Wild. Frustrating. Invigorating. Those are the three words Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi uses to sum up a pivotal and turbulent first year leading the official opposition.
From Mayor's Office to the Legislature Floor
Elected as party leader in June 2024, Nenshi, the former mayor of Calgary who served from 2010 to 2021, secured his own seat in the legislature as the MLA for Edmonton-Strathcona in a June byelection. His inaugural sitting this fall began dramatically, coinciding with the United Conservative Party government introducing legislation to force 51,000 striking teachers back to work using the notwithstanding clause.
"It's been a real moment for me to see not only a government that doesn't know what it's doing is for Albertans, but also to try and give Albertans a sense of what their alternative is," Nenshi stated.
A Pledge to "Let Albertans Breathe Again"
The fall sitting saw the UCP employ the constitutional override mechanism, the notwithstanding clause, on four pieces of legislation across two separate instances. In response, Nenshi has drawn a firm line in the sand for the next provincial election, which is formally scheduled for fall 2027 but could potentially occur sooner.
While full platform details are yet to come, Nenshi promises that an Alberta NDP government would move to repeal a swath of current legislation, with a specific focus on all applications of the notwithstanding clause. "We're basically going to let Albertans breathe again and get out from all these restrictive things that the government has done," he said.
He added, "Sometimes, I say bill No. 1 in our government will be called the 'Take Back Alberta Act,' which is a bit cheeky, but it really is about returning Alberta to Albertans and getting rid of all these restrictions on people's freedoms." Nenshi further committed that his party "will never" use the notwithstanding clause, and would instead introduce safeguards similar to those proposed by Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew.
Building Trust Within a Partisan Caucus
Reflecting on the personal transition, Nenshi acknowledged the challenge of integrating into a pre-existing team of seasoned politicians. Before winning his seat, he spent two legislative sessions observing from outside the assembly.
"I'd inherited a caucus that didn't really know me," Nenshi admitted. "I have this group of 38 people who are partisan politicians, which I'd never been before myself, and I just didn't know how they were going to take me." This period was crucial for building the internal rapport necessary to maintain momentum and present a united opposition front against the governing UCP.
As Alberta's political landscape continues to evolve, Nenshi's first year has set the stage for a stark ideological battle, centering on the use of governmental power and constitutional tools, heading toward the next electoral contest.
