Alberta NDP leadership candidate Naheed Nenshi, centre, makes a closing statement as fellow candidates, left to right, Gil McGowan, Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse, Sarah Hoffman, and Kathleen Ganley look on during a leadership debate in Calgary on May 11.Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press
The final debate of the Alberta New Democratic Party leadership race saw the remaining four candidates give their last appeals for support, a day ahead of the start of voting to choose the successor of political heavyweight Rachel Notley.
Nearly 85,150 party members are eligible to vote beginning Monday for the new leader, who will be named on June 22. Leadership candidates signed up tens of thousands of new members by the April deadline bringing the tally to a historic high for the 62-year-old party. Ms. Notley received just 2,512 votes when she took the helm of the NDP in 2014.
Garett Spelliscy, the executive director of the Alberta NDP, said significant growth of the party is a symptom of Ms. Notley’s legacy. She brought the NDP from underdog to top dog in the 2015 provincial election, and, in opposition, has proved that the party remain a political force to be reckoned with, Mr. Spelliscy said.
“We really have an environment where anybody who feels like the UCP is taking us in the wrong direction, sees a home for themselves politically in the Alberta NDP,” he said in an interview on Sunday. “At the end of this race, we’re going to see a renewed excitement and enthusiasm to get ready for the next election.”
The race is considered former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi’s to lose. He is up against party mainstays Kathleen Ganley and Sarah Hoffman, both of whom held cabinet positions under the Notley government, and rookie Edmonton MLA Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse. Two other candidates – Edmonton MLA Rakhi Pancholi and Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour – have dropped out from the competition.
On Sunday, the final of three leadership debates took place in Edmonton, during which the remaining contenders focused on topics such as health care, affordability and housing. They also answered questions on the identity of the party, including how it should associate with its national counterpart, and plans to defeat the governing United Conservative Party.
Then candidates gave their final pitch. While Mr. Nenshi focused his closing remarks on beating out the UCP, Ms. Hoffman centred more on her NDP values and record in office. Ms. Ganley highlighted her vision for collaborative leadership, and Ms. Stonehouse concentrated on her plans to protect water and govern for the next generation.
“This government must be replaced. It must be replaced for the good of our province and for the future of our generations,” Mr. Nenshi said. “This is really about going out to all of our neighbours, building the movement, making our movement look more like Alberta, making sure that we are relevant from High Level to High Prairie to High River.”
Ms. Hoffman followed: “I know my values and you know them too. I can’t pretend to be something that I’m not,” she said to a crowd of hundreds. “I will be a bold, unapologetic NDP Premier.”
Ms. Ganley said the NDP has to go beyond criticizing the UCP and putting forward its own bold vision for the province and then stand behind it.
“I am offering you a very different type of leadership,” she said. “One that is based not on the strength of one person but all of us together.”
Meanwhile, Ms. Stonehouse, a member of Michel First Nation, said many have shared with her their fears of climate change, of drought, wildfires and the ability to farm. She said this is why the province must do better with water.
“Water is life,” she said. “Water is prosperity. Prosperity is our future and our future must be about our children.”
Mr. Spelliscy said the challenge for the coming leader will be to unite party members under a shared vision while paving a path to victory in the next provincial election. He added that the victor will “definitely be conscious” of Ms. Notley’s shadow but will need to chart their own path.
“Compare the Alberta NDP to other sections of the NDP or other political parties – the stability we’ve enjoyed because Rachel represents the ability to form government. Rachel represents the history and the roots of our party, and the ability to form a broad coalition,” he said.
“It’s up to the party and the next leader to retain members, and ensure that our coalition remains intact.”