This leadership race has been amazing. The excitement about the future of our party is incredible.
I have heard from many of you who want to make sure that everyone involved in the leadership election stays involved afterwards. I can only speak for myself, but I can promise you that I will make sure everyone involved in this race is given the opportunity to remain heavily involved in the party and the lead-up to the 2027 campaign.
And, I believe the next campaign starts on June 23, 2024.
By now, you’ve heard my case.
We know what didn’t work last time — we can’t just run on criticizing the UCP under one big name. We need to talk to voters about what matters most to them, we need to challenge that old UCP narrative on the economy and give voters a credible plan. That’s why my campaign is about raising wages and cutting costs to help Albertans.
But today I want to talk about the amazing things my fellow candidates bring to our team. Each of them is an incredible asset to Alberta’s NDP, and would make a much better premier than Danielle Smith.
Please visit their websites to learn more about their vision for our party.
Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse is smart, passionate and incredibly engaging. Traveling with Jodi, I have seen her light up so many rooms with her energy, brilliant ideas and deep passion for nature. Her ideas about water and energy have contributed so much to the race and beyond.
Sarah Hoffman exemplifies tireless commitment and proven leadership. She works harder than just about anyone. Sarah has traveled the province not just in this campaign, but to build our party for years: Barrhead, Whitecourt, Slave Lake — you name it. Her record as Health Minister and Deputy Premier speaks volumes, and she continues to lead the conversation on health, climate and housing.
Naheed Nenshi has done an incredible job of bringing attention to our party and this race, as well as growing our membership. He has the knack for making people feel welcome within Alberta’s NDP and he’s helped change perceptions around this being an exclusive club. He is an incredible speaker and his criticisms of Danielle Smith are pointed and fiery (and all very true).
Gil McGowan and Rakhi Pancholi made significant contributions to our party in this race, and I believe their participation made us all stronger.
Gil brought an important message and many thoughtful ideas on how we grow our economy. He also delivered on his promise to show everyone he was not who they thought he was. His most important lesson was around rebuilding our relationship with working people, and how critical this is to winning in 2027 and beyond. I would like us to bring forward many of Gil’s policy ideas, especially in regards to our energy economy and ensuring we manage the changes that face us.
Rakhi’s message about how shortsighted and narrow minded the UCP’s vision of Alberta is, and how it does not align at all with the amazing province around us, resonated with so many Albertans. She brought forward bold policy ideas — especially her thoughtful and detailed climate plan that balanced the political realities and the need to take action on both climate change and the economy. She is a dynamic and engaging leader that can build a strong team and thoughtful policy, she makes our Alberta NDP team stronger.
Thank you to both of these extraordinary individuals for stepping up to put extraordinary ideas forward.
Friends, I don’t pretend to have all the answers, as I’ve often said.
I am offering a different type of leadership — where our strength is not just one person, but all of us together, talking and sharing and building on our ideas. I am running to build an incredible team, one that would greatly benefit from the talents of all these remarkable leaders.
So let me make this promise to you:
I will make sure that every one of these amazing people has a prominent place in our party. My colleagues, Sarah, Jodi and Rakhi will all be given prominent places in our Caucus — the strength they bring will help us win. I will ask both Naheed and Gil to join that team, if they are willing. And, when we win in 2027, I hope to have all five of them serving in Cabinet, making this province better for all Albertans.
I have been so honoured to participate in this race, to grow our party and to stand alongside these amazing people. I would encourage you to check out all our websites and our policy commitments, watch the debates, and choose wisely.