Carter raises ire of radio host for dissing Nenshi opponents in NDP race

Stephen Carter was at it again, this time raising the ire of a local radio host for dissing opponents of his preferred NDP leadership candidate, Naheed Nenshi.So much so, it’s unlikely the noted — and notorious — Alberta backroom politico will be invited to speak as a guest on the prolific QR77 Connect show with host Sarah Crosbie anytime soon.It started innocuously enough. Carter was invited on Crosbie’s Tuesday afternoon talk show to speak to the seemingly overwhelming number of NDP memberships sold in Calgary since the start of the leadership race to replace outgoing leader Rachel Notley.Carter is the president of Calgary-based Decide Campaigns and has managed the likes of Alison Redford, Jyoti Gondek — and even Danielle Smith when she was Wildrose leader — in addition to present NDP leadership hopeful Nenshi in his past iteration as Calgary mayor.He raised eyebrows in February 2022 after he was dismissed as Gondek’s chief of staff for undisclosed reasons after only four months on the job and awarded $100,000 in severance..He similarly received $130,000 when he was dismissed as former premier Alison Redford’s chief of staff in 2013 after six months on the job. .According to NDP party data, there are now 85,144 registered party members, compared to just 16,224 on December 31, 2023.Nearly half of those — 39,240 — are in a handful of Calgary ridings compared to 21,253 for all of Edmonton.Contender Kathleen Ganley’s Calgary-Mountain View riding has the most members of any constituency in Alberta at 3,501.In a news release, Ganley’s campaign team wrote that the MLA’s team “continues to grow across Alberta as we put forward real, concrete ideas that speak to the economic challenges facing people. Our ideas can change hearts and minds.”Carter, who is an unabashed Nenshi supporter, seemed to throw cold water on suggestions that Calgary residents might be buying memberships specifically to vote against Nenshi who stuck a polarizing figure in his final term as mayor that ended in 2021.“Hey listen, I’ve always said your listeners are ‘special’,” Carter told Crosbie. “They love you more than they love me.”To which Crosbie took exception: “That’s below the Stampede belt buckle… that’s not cool.”.Carter attempted to deflect by saying the host could read whatever tone or connotation into his statement the she — or listeners — wished.The segment ended politely enough. But after the break Crosby came back on air to say that she was “very irritated” by the exchange and “that did not sit well AT ALL.”“You (listeners) do not need to be put down or criticized… that will not happen again.”And then lightened the tone by launching into a segment on how to get the most out of fast food apps by taking advantage of deals from companies like McDonald’s.

Carter raises ire of radio host for dissing Nenshi opponents in NDP race

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