Should political parties be part of Alberta's municipal politics?
CTV
Though Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she's "in favour" of introducing party politics at the municipal level, Calgary's Mayor is firmly against it.
Though Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she's "in favour" of introducing party politics at the municipal level, Calgary's Mayor is firmly against it.
Smith voiced her support of the idea on her radio show, 'Your Province. Your Premier,' on Saturday, even hinting that legislation on the matter could be tabled by the province in the spring.
"We've got 355 municipalities. The smaller municipalities -- I don't know that they're partisan -- but when you get into a city the size of Calgary or Edmonton, you better believe it's partisan," Smith said.
It's an idea not supported by Calgary's mayor.
"I am not affiliated with a party, nor do I want to be, so I don't know what more transparency (Smith) would want from someone like me," Mayor Jyoti Gondek told reporters Tuesday.
"What (the premier) will do is take people who are willing to work for Calgarians first, rather than a party, and make them ineligible to run, and I think that would be a great disservice."
Speaking on her radio show, Smith said municipal governments are "too often" straying away from handling issues of local infrastructure and garbage collection.
