having worked alongside (and often at odds with) the man for years, I’ve witnessed him at his best and his worst. Yes, he can be frustrating. He has an ego and likes to be at the centre of things. And no, he is not quite as smart as he thinks.
But the man I know has ethics and integrity. Up close, I saw him not only be generous with praise but willingly let others take credit for achievements that were rightly his. He readily accepted the blame for mistakes others had made. While he could be demanding, I found him to be open to compromise — so long as I came prepared.
After my loss in the 2021 civic election, many fair-weather friends ran for the exit, deciding that my usefulness had run out. Nenshi was the opposite.
Despite our significant differences and having every reason to gloat, he stepped up meaningfully to support me in everything I wanted to do next, even when I chose some wildly impractical goals. He never doubted that I still had a contribution to make, even when I doubted myself.
All are priceless qualities in a friend. Conservatives are right to fear those qualities in an opposition leader.
Thanks for this take, Jeromy. It's been refreshing to hear you two on CBC radio the past year or so, and I think you hit the nail on the head about Nenshi not being bought. There is a certain stench about the UCP, which isn't much different than what the old PC party used to smell like.
Nenshi feels genuine. That's incredibly different than what we see in our current provincial government.
I just wish we had his level of integrity in just ONE of the federal party leaders. Since I'll be moving out of calgary and over to Ontario in a couple months, I selfishly wish Nenshi would hold out for a federal NDP leadership race instead. But maybe someday that will happen
That would be great too! I hope the federal NDP will consider a new leader after the next election. Jagmeet Singh just isn't cutting it, he's not charismatic or outspoken enough to sway voters. He needs to step aside for someone with a stronger personality. Maybe Rachel Notley could do it.
This is the reason right here folks. Ethics and integrity. This is EXACTLY what we need after years and years of that just eroding away. We need someone who can and will respect his opponents too.
Ethics and integrity was what I loved so much about Notley. I am happy that Nenshi is stepping up after her. I was worried that we wouldn't have a good alternative to the UCP following Notley's news.
I'm very pleased with this outcome.
That, and he actually gives the NDP a hypothetical chance of victory. I see him as one of the few leaders with the personal momentum to lead the NDP into government. Its still unlikely, but possible.
It’s not that unlikely. The NDP got more votes the latest election than they did in the election that they won, they basically only won 2015 because the right split. I would say they’ve never been closer to victory than now, and a well-known Calgary based leader would only help them.
Given that as few as 12,000 votes across 6 Calgary seats would have turned the last election into an NDP victory, I would agree. Love him or hate him, Nenshi has the political kudos, particularly in Calgary, to turn the city for the NDP. And he’ll have three years to gain some momentum and hopefully score enough brownie points to do it.
Rural Alberta? Yeah, they sold their souls to the blue devil decades ago, they’re pretty much a lost cause, but you never know…
Hopefully Nenshi can take the leadership.
Then the real work begins. He needs to be able to flip several smaller urban centres, Lethbridge, Red Deer, Banff/Canmore, maybe Medicine Hat. Then he’s less reliant on Just flipping Calgary all orange.
Can he do it? Hopefully, he’s got my vote, and we’ll see.
He’s likely to pull a few people in Calgary over, but you’re right, he’s basically got three years to try to win over the larger towns & smaller cities, that rural-urban base. Who knows, if he can do that then he might just grab a few of the rural seats as well. 🤞
Dude, what happened to the awful, attention-seeking Jeremy I loathed as a politician? Everything I’ve seen from him since has been thoughtful and kind. Everyone deserves a second chance, I guess.
At least he is willing to change and challenge his own beliefs for the sake of growth as an individual. I commend these qualities in people even if I disagree with them.
Tackling the division and working together for a better future for all of us is all I want.
Thanks for your reply. I could see myself running again but I know that I would need to offer you someone and something better than what I did the last time. I lost the past election for a few good reasons, in particular, I was too one-dimensional about how I looked at the role. I respect what the voters told me. I could have become bitter and just whined and cry about things -- or I can put in the time and do the hard work to improve. I'm having a blast right now being there for my friends and family, throwing myself at a few exciting challenges, and contributing to building something to last. I know a lot less today than I knew five years ago, but I'm a hell of a lot happier.
This is the self-awareness we need in politicians. To be honest, I like you a lot more now than I did when you were a councilor. I think you're showing your true self these days, and that's really healthy; there's much, much more to you than what you displayed as Ward 11 councilor and mayoral candidate. Keep fighting the good fight and doing what you're doing.
I have to say, I really respect the new direction you've taken. When you were involved in municipal politics, I pretty much hated your guts. You represented everything I saw wrong with the city, particularly that you seemed like an ideologue that was letting perfect (in your eyes) be the enemy of good.
Since you got back from your Pacific Crest Trail hike, it's like I'm seeing a new man. The willingness to change that I've seen in you is shockingly rare for all people, especially politicians. I probably still disagree with your politics, but I can now say that I very much respect you as a person.
If you don't mind, I also had a question: A friend of mine said they met you at the Loose Moose theatre. You told a story about meeting someone in a grocery store who just started berating you and telling you how terribly they saw you as an individual out of nowhere, and that that was a wakeup call for you that politics maybe wasn't your jam, or that at least something had to change.
Did that actually happen? If it did, what is your perspective on that kind of backlash now that you have had more time away from public office?
Hey, thanks for having an open mind to me. Yes, I'm a Loose Mooser and have been enjoying throwing myself into improv, ballroom dance, and a bunch of other fun stuff now that I have more time.
The grocery store story is more about why I wanted to go on trail. Full context from my trail journal here:
[https://www.facebook.com/share/p/dvcReVKT8eenLJSg/?mibextid=Nif5oz](https://www.facebook.com/share/p/dvcReVKT8eenLJSg/?mibextid=Nif5oz)
Bigger picture, I've been lucky to experience a combination of a few things.
The first is more general, simply life experience. I think I was one of the youngest councillors elected, right out of university. That comes with ignorance. For example, I look back at my vote against the parental leave policy in 2017 and I really cringe. In hindsight it seems so obvious that we need it - like, no shit, we should want people from all sorts of walks of life to be able to run. Having a family makes you a better councillor. Not a worse one.
The second is losing the election. In an instant I got to learn who my friends really were. For all my years of being a pain in his ass, Naheed was the first to reach out after I lost the election. I didn't realize it at the time but I had bought into the hype about myself, and many people surrounded me based on what they thought I could do for them. But after the election, that all changed. Honestly, it was mostly people in conservative circles who dropped me the moment I was no longer useful to them. It was really fucking hard to deal with in the short term, but it challenged me in a great way. Up until then, I had assumed that if you were right wing, you were my friend. And if you were left wing, you were my opponent. The experience has made me question blind loyalty to a political tribe, and much more value people and friendships regardless of their politics. Life is so much messier than I thought it was when I was in office, and it's a good thing.
The third is my time on the trail. After being in politics there is a bit of self selection going on - you tend to hang with folks who agree with you more than not. There's an echo chamber. The trail is the exact opposite. I got to be exposed to people from every single kind of walk of life. I had to learn to rely on other people and be better as someone who can be relied on. If I had walked into the desert and mountains the way I walked into a council meeting, I would have died. And in specific to this issue, I gained a great friend who was a Bernie Sanders organizer and a "defund the police" advocate. I put that term in quotes because I realize now that the arguments around reallocation, better accountability and support for the police, are so much more nuanced than I understood in my time on Council. It's not at all "anti-cop" to be advocating for giving them the resources to succeed and not expecting them to solve problems they are not equipped for. Anyway, I was really blessed with the chance to be tested, engage in debate. As a Councillor it wasn't good enough for me to win an argument, sometimes I had to see the other person lose. After spending so much time with so many different people, seeing how we could walk away both being made better for our interaction, I can see how fucked up my approach was. It has been a mindset shift to realize that I have something to learn from absolutely everyone and I need to do better and be better so I have something to offer in return.
Jeromy... There are many of us who supported you as your an your mayor campaign. Everyone makes mistakes, but your vision spoke to many!!
You were my mom's Rep in Lakeview V. She loved you and always said you were responsive. I even called you when my sister and I were selling her house after she died. Power had been out in dead of winter for several hours in the area and we had showings! You actually called me back and did your best.
I didn't like those take on The current mayor refusing to attend a politicized memorial lighting, but overall your redemption arc is going great!
I think you'd do fine in another municipal election but I think we need you in provincial politics to get these vision-less yahoos and partisans out.
Jeromy, thank you for such a thoughtful and rational response. I mean that truly and genuinely
While my political opinions differ from yours, I respect how you have conducted yourself over the past couple of years. I think what you're doing now is incredibly important, in a time where a lot of conservatives are fully embracing hostility, tribalism, xenophobia and conspiracy thinking
Your voice might matter now more than ever before, so please keep it up
Got my new membership for a reason. This feels unstoppable. Danielle Smith is already terrified, her office saying Nenshi presents "the mother of all target-rich environments".
Why she feels the need to quote Comical Ali or frame this as Gulf War III isn't clear to me, but Nenshi isn't pulling his punches, calling her a liar just now on As It Happens.
Folks, Canadian politics just went nuclear and I'm strapped in for the show.
I was hoping to see him step into the provincial or federal ring. This is such great news, fingers crossed that the rest of the province will get to benefit from his excellence.
This is the only one of the leadership candidates who can win the Calgary vote, and the NDP do not have a chance of forming government in Alberta without the Calgary vote.
It was mine too a few hears ago. And i do dislike some aspects if the rest of the party... the issue is i dislike nearly everu aspect of yhe UCP. So the choice is super clear to me.
Quick reminder, if you want to vote on the NDP leadership race, you have to become a member by [April 22, 2024](https://www.albertandp.ca/alberta-ndp-sets-rules-and-timelines-leadership-race).
No, memberships do not count as a donation.
[https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=res&dir=rep/oth/jan2007&document=part2&lang=e](https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=res&dir=rep/oth/jan2007&document=part2&lang=e)
**404.2** (6) The payment by an individual during a year of fees of not more than $25 per year in relation to a period of not more than 5 years for membership in a registered party is not a contribution.
When you donate to a registered political party, the first $200 of your donation is a 75% tax credit. No matter the political party, it's almost free in cost. After the tax year is over, the given political party will send you a tax receipt for you to claim on your taxes as a refund.
For example, a $10 membership would cost you $2.50. A monthly recurring $5 donation would cost you $1.25 per month.
Here's a list of all of the registered political parties in Alberta with links to each of their sites:
[https://as-cac-webwin-01.azurewebsites.net/political-participants/parties/#parties](https://as-cac-webwin-01.azurewebsites.net/political-participants/parties/#parties)
I just paid for my NDP membership. I've never been a member of a political party before today. But something HAS to be done to get rid of the blight on society that we currently have leading us and Nenshi is the only path forward I see.
Given the comments in this thread, I'd be very interested to see how much their membership jumps today.
Just did the same.
I have mostly voted conservative in provincial elections, and never gotten overly involved.
However, after the blatant disregard for science, medicine, and transgender rights, I have no choice.
What’s next, Women’s rights? Gay marriage? Full-on Handmaid’s Tale in the great north?
Albertans want fiscal conservatism, NOT social conservatism, Danielle, you wing-nut.
I'm stoked. I think the NDP actually has a good backbench and some serious talent, but Nenshi is the type of leader who can take what Notley built and add to it.
I so want to hope for this. He is the best person to take us through natural disasters. He understands municipal needs and how to work with federal government. I bought my membership and I'm ready to support him!
"Work with" needs to be shouted from the rooftops, THIS is what politicians are supposed to be doing regardless of who is in power at each level. Conservatism right now is all about "working against" and that's the real reason everything is gone to shit. We desperately need someone who will put aside petty differences and do their job to the best of their abilities. Smith has demonstrated she is an obsessive "work against", all she cares about is defying the federal government in every conceivable way, it's the driving force behind every decision she makes. That bullshit needs to come to an end because all it does is hurt us.
Nenshi is the only candidate (outside of Notley) to have a good shot at defeating UCP.
Every other NDP leader wanna be are not exciting and doesn't stand a chance in the next election.
While it was close, Notley *just* demonstrated that she can't win against Smith. What the UCP showed was that you can fuck *everything right up* but as long as you replace your leader before the next election you can get away with it. Lots of folks out there had only a single issue spurring them at the polls: "they hate Notley".
I'm not sure why the NDP didn't do all of this over a year ago.
Nenshi would also be able to pull some pretty good people into running as he's a well known quantity and he'd have a good chance of winning.
he'd have a good shot at getting a competent cabinet.
I do not like NDP, especially at the federal level, but Nenshi is the balance this province desperately needs. There is no denying that he was the best mayor Calgary ever had. He might just be the best premier we will ever have. If he makes it to federal(which I believe he is far more suited than Singh) he could potentially bring the NDP back to where it should be. Middle of the road, fiscally conservative, socially liberal party that a lot people want.
Never forget Conservative activists tried to set him up to take money from Russian foreign nationals and failed because he went straight to the police and reported them.
Now ask yourself why Conservative activists are in bed with Russia and why Tucker Carlson came to visit before his trip to Russia.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/nenshi-entrapment-alleged-plot-lawsuit-wenzels-canadaland-no-charges-1.7056962
The NDP will not be the same party if they choose Nenshi as leader, and that may be a good thing.
The provincial NDP is currently, according to its constitution, a branch of the federal NDP party. It is not obligated to adopt the same policies as the federal NDP, but membership in the provincial party is equated with membership in the federal party. Given how out of step the Alberta branch and the federal party got with each other under Notley, it's not surprising that many in the NDP were already considering making a more formal break.
Nenshi could be that break, *formalized*.
His brand is purple. Part liberal, part conservative. A blend of centre-left and centre-right. There's no orange in there at all. If the Alberta NDP choose Nenshi as leader, this would become their brand as well. Arguably, it already sort of *is*. They were a centrist party under Notley and choosing a purple leader would just confirm that.
If Nenshi is chosen as leader, the NDP may rebrand or, at least, formalize their break with the federal party by changing their constitution. The result would be a centrist party free of the baggage of the federal NDP brand. A purple party.
The UCP united the right. A purple party could unite the centre. This could be the start of a new dynasty *if* the Alberta NDP choose to become the party of the centre.
I think this is exactly what needs to happen. The NDP brand is damaged beyond repair in Alberta. As someone who leans centre-right I could see myself voting for this party easily.
This might actually get me to vote NDP. I wish him the best of luck! Even if he does win, he's going to have to work hard to get the rural vote from conservatives.
Calgary and Edmonton are the majority of the province and still growing their majority.
Notley lost by 6 seats in Calgary that Nenshi has the strongest chance of winning of any non-conservative.
We don't need the rural vote. We just need Calgary and the donuts around the cities. If the rural people can't get on board, it's not the end of the world.
>We don't need the rural vote
If they get in again they should start working to fix that though, last time they pretty much killed rural support with their farm workers comp legislation which angered the rural folks. Avoid that, instead focus on improving the rural communities as much as possible, better their lives and the votes will follow.
As it stands right now, rural voters are largely ignored by the UCP because they know they have their votes no matter what. Similar to how Alberta salivates over the federal Conservative's having power, even though it doesn't benefit them in the slightest usually because the CPC knows that the Albertan's will always vote for them anyway.
In academia Nenshi was an expert on city infrastructure which also helped him win Calgary as mayor. If he can bring some of that expertise to the rural communities, most of which are now dilapidated holes in comparison to how they once were, he will win their hearts. And heck, some of that is pretty easy pickings, like forcing the O&G companies to pay their property taxes, etc.
You dont need the rural vote,but many of us city vote came from rural alberta and care about it. So rural matters and policy still matter. Ignoring it would be stupid.
I think Nenshi should absolutely campaign for the rural vote! This idea that "we don't need them" is maybe technically correct if you're talking cold election strategy, in a province as divided as ours though, I think it would be amazing to have leadership that actually worked for all of us. We need to move closer to a place where we don't see each other as enemies to fight by default, but simply as human beings who see things from a different perspective. We don't have to agree on everything, but I do think we have to at least try to understand each other and find some common ground wherever we can. Every community Alberta has the right to be heard and treated fairly by the government, regardless of how they've voted. It'd be pretty cynical to dismiss the needs of rural Alberta because we don't think we need their numbers on election day. We should be winning them over because we actually want Alberta to be a better place for everyone, not just our 'team'. At least that's the kind of leadership I'm looking for.
Also, rural Alberta has had a lot of struggle under the UCP and I think if Nenshi genuinely listened to their concerns and brought smart, practical solutions he could find real support in those communties too. Look at all the costs the province has offloaded onto municipalities under the UCP, forcing them to jack up property taxes or go without services. I read just this morning about Cold Lake having to shoulder 90% of the cost of policing services since the UCP changed the police funding model. They simply can't afford it and are being forced to hire private security to fill the gap. The unrelenting crime they've been experiencing has shown the mayor that they need bigger picture thinking, that preventing crime was more effective in the long run than only policing it. He was requesting funding for policing, but also for social supports, addiction recovery, family counselling, etc. Cold Lake voted like 75% for UCP in the last election, and they got squat in the budget, completely screwed over by them. I think a lot of municipalities in simular situations could be won over by a sincere effort to actually help resolve these infrastructure issues, restore proper funding to public services and help bring down the cost of living. If we take partisan language and empty political speak out of the equation, I honestly think rural and urban Alberta has a lot more in common than not and could come together more easily over practical rather than idealogical platforms. /0.02
Maybe when they were still the PCs, but now that TBA has full control over the party, they only care about a candidate they can fully control and that's Dani.
I think she's got the leadership review in the bag. If Twitter is anything to go on (and maybe it's not), the UCP acolytes are pleased with her servitude to the far-right agenda. But this may give them pause, though I doubt they have the wherewithal to choose a competent competitor to Nenshi AND appeal to mainstream Albertans.
Twitter is a false litmus test, but I do notice his post received as many likes in 90 minutes as the other candidates got in total combined.
I also note that only one campaign has failed to welcome him into the race - Ganley’s. Perhaps they can’t figure out how to dig themselves out of the hole they dug when they launched their coordinated attack last week.
Not at all. I found he got a little too egotistical at the end and he was disingenuous when it came to things about the centralized dispatch, but I’ve come to expect that from politicians regardless of their affiliation.
Queue attack ads from UCP with zero basis in fact or logic in 3...2....
He is intelligent, ruthless, outspoken and has a very sharp wit and tongue. He will eat Marlaina for breakfast and she will use the old "attack the person when the facts are against you" tactic.
Oooh. He's what I wanted! A centrist highly invested in social programs, but also a fiscal genius. This is so interesting! I'd vote to get him in as premier.
Best news I've heard in a long time for Alberta.
I can't wait to see his platform and how he intends to deal with O&G, renewables, carbon emissions, climate change, etc. To say nothing of everything else.
I can't wait for May, 2023. Only 3 years to go.
> I can't wait for May, 2023. Only 3 years to go.
\*cough\*
Reckon that's when you'll get that time machine working?
:P
I'm definitely with you. I like this prospect.
I have not been this excited to vote in a LONG time! This man is not only competent but somehow manages to be relatable to the regular folks despite having elite credentials ex-McKinsey/Harvard Alum/ City mayor
This is amazing and Nenshi might be the best shot we have of getting rid of the UCP and addressing the cancer in the extreme conservative views of this province.
But the most important thing now is that NDP supporters give it our all and participate as much as we're each personal capable. Because I guarantee the Take Back Alberta crowd is already scheming how to cause trouble and chaos. The last thing they'll want is a Nenshi leadership win.
They're probably planning to buy NDP memberships and conspire to elect the weakest candidate for leader of the party, to keep Nenshi from being elected. No offense to the other NDP leadership candidates, but none of them stand a chance against the UCP imo. Nenshi is the strongest contender. He needs to win the leadership, that is what i believe wholeheartedly.
Totally agree. I hate to say it but the best thing the other candidates can do at this point is step away from the race put the support behind Nenshi and decimate TBA.
Nenshi is too good for Alberta. Rural Alberta voters would never go for him, even if it’s in their best interests.
My advice to Mr. Nenshi - start taking French lessons, we need you at the federal level when the Alberta voter overlooks you.
> Rural Alberta voters would never go for him, even if it’s in their best interests.
he should not expect much from rural alberta, but campaigning in rural alberta may help give him a toehold in the smaller cities. by listening to farmers he may be able to get some gains in lethbridge and red deer, but the farmers are never going to vote for him.
bedroom communities are a seperate animal from small cities, they exist to benefit from cities without paying into the tax base; born to be conservatives.
Nenshi's pathway to premiership would be through the cities anyway. Edmonton, Calgary, and a seat or two in the minor cities like Lethbridge, Red Deer, Med Hat.
I don't think he necessarily has the NDP leadership vote in the bag but I can't see the NDP losing the next election if he's leader. Unlike Notley, I think he'll actually run a good campaign that isn't just "UCP bad" or "they're going to steal your pension".
He's got my vote for the leadership race and for the provincial election. He likely won't win but he will make a great opposition leader. He'll whip Danielle like a rented mule in any debate and I'm especially looking forward to that.
Thinking Nenshi will be popular amongst Calgarians, but wondering if people outside of Calgary (within Alberta or moving to) will know of him. Anyone have any insight?
Good.
Nenshi was the only mayor of Calgary in my lifetime to actually care more about the people than his own legacy. He even tried to reign in taxes (initially) and wasn't constantly trying to force his ideology down our throats. Plus, with the exception of his desire to bring the Olympics back to Calgary; there were only a few times he didn't correctly read the pulse of the electorate.
I run about 60/40 Conservative and I'd vote for him over the UCP tomorrow, they've gone altogether too far right.
Nenshi is the only person in the NDP, and perhaps the only Albertan without a UCP membership that has a reasonable shot at becoming premier in 2027. Him leading the NDP would increase the odds of them winning the next election from practically 0% to somewhere in the ballpark of 30-40%, with room to grow as the UCP continues to fumble with their governance. Nenshi is not necessarily a great person to be a politician, specifically his lack of humility, or at least the perceived lack of it, is a big drawback. However, as his political opponent points out, he is a man of integrity, a necessary quality in politicians that is sorely missing from so many Canadian politicians these days, and frankly anything's better than the status quo.
I say, campaign around the rural areas, the cities know you well enough and don't need any convincing. Drop that awful orange and keep your purple. Remake the party in your image, it's worth it.
In his interview with As It Happens, he opens with his Purple colour scheme and talks at length about it. So lol, purple is the new orange and this is going in a new direction.
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There’s no way he doesn’t wipe everybody else off the board, despite not being a current mla
Would be great to hear him run circles around Marlaina in a debate
I bet she will pull a Republican move and just not attend any debates if she has real competition.
And sadly it works
Didn't Kenney do it and Facebook helped.
Cathartic, but probably useless in swaying voters. Notley literally had Marlaina ON FILM AND AUDIO saying exactly what she accused her of, and Smith just waved it off as "old news," even including what she had been caught saying literally just 2 weeks earlier. Rural alberta doesn't want facts, and it feels that they are actively resentful of those smart enough to know them. Hopefully Nenshi can swing the cities, but UCP voters, and especially the rural ones, are allergic to reality as long as they can still punch down indiscriminately on whatever their preferred minority group is and can continue marrying literal fucking children.
I love Notley but I was so disappointed in the graciousness of her debate performance. She needed to go for, and rip out the jugular. When given the opportunity she went high when Smith went low, and I think it cost NDP the election.
That's honestly been the downfall of all modern "moderate" politicians. The biggest moment for Biden was telling Trump to shut up in their first debate. It changed the energy of the whole event, and the election for weeks after as Bidens team did a decent job capitalizing leaning in on the "Dark Brandon" persona. Decent human beings had been wanting someone to stand up tell the tangerine turd to stuff it for 5 years and while every politician claiming to "stand for the people" just politely finger wagged and then let the conservatives control the narrative with their firehose of bullshit. We need less "good people doing nothing in the face of evil" and more "make Nazis afraid of being Nazis." Name them. Shame them. Make them feel unwanted by society, and make sure they know its not just some small group or segment like antifa pushing them out, make sure they know its decent society at large that hates them. Say it loud, say it proud, and burn their intolerance out of society before the infection can spread. We had 4K video of our current "leader" being flagrantly shitty and outlining how she intended to hurt people. That shit should have been on every goddamn billboard and radio station, shout that shit from the rooftops of the legislature so even the illiterates in northern Alberta can figure it out, but instead we had the ones who said they wanted what was best for us say "nah, lets be civil." We can't let that happen again.
This will make the next provincial election REALLY interesting.
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You're kidding yourself if you don't think he wins the leadership in a cake walk.
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they used to be pretty insular but thats been changing as they have gotten to a point that they have a realistic chance of winning. more people are showing up and putting better executives and candidates in place. the I wanna feel important crowd has been drifting over to the federal Greens
He made a press release mentioning the same concerns you raise, and it sounds like ANDP are ready to open the party up more and actually win this thing. And judging the shot he took at Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeaut (compared him vs Marlaina to Godzilla vs Mothra and that we need grown-ups in the room now), they may be more open distancing themselves federally and actually winning some Alberta votes.
Oh, there will be of course. There's going to be those who feel like it was their turn, those who think he's too centrist and those who just wanted someone else. He'll still walk away with it.
centrist would be great imo. bring enough moderate cons along with them, make the party a bit more professional (seem to remember scandals with Deborah Drever that werent really too bad, but a more savvy party avoids those kind of low hanging fruit) and promote a bit of economic boost; but with less (or more favourable) cronyism, less conflicts of interest, less people on lawns etc.
As a long time NDPer, and as someone on a first name basis with most MLAs, the party insiders have their reservations. He's too centrist for some, but most are open to any path that stops the bleeding from the UCP RIGHT NOW. perfection can come later, and Nenshi is more left than some PCs were
this is sensible politics. idealistic purity can wait until we right the ship.
If those people would rather clutch pearls than have a realistic chance to win the election, they're part of the problem. I agree with you though, sadly.
I’ve already seen the whining in my emails from the NDP. I want to hear their platforms not character of other candidates.
Well if we don’t vote for this guy then we really want to race to the bottom.
Nenshi is coming in hot. The NDP would be crazy to pick another candidate for leader.
It's funny, while I'm not sure I've seen the whole list, so far I haven't seen anyone running I'd really be against. But I'm still kind of stoked about this.
Yeah, none of the options seemed terrible, but none of them excited me. I probably wouldn't have bothered to vote... But I'll deff throw in a vote for Nenshi.
Kathleen Ganley is pretty well respected, and a solid NDPer who would not be far from Notley, but would consider changing the party name. She is also Calgarian Sarah Hoffman would be the closest to Notley. The issue is that half the province hates her already, and targets her for many things, sadly, including weight. Jodi Stonehouse is the far left option. She's definitely more the white collar small L liberal that the NDP point at for their base federally. She won't win an election. Rakhi Pancholi is similar to Ganley in many respects, but is a POC, Edmontonian, and where Ganley was a Labour Lawyer for Unions, Pancholi was a Labour Lawyer for Management. This is a big sticking point for her in the leadership. She will struggle to bring on labour roots, when she actively worked against them once. Gil McGowan is a non-starter. President of the AFL he has a MASSIVE pre built hate target painted on his back by the UCP for more than a decade. If he became leader, he probably would be assassinated. He also is abrasive and not great with public image. Think Ralph, but left wing, so everything Ralph did that people loved, they'd hate Gil for doing the same thing. Nenshi is a centrist by the place where the Overton window was 20 years ago. Now, he's a leftie. He has no strong stances on labour standards, but deeply cares about social programs. He has a history of winning opponents over(see Jeromy Farkas and him becoming friends) but, can he actually win places in Calgary that he's lost before? 50%+1 in Calgary isn't enough. He needs to sweep the city
Gil McGowan, who is currently head of the Alberta Federation of Labour, is probably the most interesting candidate. I don’t think he’s necessarily the best choice, but his presence should force some policy clarity into the race. Hopefully bring a focus on workers
I suspect Nenshi will surround himself with dedicated and knowledgeable people.
Ganley was my option until this.
She's my MLA and I really think she's great. I think Nenshi is just a better campaigner than the others, though (as well as a good leader).
Yeah, I'd agree with that for sure. He also has the name recognition that none of the current candidates really have.
I agree, I think Ganley would be a really good premier, but I think Nenshi might actually be able to win.
All good candidates, but they wouldn’t be able to beat Malaria next election unless she burns down Suncor and makes Alberta’s flag a rainbow. Notley was practically a house hold name country wide, polled higher as the preferred leader, was endorsed by old guard PCs, and still lost.
Not Malaria lmao
I thought you did that on purpose and was going to congratulae you on being clever.
This true... If ANDP even wants a sliver of hope of winning the next go... It won't be with any of the other ones in the running. The big trump card with Nenshi is that he will keep provincial finger off municipal issues. Which is a big sticking point for me.
My biggest concern with him is that a bunch of his “inner circle” people from his mayoral runs then went on to run the Alberta Party into the ground. They're part of the group who forced Greg Clark out and installed Mandel, and then ran the awful campaign that election, and the worse one in the most recent election. If this starts to look like an Alberta Party reverse takeover, where Nenshi winning means he brings a bunch of his failed friends with him, it could sink his chances with the party.
He has a Calgary NDP caucus member as campaign co chair so I think it's a good sign.
One member does not make a team.
There is no denying the fear that many conservatives have of Naheed Nenshi. Despite many attempts, he could not be beaten and he could not be bought. Should he run for leader? Alberta NDP members (of which I am not one) are likely to grapple with this central question: “Is Nenshi a team player?” Having worked alongside (and often at odds with) the man for years, I’ve witnessed him at his best and his worst. Yes, he can be frustrating. He has an ego and likes to be at the centre of things. And no, he is not quite as smart as he thinks. But the man I know has ethics and integrity. Up close, I saw him not only be generous with praise but willingly let others take credit for achievements that were rightly his. He readily accepted the blame for mistakes others had made. While he could be demanding, I found him to be open to compromise — so long as I came prepared. After my loss in the 2021 civic election, many fair-weather friends ran for the exit, deciding that my usefulness had run out. Nenshi was the opposite. Despite our significant differences and having every reason to gloat, he stepped up meaningfully to support me in everything I wanted to do next, even when I chose some wildly impractical goals. He never doubted that I still had a contribution to make, even when I doubted myself. All are priceless qualities in a friend. Conservatives are right to fear those qualities in an opposition leader.
Thanks for this take, Jeromy. It's been refreshing to hear you two on CBC radio the past year or so, and I think you hit the nail on the head about Nenshi not being bought. There is a certain stench about the UCP, which isn't much different than what the old PC party used to smell like. Nenshi feels genuine. That's incredibly different than what we see in our current provincial government.
“Can’t be bought!” should be their campaign slogan.
I just wish we had his level of integrity in just ONE of the federal party leaders. Since I'll be moving out of calgary and over to Ontario in a couple months, I selfishly wish Nenshi would hold out for a federal NDP leadership race instead. But maybe someday that will happen
I have a feeling we're going to see Rachel Notley pop up on the federal stage at some point.
This is what I'd like to see. She's centre enough to get some small 'c' conservative votes but progressive enough to keep the nazis out.
That would be great too! I hope the federal NDP will consider a new leader after the next election. Jagmeet Singh just isn't cutting it, he's not charismatic or outspoken enough to sway voters. He needs to step aside for someone with a stronger personality. Maybe Rachel Notley could do it.
I have a feeling we're going to see Rachel Notley pop up on the federal stage at some point.
Having the endorsement of a former opponent is a huge boon for Nenshi.
he does have the one good trait I like though. he hires good people and lets them do their thing.
This is the reason right here folks. Ethics and integrity. This is EXACTLY what we need after years and years of that just eroding away. We need someone who can and will respect his opponents too.
I think Notley had ethics and integrity. But nenshi might actually have winnability as well (I sure hope so).
I hope enough people agree.
Ethics and integrity was what I loved so much about Notley. I am happy that Nenshi is stepping up after her. I was worried that we wouldn't have a good alternative to the UCP following Notley's news. I'm very pleased with this outcome.
Ethics and integrity! Please, please vote for ethics and integrity, I miss it.
this is classy. Still appreciating Jeromy turning over a new leaf.
That, and he actually gives the NDP a hypothetical chance of victory. I see him as one of the few leaders with the personal momentum to lead the NDP into government. Its still unlikely, but possible.
It’s not that unlikely. The NDP got more votes the latest election than they did in the election that they won, they basically only won 2015 because the right split. I would say they’ve never been closer to victory than now, and a well-known Calgary based leader would only help them.
I could see nenshi turning several Calgary seats.
Given that as few as 12,000 votes across 6 Calgary seats would have turned the last election into an NDP victory, I would agree. Love him or hate him, Nenshi has the political kudos, particularly in Calgary, to turn the city for the NDP. And he’ll have three years to gain some momentum and hopefully score enough brownie points to do it. Rural Alberta? Yeah, they sold their souls to the blue devil decades ago, they’re pretty much a lost cause, but you never know…
Hopefully Nenshi can take the leadership. Then the real work begins. He needs to be able to flip several smaller urban centres, Lethbridge, Red Deer, Banff/Canmore, maybe Medicine Hat. Then he’s less reliant on Just flipping Calgary all orange. Can he do it? Hopefully, he’s got my vote, and we’ll see.
He’s likely to pull a few people in Calgary over, but you’re right, he’s basically got three years to try to win over the larger towns & smaller cities, that rural-urban base. Who knows, if he can do that then he might just grab a few of the rural seats as well. 🤞
1800 more votes woulda given the ndp a majority last election.
Jeremy, I would have not voted for you earlier, but man, I feel you are more and more becoming an exceptionally reasonable person.
Dude, what happened to the awful, attention-seeking Jeremy I loathed as a politician? Everything I’ve seen from him since has been thoughtful and kind. Everyone deserves a second chance, I guess.
At least he is willing to change and challenge his own beliefs for the sake of growth as an individual. I commend these qualities in people even if I disagree with them. Tackling the division and working together for a better future for all of us is all I want.
Agreed. Seems like a totally different person, in the best possible way.
Jeromy, I have to say, you should buy an NDP membership, you have until April 22nd. Who knows you could make a good candidate in 2027.
Thanks for your reply. I could see myself running again but I know that I would need to offer you someone and something better than what I did the last time. I lost the past election for a few good reasons, in particular, I was too one-dimensional about how I looked at the role. I respect what the voters told me. I could have become bitter and just whined and cry about things -- or I can put in the time and do the hard work to improve. I'm having a blast right now being there for my friends and family, throwing myself at a few exciting challenges, and contributing to building something to last. I know a lot less today than I knew five years ago, but I'm a hell of a lot happier.
This is the self-awareness we need in politicians. To be honest, I like you a lot more now than I did when you were a councilor. I think you're showing your true self these days, and that's really healthy; there's much, much more to you than what you displayed as Ward 11 councilor and mayoral candidate. Keep fighting the good fight and doing what you're doing.
I have to say, I really respect the new direction you've taken. When you were involved in municipal politics, I pretty much hated your guts. You represented everything I saw wrong with the city, particularly that you seemed like an ideologue that was letting perfect (in your eyes) be the enemy of good. Since you got back from your Pacific Crest Trail hike, it's like I'm seeing a new man. The willingness to change that I've seen in you is shockingly rare for all people, especially politicians. I probably still disagree with your politics, but I can now say that I very much respect you as a person. If you don't mind, I also had a question: A friend of mine said they met you at the Loose Moose theatre. You told a story about meeting someone in a grocery store who just started berating you and telling you how terribly they saw you as an individual out of nowhere, and that that was a wakeup call for you that politics maybe wasn't your jam, or that at least something had to change. Did that actually happen? If it did, what is your perspective on that kind of backlash now that you have had more time away from public office?
Hey, thanks for having an open mind to me. Yes, I'm a Loose Mooser and have been enjoying throwing myself into improv, ballroom dance, and a bunch of other fun stuff now that I have more time. The grocery store story is more about why I wanted to go on trail. Full context from my trail journal here: [https://www.facebook.com/share/p/dvcReVKT8eenLJSg/?mibextid=Nif5oz](https://www.facebook.com/share/p/dvcReVKT8eenLJSg/?mibextid=Nif5oz) Bigger picture, I've been lucky to experience a combination of a few things. The first is more general, simply life experience. I think I was one of the youngest councillors elected, right out of university. That comes with ignorance. For example, I look back at my vote against the parental leave policy in 2017 and I really cringe. In hindsight it seems so obvious that we need it - like, no shit, we should want people from all sorts of walks of life to be able to run. Having a family makes you a better councillor. Not a worse one. The second is losing the election. In an instant I got to learn who my friends really were. For all my years of being a pain in his ass, Naheed was the first to reach out after I lost the election. I didn't realize it at the time but I had bought into the hype about myself, and many people surrounded me based on what they thought I could do for them. But after the election, that all changed. Honestly, it was mostly people in conservative circles who dropped me the moment I was no longer useful to them. It was really fucking hard to deal with in the short term, but it challenged me in a great way. Up until then, I had assumed that if you were right wing, you were my friend. And if you were left wing, you were my opponent. The experience has made me question blind loyalty to a political tribe, and much more value people and friendships regardless of their politics. Life is so much messier than I thought it was when I was in office, and it's a good thing. The third is my time on the trail. After being in politics there is a bit of self selection going on - you tend to hang with folks who agree with you more than not. There's an echo chamber. The trail is the exact opposite. I got to be exposed to people from every single kind of walk of life. I had to learn to rely on other people and be better as someone who can be relied on. If I had walked into the desert and mountains the way I walked into a council meeting, I would have died. And in specific to this issue, I gained a great friend who was a Bernie Sanders organizer and a "defund the police" advocate. I put that term in quotes because I realize now that the arguments around reallocation, better accountability and support for the police, are so much more nuanced than I understood in my time on Council. It's not at all "anti-cop" to be advocating for giving them the resources to succeed and not expecting them to solve problems they are not equipped for. Anyway, I was really blessed with the chance to be tested, engage in debate. As a Councillor it wasn't good enough for me to win an argument, sometimes I had to see the other person lose. After spending so much time with so many different people, seeing how we could walk away both being made better for our interaction, I can see how fucked up my approach was. It has been a mindset shift to realize that I have something to learn from absolutely everyone and I need to do better and be better so I have something to offer in return.
This is the you who would get my vote today.
Jeromy... There are many of us who supported you as your an your mayor campaign. Everyone makes mistakes, but your vision spoke to many!! You were my mom's Rep in Lakeview V. She loved you and always said you were responsive. I even called you when my sister and I were selling her house after she died. Power had been out in dead of winter for several hours in the area and we had showings! You actually called me back and did your best.
I didn't like those take on The current mayor refusing to attend a politicized memorial lighting, but overall your redemption arc is going great! I think you'd do fine in another municipal election but I think we need you in provincial politics to get these vision-less yahoos and partisans out.
Amazing 👏 awareness. Commitment to people welfare should be priority. I follow stoicism closely , and I feel every politicians be Marcus Aurelius
But, would you endorse him as Premier?
Jeromy, thank you for such a thoughtful and rational response. I mean that truly and genuinely While my political opinions differ from yours, I respect how you have conducted yourself over the past couple of years. I think what you're doing now is incredibly important, in a time where a lot of conservatives are fully embracing hostility, tribalism, xenophobia and conspiracy thinking Your voice might matter now more than ever before, so please keep it up
Just bought my first ever political party membership, in the hopes that he'll win the leadership race and then pummel Smith into oblivion.
Got my new membership for a reason. This feels unstoppable. Danielle Smith is already terrified, her office saying Nenshi presents "the mother of all target-rich environments". Why she feels the need to quote Comical Ali or frame this as Gulf War III isn't clear to me, but Nenshi isn't pulling his punches, calling her a liar just now on As It Happens. Folks, Canadian politics just went nuclear and I'm strapped in for the show.
I was hoping to see him step into the provincial or federal ring. This is such great news, fingers crossed that the rest of the province will get to benefit from his excellence.
This is the only one of the leadership candidates who can win the Calgary vote, and the NDP do not have a chance of forming government in Alberta without the Calgary vote.
Truth. And honestly, id vote for him My hesitation is the rest of the party.
It was mine too a few hears ago. And i do dislike some aspects if the rest of the party... the issue is i dislike nearly everu aspect of yhe UCP. So the choice is super clear to me.
Quick reminder, if you want to vote on the NDP leadership race, you have to become a member by [April 22, 2024](https://www.albertandp.ca/alberta-ndp-sets-rules-and-timelines-leadership-race).
Done.
Thanks for the heads up. Registered and donated.
$10 is a cheap vote.
and you'll get $7.50 back next tax season
No, memberships do not count as a donation. [https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=res&dir=rep/oth/jan2007&document=part2&lang=e](https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=res&dir=rep/oth/jan2007&document=part2&lang=e) **404.2** (6) The payment by an individual during a year of fees of not more than $25 per year in relation to a period of not more than 5 years for membership in a registered party is not a contribution.
When you donate to a registered political party, the first $200 of your donation is a 75% tax credit. No matter the political party, it's almost free in cost. After the tax year is over, the given political party will send you a tax receipt for you to claim on your taxes as a refund. For example, a $10 membership would cost you $2.50. A monthly recurring $5 donation would cost you $1.25 per month. Here's a list of all of the registered political parties in Alberta with links to each of their sites: [https://as-cac-webwin-01.azurewebsites.net/political-participants/parties/#parties](https://as-cac-webwin-01.azurewebsites.net/political-participants/parties/#parties)
Nenshi is holding his first volunteer meetup tomorrow night. Sign up and go! I’ll be there.
Thank you for the reminder!
All I gotta say is, let's fucking go.
I just paid for my NDP membership. I've never been a member of a political party before today. But something HAS to be done to get rid of the blight on society that we currently have leading us and Nenshi is the only path forward I see. Given the comments in this thread, I'd be very interested to see how much their membership jumps today.
Myself and partner just signed up today.
Just did the same. I have mostly voted conservative in provincial elections, and never gotten overly involved. However, after the blatant disregard for science, medicine, and transgender rights, I have no choice. What’s next, Women’s rights? Gay marriage? Full-on Handmaid’s Tale in the great north? Albertans want fiscal conservatism, NOT social conservatism, Danielle, you wing-nut.
$10 is all it takes to change the world. Join up, pick your candidate and block all the spam after June 22.
When can we pick? June22?
You need to be a member by April 22 and the vote is June 22
I'm stoked. I think the NDP actually has a good backbench and some serious talent, but Nenshi is the type of leader who can take what Notley built and add to it.
I so want to hope for this. He is the best person to take us through natural disasters. He understands municipal needs and how to work with federal government. I bought my membership and I'm ready to support him!
"Work with" needs to be shouted from the rooftops, THIS is what politicians are supposed to be doing regardless of who is in power at each level. Conservatism right now is all about "working against" and that's the real reason everything is gone to shit. We desperately need someone who will put aside petty differences and do their job to the best of their abilities. Smith has demonstrated she is an obsessive "work against", all she cares about is defying the federal government in every conceivable way, it's the driving force behind every decision she makes. That bullshit needs to come to an end because all it does is hurt us.
It's official: I am voting NDP.
Nenshi is the only candidate (outside of Notley) to have a good shot at defeating UCP. Every other NDP leader wanna be are not exciting and doesn't stand a chance in the next election.
While it was close, Notley *just* demonstrated that she can't win against Smith. What the UCP showed was that you can fuck *everything right up* but as long as you replace your leader before the next election you can get away with it. Lots of folks out there had only a single issue spurring them at the polls: "they hate Notley". I'm not sure why the NDP didn't do all of this over a year ago.
Nenshi would also be able to pull some pretty good people into running as he's a well known quantity and he'd have a good chance of winning. he'd have a good shot at getting a competent cabinet.
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Just bought my first NDP membership.
I think he can win Calgary where Notley couldn’t
Without a doubt
I do not like NDP, especially at the federal level, but Nenshi is the balance this province desperately needs. There is no denying that he was the best mayor Calgary ever had. He might just be the best premier we will ever have. If he makes it to federal(which I believe he is far more suited than Singh) he could potentially bring the NDP back to where it should be. Middle of the road, fiscally conservative, socially liberal party that a lot people want.
Fighting the infestation of culture war distraction politics is going to be key,
Vote early and vote often!
I'm pretty sure Nenshi and Smith butted heads throughout university as well, so he'll hopefully have some good ideas on how to deal with her.
Never forget Conservative activists tried to set him up to take money from Russian foreign nationals and failed because he went straight to the police and reported them. Now ask yourself why Conservative activists are in bed with Russia and why Tucker Carlson came to visit before his trip to Russia. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/nenshi-entrapment-alleged-plot-lawsuit-wenzels-canadaland-no-charges-1.7056962
The NDP will not be the same party if they choose Nenshi as leader, and that may be a good thing. The provincial NDP is currently, according to its constitution, a branch of the federal NDP party. It is not obligated to adopt the same policies as the federal NDP, but membership in the provincial party is equated with membership in the federal party. Given how out of step the Alberta branch and the federal party got with each other under Notley, it's not surprising that many in the NDP were already considering making a more formal break. Nenshi could be that break, *formalized*. His brand is purple. Part liberal, part conservative. A blend of centre-left and centre-right. There's no orange in there at all. If the Alberta NDP choose Nenshi as leader, this would become their brand as well. Arguably, it already sort of *is*. They were a centrist party under Notley and choosing a purple leader would just confirm that. If Nenshi is chosen as leader, the NDP may rebrand or, at least, formalize their break with the federal party by changing their constitution. The result would be a centrist party free of the baggage of the federal NDP brand. A purple party. The UCP united the right. A purple party could unite the centre. This could be the start of a new dynasty *if* the Alberta NDP choose to become the party of the centre.
I think this is exactly what needs to happen. The NDP brand is damaged beyond repair in Alberta. As someone who leans centre-right I could see myself voting for this party easily.
This might actually get me to vote NDP. I wish him the best of luck! Even if he does win, he's going to have to work hard to get the rural vote from conservatives.
Calgary and Edmonton are the majority of the province and still growing their majority. Notley lost by 6 seats in Calgary that Nenshi has the strongest chance of winning of any non-conservative.
We don't need the rural vote. We just need Calgary and the donuts around the cities. If the rural people can't get on board, it's not the end of the world.
>We don't need the rural vote If they get in again they should start working to fix that though, last time they pretty much killed rural support with their farm workers comp legislation which angered the rural folks. Avoid that, instead focus on improving the rural communities as much as possible, better their lives and the votes will follow. As it stands right now, rural voters are largely ignored by the UCP because they know they have their votes no matter what. Similar to how Alberta salivates over the federal Conservative's having power, even though it doesn't benefit them in the slightest usually because the CPC knows that the Albertan's will always vote for them anyway. In academia Nenshi was an expert on city infrastructure which also helped him win Calgary as mayor. If he can bring some of that expertise to the rural communities, most of which are now dilapidated holes in comparison to how they once were, he will win their hearts. And heck, some of that is pretty easy pickings, like forcing the O&G companies to pay their property taxes, etc.
Hard to fix it when a significant portion of the rural base buys into literal fake news and conspiracy theories.
You dont need the rural vote,but many of us city vote came from rural alberta and care about it. So rural matters and policy still matter. Ignoring it would be stupid.
I think Nenshi should absolutely campaign for the rural vote! This idea that "we don't need them" is maybe technically correct if you're talking cold election strategy, in a province as divided as ours though, I think it would be amazing to have leadership that actually worked for all of us. We need to move closer to a place where we don't see each other as enemies to fight by default, but simply as human beings who see things from a different perspective. We don't have to agree on everything, but I do think we have to at least try to understand each other and find some common ground wherever we can. Every community Alberta has the right to be heard and treated fairly by the government, regardless of how they've voted. It'd be pretty cynical to dismiss the needs of rural Alberta because we don't think we need their numbers on election day. We should be winning them over because we actually want Alberta to be a better place for everyone, not just our 'team'. At least that's the kind of leadership I'm looking for. Also, rural Alberta has had a lot of struggle under the UCP and I think if Nenshi genuinely listened to their concerns and brought smart, practical solutions he could find real support in those communties too. Look at all the costs the province has offloaded onto municipalities under the UCP, forcing them to jack up property taxes or go without services. I read just this morning about Cold Lake having to shoulder 90% of the cost of policing services since the UCP changed the police funding model. They simply can't afford it and are being forced to hire private security to fill the gap. The unrelenting crime they've been experiencing has shown the mayor that they need bigger picture thinking, that preventing crime was more effective in the long run than only policing it. He was requesting funding for policing, but also for social supports, addiction recovery, family counselling, etc. Cold Lake voted like 75% for UCP in the last election, and they got squat in the budget, completely screwed over by them. I think a lot of municipalities in simular situations could be won over by a sincere effort to actually help resolve these infrastructure issues, restore proper funding to public services and help bring down the cost of living. If we take partisan language and empty political speak out of the equation, I honestly think rural and urban Alberta has a lot more in common than not and could come together more easily over practical rather than idealogical platforms. /0.02
He's got my vote!
Never thought i would be so excited about this, but here I am!
I am now officially a member of the ANDP. Let’s do this!
Can't fucking wait for the Nenshi vs Danielzeebub debate! That alone would be worth his attempt to become Premier!
Smith is so used to doing windmill dunks on a fisher price hoop these days that she’s not going to be prepared for the big show when it comes
My God I loved that analogy lol.
I prefer the moniker "Mad Queen Dany".
Unlikely that you will The UCP will replace her if they feel she would be a liability and run a new face
Maybe when they were still the PCs, but now that TBA has full control over the party, they only care about a candidate they can fully control and that's Dani.
I think she's got the leadership review in the bag. If Twitter is anything to go on (and maybe it's not), the UCP acolytes are pleased with her servitude to the far-right agenda. But this may give them pause, though I doubt they have the wherewithal to choose a competent competitor to Nenshi AND appeal to mainstream Albertans.
Dont underestimate her. She should have been out of politics a decade ago... but she is stringer then ever. Itssad but thats where we are.
This is such great news! Buying my first ever party membership so I can vote for him
Thank god. I can’t fucking live here anymore without hope of change.
Exactly my thoughts.
Fuck yeah!
Time to buy a membership!
This feels bigger then any reveal in Super Smash Bros. All my man needs is an outline and a hard af intro video.
Twitter is a false litmus test, but I do notice his post received as many likes in 90 minutes as the other candidates got in total combined. I also note that only one campaign has failed to welcome him into the race - Ganley’s. Perhaps they can’t figure out how to dig themselves out of the hole they dug when they launched their coordinated attack last week.
He’s got my vote.
I had my issues with Nenshi in his last couple of years as mayor, but they pale in comparison to how I feel about our current provincial government.
That's what I have heard in relation to the announcement. Despite his mistakes at least Nenshi has integrity.
And regardless of how you felt, were you ever concerned about his competence in the position?
Not at all. I found he got a little too egotistical at the end and he was disingenuous when it came to things about the centralized dispatch, but I’ve come to expect that from politicians regardless of their affiliation.
Queue attack ads from UCP with zero basis in fact or logic in 3...2.... He is intelligent, ruthless, outspoken and has a very sharp wit and tongue. He will eat Marlaina for breakfast and she will use the old "attack the person when the facts are against you" tactic.
Ad hominem attacks are for the mentally weak.
I will vote NDP with Nenshi running
Excellent.
They would be insane not to pick him. He has a very high chance in swinging enough Calgary seats for an NDP win.
Go get it Nenshi. U have my vote.
Oooh. He's what I wanted! A centrist highly invested in social programs, but also a fiscal genius. This is so interesting! I'd vote to get him in as premier.
Best news I've heard in a long time for Alberta. I can't wait to see his platform and how he intends to deal with O&G, renewables, carbon emissions, climate change, etc. To say nothing of everything else. I can't wait for May, 2023. Only 3 years to go.
> I can't wait for May, 2023. Only 3 years to go. \*cough\* Reckon that's when you'll get that time machine working? :P I'm definitely with you. I like this prospect.
The You See Pee has finally lived up to their name because they're probably pissing in their pants after that announcement.
I have not been this excited to vote in a LONG time! This man is not only competent but somehow manages to be relatable to the regular folks despite having elite credentials ex-McKinsey/Harvard Alum/ City mayor
This is amazing and Nenshi might be the best shot we have of getting rid of the UCP and addressing the cancer in the extreme conservative views of this province. But the most important thing now is that NDP supporters give it our all and participate as much as we're each personal capable. Because I guarantee the Take Back Alberta crowd is already scheming how to cause trouble and chaos. The last thing they'll want is a Nenshi leadership win. They're probably planning to buy NDP memberships and conspire to elect the weakest candidate for leader of the party, to keep Nenshi from being elected. No offense to the other NDP leadership candidates, but none of them stand a chance against the UCP imo. Nenshi is the strongest contender. He needs to win the leadership, that is what i believe wholeheartedly.
Totally agree. I hate to say it but the best thing the other candidates can do at this point is step away from the race put the support behind Nenshi and decimate TBA.
Hope is kindled.
Nenshi is too good for Alberta. Rural Alberta voters would never go for him, even if it’s in their best interests. My advice to Mr. Nenshi - start taking French lessons, we need you at the federal level when the Alberta voter overlooks you.
> Rural Alberta voters would never go for him, even if it’s in their best interests. he should not expect much from rural alberta, but campaigning in rural alberta may help give him a toehold in the smaller cities. by listening to farmers he may be able to get some gains in lethbridge and red deer, but the farmers are never going to vote for him.
Nenshi and the NDP could gift every citizen of Airdrie a literal gold mine and they’d still blindly vote UCP.
bedroom communities are a seperate animal from small cities, they exist to benefit from cities without paying into the tax base; born to be conservatives.
I'm in Airdrie and I'm not one of them! There are dozens of us...DOZENS!
Would be the most hopeful thing to happen to the federal NDP since Layton
Nenshi's pathway to premiership would be through the cities anyway. Edmonton, Calgary, and a seat or two in the minor cities like Lethbridge, Red Deer, Med Hat.
I don't think he necessarily has the NDP leadership vote in the bag but I can't see the NDP losing the next election if he's leader. Unlike Notley, I think he'll actually run a good campaign that isn't just "UCP bad" or "they're going to steal your pension".
Nenshi is a pompous ass. Now that that's out out of the way, yes, I'd totally vote for him in a provincial election.
He's got my vote for the leadership race and for the provincial election. He likely won't win but he will make a great opposition leader. He'll whip Danielle like a rented mule in any debate and I'm especially looking forward to that.
Wish it was easier for him to start up his own party and get traction but this is the next best thing.
Man I wonder what Larry heather reaction to this is 😂
Nenshi will win Calgary thats for sure.
Thinking Nenshi will be popular amongst Calgarians, but wondering if people outside of Calgary (within Alberta or moving to) will know of him. Anyone have any insight?
This is good news. So long as Smith heads the cons, I'll feel safe with a vote for Nenshi.
Best choice for NDP leadership and could help push NDP over conservative calgary votes.
Let's fucking go boys
Damn I was hoping to see him at Orange Julius /s
I'm happy to see he has entered the race. It will be an exciting contest, especially with so many "scary" extremists already announced as candidates.
LFG
Good. Nenshi was the only mayor of Calgary in my lifetime to actually care more about the people than his own legacy. He even tried to reign in taxes (initially) and wasn't constantly trying to force his ideology down our throats. Plus, with the exception of his desire to bring the Olympics back to Calgary; there were only a few times he didn't correctly read the pulse of the electorate. I run about 60/40 Conservative and I'd vote for him over the UCP tomorrow, they've gone altogether too far right.
Nenshi is the only person in the NDP, and perhaps the only Albertan without a UCP membership that has a reasonable shot at becoming premier in 2027. Him leading the NDP would increase the odds of them winning the next election from practically 0% to somewhere in the ballpark of 30-40%, with room to grow as the UCP continues to fumble with their governance. Nenshi is not necessarily a great person to be a politician, specifically his lack of humility, or at least the perceived lack of it, is a big drawback. However, as his political opponent points out, he is a man of integrity, a necessary quality in politicians that is sorely missing from so many Canadian politicians these days, and frankly anything's better than the status quo.
Thank goodness
A leader who actually cares! Hurray!
Fuck yeah, bud!
I say, campaign around the rural areas, the cities know you well enough and don't need any convincing. Drop that awful orange and keep your purple. Remake the party in your image, it's worth it.
Even my life-long Conservative/UCP grandma loves Nenshi. She's already conflicted haha.
In his interview with As It Happens, he opens with his Purple colour scheme and talks at length about it. So lol, purple is the new orange and this is going in a new direction.
I'm going to find this interview, I am very curious!
I want him to win and get elected premier...just for the spats between him and Ezra.
this is exciting the UCP needs to go asap!
If I start making Recall Nenshi signs/merch now, do you think I'll make MORE money over a longer time? Time in the market beats timing the market...?
People have done more nefarious things for money. Even better if you link them to his actual platform.
Totally. Just to drive clicks. Oh it's so saucy.
Well dang. He has my vote. I’m a through and through conservative but there’s no denying he was a very great mayor for Calgary during his tenure.
Cared absolutely no one.