Vince Byfield is a political commentator and manages TheChristians.com, which publishes the 12-volume history book series The Christians: Their First Two Thousand Years.Edmonton is at a pivotal moment. Historically, we’ve had a city council composed of independents with no municipal parties, unlike other major Canadian cities. This system leaves voters less informed about what their councillors stand for, and more importantly, it concentrates real power in the hands of unelected city administrators.One of the biggest challenges we face is that while municipal government impacts our daily lives — property taxes, local services, community development — it remains the level of politics voters are least aware of. To fix this, we must move toward a structured party system that gives voters a clear sense of each candidate’s platform. But equally important is building a broad-based, grassroots engagement. We need a populist movement that encourages regular, small-scale donations from citizens. This not only creates a sustainable funding base, but also ensures that the public is consistently involved and invested in the process..OLDCORN: International Agreements Act puts Alberta in charge of international deals.After this past election, we propose convening an Edmonton Conservative Assembly — gathering key conservative leaders to shape a new municipal party. This new party would not only offer a coherent platform and invite sitting councillors to join, but also prioritize transparency and public participation. One key metric of success will be the number of small donors, ensuring that we build a party funded and supported by everyday Edmontonians..Transparency must also be a cornerstone of this movement. Although a database of council votes exists, it currently fails to show how individual councillors vote on each issue. We need a province-wide, volunteer-driven initiative to create a public, wiki-style database that tracks every council vote in Edmonton, Calgary, and beyond. This will not only hold elected officials accountable, but also educate and engage the public and volunteers, making municipal politics more accessible and understandable.By forming a conservative municipal party and creating a transparent voting record, we can transform Edmonton’s political landscape. Let’s build a party supported by small, regular donations and a public record that keeps every councilor’s actions in the open. In doing so, we’ll not only prepare for a more effective 2029 election, but also ensure that Edmonton’s city hall truly serves its people..OLDCORN: Alberta NDP proves it's the government union party, not the working parents party.I hope this article will serve as a call to action for Edmonton’s conservative leadership. It is incumbent upon us to take the initiative, to organize, and to lead with clarity and courage — for our families, for our communities, and for the future of Edmonton itself.Vince Byfield is a political commentator and manages TheChristians.com, which publishes the 12-volume history book series The Christians: Their First Two Thousand Years.
