Smith says she’s waiting on Nenshi to declare his intent before calling byelection

EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she’s waiting for NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi to declare where he intends to run for office before she calls a byelection in Lethbridge.

Facing demands from Opposition New Democrats to call the byelection, Smith is in turn putting pressure on Nenshi to set his sights on a legislature seat.

Smith has until the new year to call the race in Lethbridge-West, after the riding’s former NDP representative, Shannon Phillips, resigned in July.

In the meantime, the premier has been campaigning in Lethbridge for the UCP’s local candidate, John Middleton-Hope.

Speaking with local reporters Monday, Smith said she’s happy to call the byelection once the NDP finds someone who will step down and open up a seat for Nenshi.

“I’m kind of waiting for the leader of the official Opposition,” said Smith, who argued it would be in the best interests of taxpayers to have both byelections at the same time.

“He has a few more weeks to see if one of his MLAs will step up and make way for him so that he can be in the legislature, and if that doesn’t happen, then we’ll call the byelection,” she said.

She said either Nenshi has no interest in sitting in the legislature, or his caucus doesn’t want to make room for him.

In a Tuesday statement, Smith also expressed surprise that Nenshi hasn’t made a declaration ahead of a busy fall legislative session.

“Albertans expect leaders to hold a seat in the Legislative Assembly in order to participate in the legislative process,” said Smith.

Nenshi, a former Calgary mayor, has said every constituency deserves a legislature member who is active and present in their home riding and he’d prefer to represent in Calgary.

After being voted leader of the UCP in late 2022, Smith opted to run in a byelection in Brooks-Medicine Hat left open by former UCP legislature member Michaela Frey.

In a statement Tuesday, Nenshi noted that Smith opted not to call a byelection in Calgary-Elbow, which left the seat held by the UCP’s Doug Schweitzer vacant for nine months until the general election in May 2023.

“She didn’t feel the need to get a seat in the legislature. Hypocrisy thy name is Danielle,” Nenshi said.

He added that if Smith created a vacancy in Calgary by firing one of her ministers, he’d be “thrilled.”

“When the opportunity presents itself, I will jump in, but I am not going to bribe an MLA to step aside from what is their life’s dream to serve as a member of the legislature just so that I can get a seat and be in question period,” he said.

Last week, the NDP’s candidate for Lethbridge-West, Rob Miyashiro, said both parties have had their candidates ready to run for weeks, and the riding needs representation now.

“It’s time Danielle Smith calls this byelection, since the UCP is already campaigning,” he said.

However, Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver said at a funding announcement Tuesday in Lethbridge the city has “amazing” representation through UCP cabinet minister Nathan Neudorf in Lethbridge-East.

“They should be very happy about that, but the fact is, there’s a seat empty, and when the premier thinks the time is right, she’ll call a byelection,” he said.

When asked if there was any significance to holding the announcement in Lethbridge, McIver noted that the UCP is also holding a caucus retreat there, and has a good working relationship with municipal leaders.

He said no one should be surprised government members are door-knocking in a local riding without having officially called a byelection, because it’s routine for politicians to “practice politics.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2024.

Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press