I'd say his letter was worthy of your rant, but for a few important words you have ignored: "...a request resulting from a recent motion at City Council." Right there in the second paragraph.
It drives me absolutely bananas when right wing authors, who ought to know better, blame the mayor of Calgary for every boneheaded thing the city does, because the mayor is vote of 15 on council, and compelled to uphold every decision - even the ones they disagreed with. Same goes here.
I'll withhold final judgement until the necessary, y'know, research is done: How did Nenshi vote on that motion? If he voted against it, then the letter would amount to nothing more than the mayor, y'know, doing his job and speaking for his council.
If he voted for it, then by all means, let him have it.
Vote 11.4.1 here, *specifically* on “We write the province to ask to change union contracts *and* Nenshi should be the one to do it”. Nenshi votes for.
This will add some fireworks to the leadership debate in Calgary this weekend but that’s probably it. This would be a bigger problem for Nenshi if the Alberta NDP was actually a progressive labour party but it’s not. It’s a centre-leftish party with a progressive wing that campaigned in 2023 like it wanted to be the Progressive Conservatives. The thing about the Big Tent that Rachel Built is that a lot of NDP voters and members will shrug about this. They want to win in 2027 and they think Nenshi is the person who can lead them to win.
Progressive labour party or not, I think it’s just as big a problem for a candidate who’s entire platform is that the UCP is terrible, and that he’d do things differently. That wants to run against the UCP’s treatment of people like health workers, education workers, and anyone else where the UCP has tried to unilaterally rewrite their contracts. Not to mention cutting jobs while privatizing services.
You wouldn’t have to be as smooth a talker and debater as Smith for this letter to critically undermine any criticism. The UCP can say that they’re just doing the same thing for the province that Nenshi thought was best for Calgary. It would be a very hard attack to rebut. Particularly for an electorate who is already half convinced that all politicians are liars to start with.
I’ve also spent a long time trying to figure out why some progressives have such a hate on for Nenshi and I still don’t get it - this was, as was clear from Don Braid’s first column, a political move to give opponents a win that Nenshi knew wouldn’t go anywhere because, as Shannon Phillips herself said, it was wildly unconstitutional. That same year Nenshi came out strong against privatizing garbage collection for all the reasons one would expect of a progressive politician. Nenshi is politically savvy and deals with the hand he’s dealt, all qualities I want in a leader. My basic question is how did you get from “the NDP will have an almighty task of figuring out whether they’re smart enough to let Nenshi take them over and turn them into a proper, muscular centrist option” to the absolute 180? Like legitimately, I want to see what I am missing about an intelligent, caring leader who has a vision of community that is truly about community. Sure he’s arrogant as fuck but that didn’t stop us electing Trudeau.
I suspect this issue is disqualifying for the core NDP members, but a “meh” issue for most voters that could be persuaded to vote NDP. It may even help Nenshi. He now can point to an issue where he went against the union interest and was protecting tax payers.
Apologies in Advance eh.. but on a scale of 1 to 100 where might Nenshi land versus Danielle Smith & David Parker ? Will leave it to our Host Mr Scrimshaw to State his Preferred Criteria & Parameters. Ideally the ‘Context might include ‘lesser of two weevils’ a la the film ‘Master & Commander..
& might I add an impertinent question re those ‘structural changes..’ Oh & Yes yes.. Ms Smith & Mr Parker ‘have God on Their Side.. so there’s that eh ! 🦎🏴☠️🇨🇦
I'm a retired union carpenter in the Edmonton area, I wasn't aware Nenshi was a snake in the grass when it comes to dealing fairly with unions. I agreed with you previously that he has no business at the helm of the NDP or as premier, this is proof he doesn't belong at all.
Great piece. I'm im Alberta. I'm personally leaving ndp if nenahi is leader. If he is leader it tells me the ndp party doest want to be the ndp. I'll sit home on election day.
Members seem to be eager to wave this egregious letter away, quickly repeating his tailored excuses, "one of many votes" "representing council" and "I knew it wouldn't work" lol. I can't deny he whipped up excitement in my riding ABWL,moving from 90 or so members to 380, Perhaps it was McGowans Westlock roots. I might have to hand wave too, but, my only comfort would be that he (NN) will hopefully believe his job is to agree and stand for labour and workers now. NN has gotta prove he will live the (NDP) brand, or articulate a version we can agree to. Until he wins I'll be endorsing Hoffman, she asks, does the ground work and is committed to NDP values.
"To the extent that this site has an ideological bent, it is a muscular pragmatism."
Please - I do mean no offense - pardon me while I laugh my head off as you clearly have self-identified as being an NDP supporter so your use of the word "pragmatism" certainly has a rather different meaning than that to which I am used to.
However, however. I do enjoy your writing even though I seldom agree with you. To be honest, I self-identify as being somewhat - please! I said, somewhat - right of center so I do disagree with you on a variety of topics. Now, having said that, I agree with some of your positions and, typically, can understand your positions when we disagree. Simply put, sometimes we have to agree to disagree but some other times we do agree.
Now, Nenshi. I am a Calgarian so, Gawd! I am quite aware of the idiot. I have despised him since he came on the scene in our city. I have found him to be a tireless self-promoter and a self-described (well, he doesn't SAY it out loud but, boy, oh boy, he certainly does everything to tell you) smartest guy in the room. So, we agree!
You write of Nenshi trying to get out of a signed labor agreement. In truth, I don't recall this at all. But, but, but, I am not surprised at his chutzpah in doing this. I don't like some labor agreements; hell, I don't like lots of agreements that governments sign - particularly with big business (i.e. the corporate prostitutes) - but once you sign the agreements you sure as Hell had better live up to them. There is a time where it is okay to tear up a signed agreement - oh, approximately when Hell freezes over.
So, all in all, we agree on Nenshi and, thank you, you provided me with information that I did not previously have. Ultimately, life is about honesty and integrity in dealing with others. And Nenshi is not honest and has no integrity. Well, at least in my opinion.
I'd say his letter was worthy of your rant, but for a few important words you have ignored: "...a request resulting from a recent motion at City Council." Right there in the second paragraph.
It drives me absolutely bananas when right wing authors, who ought to know better, blame the mayor of Calgary for every boneheaded thing the city does, because the mayor is vote of 15 on council, and compelled to uphold every decision - even the ones they disagreed with. Same goes here.
I'll withhold final judgement until the necessary, y'know, research is done: How did Nenshi vote on that motion? If he voted against it, then the letter would amount to nothing more than the mayor, y'know, doing his job and speaking for his council.
If he voted for it, then by all means, let him have it.
https://pub-calgary.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=cabaa103-3940-4279-aafa-2eeba26abb9c&Agenda=PostMinutes&lang=English&Item=95&Tab=attachments
Vote 11.4.1 here, *specifically* on “We write the province to ask to change union contracts *and* Nenshi should be the one to do it”. Nenshi votes for.
This will add some fireworks to the leadership debate in Calgary this weekend but that’s probably it. This would be a bigger problem for Nenshi if the Alberta NDP was actually a progressive labour party but it’s not. It’s a centre-leftish party with a progressive wing that campaigned in 2023 like it wanted to be the Progressive Conservatives. The thing about the Big Tent that Rachel Built is that a lot of NDP voters and members will shrug about this. They want to win in 2027 and they think Nenshi is the person who can lead them to win.
Re-read the letter. He was writing on behalf of council.
The key question is how HE voted on that motion.
Progressive labour party or not, I think it’s just as big a problem for a candidate who’s entire platform is that the UCP is terrible, and that he’d do things differently. That wants to run against the UCP’s treatment of people like health workers, education workers, and anyone else where the UCP has tried to unilaterally rewrite their contracts. Not to mention cutting jobs while privatizing services.
You wouldn’t have to be as smooth a talker and debater as Smith for this letter to critically undermine any criticism. The UCP can say that they’re just doing the same thing for the province that Nenshi thought was best for Calgary. It would be a very hard attack to rebut. Particularly for an electorate who is already half convinced that all politicians are liars to start with.
I’ve also spent a long time trying to figure out why some progressives have such a hate on for Nenshi and I still don’t get it - this was, as was clear from Don Braid’s first column, a political move to give opponents a win that Nenshi knew wouldn’t go anywhere because, as Shannon Phillips herself said, it was wildly unconstitutional. That same year Nenshi came out strong against privatizing garbage collection for all the reasons one would expect of a progressive politician. Nenshi is politically savvy and deals with the hand he’s dealt, all qualities I want in a leader. My basic question is how did you get from “the NDP will have an almighty task of figuring out whether they’re smart enough to let Nenshi take them over and turn them into a proper, muscular centrist option” to the absolute 180? Like legitimately, I want to see what I am missing about an intelligent, caring leader who has a vision of community that is truly about community. Sure he’s arrogant as fuck but that didn’t stop us electing Trudeau.
It would appear that Nenshi voted in favour of this particular motion at the time:
https://pub-calgary.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=cabaa103-3940-4279-aafa-2eeba26abb9c&Agenda=PostMinutes&lang=English
11 others supported the motion, 3 objected.
I suspect this issue is disqualifying for the core NDP members, but a “meh” issue for most voters that could be persuaded to vote NDP. It may even help Nenshi. He now can point to an issue where he went against the union interest and was protecting tax payers.
Apologies in Advance eh.. but on a scale of 1 to 100 where might Nenshi land versus Danielle Smith & David Parker ? Will leave it to our Host Mr Scrimshaw to State his Preferred Criteria & Parameters. Ideally the ‘Context might include ‘lesser of two weevils’ a la the film ‘Master & Commander..
& might I add an impertinent question re those ‘structural changes..’ Oh & Yes yes.. Ms Smith & Mr Parker ‘have God on Their Side.. so there’s that eh ! 🦎🏴☠️🇨🇦
I'm a retired union carpenter in the Edmonton area, I wasn't aware Nenshi was a snake in the grass when it comes to dealing fairly with unions. I agreed with you previously that he has no business at the helm of the NDP or as premier, this is proof he doesn't belong at all.
Great piece. I'm im Alberta. I'm personally leaving ndp if nenahi is leader. If he is leader it tells me the ndp party doest want to be the ndp. I'll sit home on election day.
Members seem to be eager to wave this egregious letter away, quickly repeating his tailored excuses, "one of many votes" "representing council" and "I knew it wouldn't work" lol. I can't deny he whipped up excitement in my riding ABWL,moving from 90 or so members to 380, Perhaps it was McGowans Westlock roots. I might have to hand wave too, but, my only comfort would be that he (NN) will hopefully believe his job is to agree and stand for labour and workers now. NN has gotta prove he will live the (NDP) brand, or articulate a version we can agree to. Until he wins I'll be endorsing Hoffman, she asks, does the ground work and is committed to NDP values.
Your free blogs are well worth it. Thank you!
"To the extent that this site has an ideological bent, it is a muscular pragmatism."
Please - I do mean no offense - pardon me while I laugh my head off as you clearly have self-identified as being an NDP supporter so your use of the word "pragmatism" certainly has a rather different meaning than that to which I am used to.
However, however. I do enjoy your writing even though I seldom agree with you. To be honest, I self-identify as being somewhat - please! I said, somewhat - right of center so I do disagree with you on a variety of topics. Now, having said that, I agree with some of your positions and, typically, can understand your positions when we disagree. Simply put, sometimes we have to agree to disagree but some other times we do agree.
Now, Nenshi. I am a Calgarian so, Gawd! I am quite aware of the idiot. I have despised him since he came on the scene in our city. I have found him to be a tireless self-promoter and a self-described (well, he doesn't SAY it out loud but, boy, oh boy, he certainly does everything to tell you) smartest guy in the room. So, we agree!
You write of Nenshi trying to get out of a signed labor agreement. In truth, I don't recall this at all. But, but, but, I am not surprised at his chutzpah in doing this. I don't like some labor agreements; hell, I don't like lots of agreements that governments sign - particularly with big business (i.e. the corporate prostitutes) - but once you sign the agreements you sure as Hell had better live up to them. There is a time where it is okay to tear up a signed agreement - oh, approximately when Hell freezes over.
So, all in all, we agree on Nenshi and, thank you, you provided me with information that I did not previously have. Ultimately, life is about honesty and integrity in dealing with others. And Nenshi is not honest and has no integrity. Well, at least in my opinion.
Muscular pragmatism within the context of my being a bleeding heart lefty was what I meant
I obviously don’t claim to any form of centrism
Your clarification is noted. Again, although I don't always agree, I enjoy your perspective.