Naheed Nenshi delivers his acceptance speech after being named as the new leader of the Alberta NDP in Calgary on June 22, 2024.Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press
Former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi won a landslide victory to become the new leader of the Alberta New Democratic Party, promising amid roaring applause to challenge what he considers Premier Danielle Smith’s narrow view of Alberta.
Saturday marked a historic vote for the 62-year-old party with a record 72,932 members casting a ranked ballot, the majority of whom became card-carrying supporters during the leadership race. Mr. Nenshi, 52, scored a quick victory with more than 86 per cent of votes secured on the first ballot, a far cry from the 2,512 votes outgoing leader Rachel Notley received when she took the reins of the NDP in 2014.
The new leader, wearing a mostly orange tie, acknowledged that the journey toward a provincial victory in 2027 will be difficult but that there will be “joy in the struggle.” He said the party must continue to build its base to defeat the United Conservative Party, which he slammed for its policies related to issues like health care and intergovernmental relations.
“It will not be easy at all. We are going against a well-funded, a well-oiled political machine on the other side. We’re going against the machine that unlike us is not based on values and ethics and morals and what is best for the province,” he said.
“Danielle Smith and the UCP want us to be small. They want us to be small because they think small. They see Alberta as a fortress to be defended, but what Albertans always need is a wide open door with a welcome mat.”
Mr. Nenshi welcomed his competitors to the stage after his speech and said, despite their differences, they are part of a united team. Kathleen Ganley and Sarah Hoffman, both of whom held cabinet positions under the Notley government, came in second and third, respectively. Rookie Edmonton MLA Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse finished last.
Mr. Nenshi’s win comes after a months-long campaign where candidates focused largely on how they plan to defeat the governing United Conservative Party and drive the Alberta NDP into the future. The challenge for the incoming leader will be uniting party members under a single orange tent – carving out a middle ground for NDP stalwarts and those closer to the political centre.
He said he is committed to better understanding his members over the coming weeks and months, but added that he is not worried “at all” about caucus unity.
Mr. Nenshi, well-known for his purple brand, a mix between Liberal red and Conservative blue, announced his bid for leader of the NDP in March and was almost immediately considered the front-runner.
His competitors tried to paint him as anti-union after a letter resurfaced from his time as mayor, during which he asked the UCP for help to sell off public services to private operators. He also took heat for being a newcomer to the party and for his relatively vague platform promises, worrying some that he’ll steer the ship into political waters far from the NDP shore.
The leadership race additionally brought to the forefront questions about the provincial party’s ties to its federal counterpart, a union that proved problematic for the Alberta NDP during the last general election. Mr. Nenshi believes severing ties with the federal NDP is the way forward.
Mr. Nenshi told media on Saturday there is no point in “dilly-dallying” on the question to leave and intends to put it to members as soon as possible, which would chart a path separate from his predecessor, who was present for his win. Ms. Notley told a Calgary Herald columnist earlier this week that it would be “silly, superficial and short-sighted” to split.
Federal leader Jagmeet Singh delivered remarks on Ms. Notley’s legacy at her farewell event on Friday. The outgoing leader, who transformed the NDP into a political force during her tenure, offered a piece of advice to her successor, who had not yet been named, during her farewell speech that night.
“Show Albertans who you are and what you believe in at every chance you get. And never, never forget that your voice is only as strong as the party’s and the people who are part of it,” she said. “As I step down from leadership, I do so with a heart full of hope for the future. Hope for the success of our new leader, of our party, and of course for Alberta and for all Albertans.”
With files from The Canadian Press