More criticism of Naheed Nenshi as he mulls Alberta NDP leadership bid

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Former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi is being criticized for his lack of ties to the Alberta NDP forward of its management race — a contest the ex-mayor hasn’t but formally joined.

Nenshi has been rumoured to be contemplating a management bid for the reason that contest to switch longtime celebration Chief Rachel Notley was introduced earlier this 12 months. Postmedia columnist Don Braid reported earlier this week that Nenshi is ready to go public along with his candidacy on Monday however has confronted hurdles and celebration strictures in his software as an outdoor candidate — therefore his silence on the matter.

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Whereas Nenshi isn’t formally within the race, information of his potential candidacy has garnered curiosity from the general public and a few of his would-be opponents.

Calgary-Mountain View MLA and management candidate Kathleen Ganley took goal at Nenshi this week, criticizing his “tepid” endorsement of the celebration in the latest provincial election.

“I simply ponder whether having somebody main the group who doesn’t imagine in being on the group can lead to victory,” she informed Postmedia columnist Rick Bell earlier this week.

Ganley’s group doubled down Wednesday, sending a letter penned by Calgary-Edgemont MLA Julie Hayter to Ganley’s electronic mail record.

“Alberta New Democrats labored so exhausting final election. We knocked on so many doorways, day-after-day, no exceptions. All of us gave it our all. We made unbelievable progress collectively,” mentioned Hayter. “Now, we’ve got a man stepping in to affix our management contest — somebody who barely backed us when it mattered. Identical to his endorsement, Naheed Nenshi is arriving on the final minute.”

Ganley’s feedback about Nenshi had been met with blowback on social media this week, with former NDP MLA Cam Westhead stating: “Attacking somebody who could also be within the vetting course of and might’t defend themselves is beneath the dignity this management race deserves.”

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In an announcement to Postmedia on Friday, Ganley mentioned she welcomes all voices to the management contest and is “thrilled to see so many extremely completed contenders, together with Naheed Nenshi.”

“I’m delighted that Naheed, as he mentioned, lent us his vote within the final election together with so many different Albertans. Others gave us their tireless and enthusiastic assist — and that’s what I need to construct from. I need to earn the total assist of a majority of Albertans,” Ganley mentioned.

Ganley additionally posted on social media platform X welcoming Alberta Federation of Labour president Gil McGowan to the race on Friday.

Candidates Sarah Hoffman, MLA for Edmonton-Glenora, and Rakhi Pancholi, of Edmonton-Whitemud, welcomed Nenshi’s rumoured candidacy.

“I’m at all times completely happy to see new members becoming a member of the Alberta NDP. Naheed and I at all times have plenty of enjoyable collectively. If he desires to come back second, he ought to run,” Hoffman mentioned in an announcement Friday.

Pancholi informed Postmedia, “I’ve been fairly adamant all alongside that the way in which for us to win authorities in 2027 is to develop our celebration and present that extra individuals and their views are mirrored in what we do as a celebration. So I welcome him on this race.”

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Naheed Nenshi’s outsider standing ‘on model’

Mount Royal College political scientist Duane Bratt mentioned Nenshi’s marketing campaign can be a latecomer to the competition and he might face challenges promoting memberships on the identical fee as his counterparts — a few of whom have had a month-long head begin. His candidacy can be an uncommon one, Bratt mentioned.

“You don’t usually have somebody operating for the management of a celebration — particularly somebody who can be thought of an actual contender — who had not beforehand been a member of that celebration. It’s a completely different type of dynamic,” mentioned Bratt.

Ganley’s criticisms goal the perceived weak spot of Nenshi’s lack of NDP roots, however Bratt mentioned that could possibly be a boon for members who see Nenshi as a extra broadly fashionable candidate who might widen the celebration’s tent forward of the following election.

“There’s been simply as a lot dialogue about the one who hasn’t entered the race because the individuals within the race. And that’s one thing that they’re going to want to confront,” mentioned Bratt.

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One other political scientist, MRU’s Lori Williams, mentioned one in every of Nenshi’s largest challenges can be the partisan nature of provincial politics and sustaining the NDP’s huge base whereas toeing the celebration line. Nenshi has at all times branded himself as “purple” — a mix of Liberal pink and Conservative blue — and a non-partisan chief.

“He’s not a real NDP loyalist, and that’s on model for Naheed Nenshi,” mentioned Williams. “He has to acknowledge that his total historical past has been about being purple, about being non-partisan . . . He’s obtained to persuade NDP members that he has the power to respect what’s close to and pricey to them and draw collectively the spectrum of values, beliefs and issues from inside that celebration.”

Candidates can enter the management race till the tip of the day on March 15, setting the ballots for the June vote. Candidates declared up to now embody Ganley, Hoffman, McGowan, Pancholi and Edmonton-Rutherford MLA Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse. McGowan is the one candidate at present within the race who’s not a sitting MLA.

Voting will start June 3 and run till midday on June 22; the outcomes are set to be introduced that night.

mrodriguez@postmedia.com

X: @MichaelRdrguez

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