Naheed Nenshi, NDP leadership candidate, says the Albertans deserve better. Eli J. Ridder/CHAT News

By Eli J. Ridder

Alberta Politics

NDP leadership hopeful Naheed Nenshi urges grassroots to engage neighbours

Jun 20, 2024 | 5:09 PM

Alberta NDP leadership candidate Naheed Nenshi is urging grassroot supporters to engage with neighbours and friends to build up momentum in their communities ahead of the next provincial election.

“Right now is no time for bystanders,” Nenshi, a three-term Calgary mayor, told over 300 people gathered in Medicine Hat’s historic Monarch Theatre for a town hall Wednesday.

“Every single one of us is called upon to use every single thing we’ve got — sweat or blood or tears or strong backs or voices — in order to fight for the Alberta that we need, in order to take back Alberta.”

In his 45-minute speech to a lively crowd, Nenshi criticized the United Conservatives for prioritizing power over governing, leading to a decline in services like healthcare and education.

“It really is about saying that we deserve better as Albertans,” Nenshi told CHAT News.

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“We dream of a better place, we deserve a better place and that happens in every corner of this province, so we can’t just be having conversations in Calgary and Edmonton anymore.”

“We need to be reaching out to communities of every size across the whole province.”

Emjneiguim-witzke, who chairs the youth committee of the local NDP constituency, said Nenshi’s message was a powerful one.

“You can just feel the energy from Nenshi,” she told CHAT News after a question-and-answer period with the candidate.

She is hopeful a growing youth vote will help in the next election and said the momentum is growing locally, despite an electoral history dominated by conservative representatives.

“We’re getting closer and closer every election,” she said.

“It’s very hopeful and I think we’re going to get there really quick with how energetic we are and the community is.”

Strengthening rural airport service to boost smaller Alberta communities has been a goal for the current United Conservative government.

Nenshi said strengthening the economy and improving public sector services will help drive people to places like Medicine Hat.

“This is all about economic development and it is all about figuring out ways that we can help all of the regions of Alberta develop,” he told CHAT News.

“We want more people choosing this place and a lot of that comes from having great public services, health care and education,” he added.

“But it also comes from ensuring that there is a strong economy, a strong sustainable economy from now and into the future. And to me that’s what we really need to focus on.”

Nenshi is the assumed frontrunner out of four candidates in a leadership race to replace former premier Rachel Notley.

Voting is ongoing until Saturday, when the next leader of the Alberta NDP will be selected.