Alberta NDP leadership race candidate Kathleen Ganley’s campaign manager Jeremy Nolais said former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi gave a lousy endorsement to the party in the last election. “Kathleen Ganley and thousands of other New Democrats knocked on doors eight to 10 hours a day running to the 2023 election,” tweeted Nolais. “There was no room for ‘tepid’, — not with so much at stake.”.Nolais was commenting on an Office of the Premier of Alberta official saying on Wednesday there had been plenty of buzz in his workplace in the previous days. This was because Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s team was salivating at the thought of running against an Alberta NDP led by Nenshi. “Running against him would present us with the mother of all target-rich environments,” said the official. While Nolais expressed opposition to Nenshi becoming Alberta NDP leader, Ganley said the point of the race is to grow the party. “I think anyone who wants to join in and throw their hat in the ring should be welcome,” said Ganley. “And so I would hope to see him throw his hat in the ring.”.That being said, she intends to run and intends to win. Nenshi was floated as a potential Alberta NDP leadership race candidate when leader Rachel Notley announced she was stepping down in January. READ MORE: Potential contenders to replace Notley as Alberta NDP leaderHe has been out of elected office for a few years, but that did not stop him from campaigning for the NDP in the last election. He served as Calgary mayor from 2010 to 2021, where he led the city through four states of emergency. In recognition of his leadership, he was awarded the World Mayor Prize by the City Mayors Foundation in 2014.
