Alberta voters to decide today if NDP's Nenshi, separatists to hold legislature seats
EDMONTON – Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi is looking to finally win a seat in the legislature after a year of sitting on the sidelines.
He's running in one of three provincial byelections today as a candidate in Edmonton-Strathcona, where his predecessor Rachel Notley last won 80 per cent of the vote.
In Edmonton-Ellerslie, NDP candidate Gurtej Singh Brar could solidify the opposition party's hold on the city, but United Conservative Party candidate Naresh Bhardwaj is hoping to make an inroad.
In rural central Alberta, the separatist Republican Party of Alberta is aiming to capitalize on discontent with Ottawa.
Republican leader Cameron Davies has been campaigning in Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills against the UCP's Tara Sawyer, the NDP's Bev Toews and Bill Tufts of the Wildrose Loyalty Coalition.
The seat became vacant after former legislature speaker and long-time UCP member of the legislature Nathan Cooper resigned to take a post as Alberta's representative in Washington, D.C.
Also vying for the Edmonton-Strathcona seat are UCP candidate Darby Crouch, Republican Ravina Chand, Samuel Petrov of the Alberta Party, Liberal Don Slater and Wildrose Loyalty Coalition candidate Jesse Stretch.
Candidates in Edmonton-Ellerslie include Caroline Currie of the Alberta Party, Pamela Henson from the Wildrose Loyalty Coalition, Fred Munn of the Republican Party and Liberal Manpreet Tiwana.
The south-Edmonton riding had been represented by Rod Loyola under the NDP banner until he resigned to run in the federal election.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 23, 2025.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
It's byelection day in three Alberta provincial electoral districts
Social Sharing Voters in three Alberta electoral districts will have a chance to cast a ballot in byelections today. Electors are choosing new MLAs for the ridings of Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills, Edmonton-Ellerslie, and Edmonton Strathcona. Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt said byelections typically have a weaker turnout than a general election because the stakes are lower. He said the outcome of the votes won't decide the stripe of the provincial government, and the races tend to get less public attention. There are 46 UCP MLAs, 36 from the NDP, and two independents in the legislature. Dave Cournoyer, an Edmonton-based political writer, said the contests give voters an outlet to send messages to the government and opposing parties. He reviewed Alberta byelections held in the past decade and found they rarely resulted in a change in party. Several candidates are likely hoping to break that pattern today. Here's a rundown of the races in each riding: Edmonton-Ellerslie There are six candidates on the ballot to replace Rod Loyola, who stepped down as an NDP MLA in March to run in the federal election: Naresh Bhardwaj, UCP Gurtej Singh Brar, NDP Caroline Currie, Alberta Party Pamela Henson, Wildrose Loyalty Coalition Fred Munn, Republican Party of Alberta Manpreet Tiwana, Alberta Liberal Party The diverse and fast-growing suburban riding in southeast Edmonton includes parts of Mill Woods, Ellerslie, Summerside, and rural properties north of Beaumont. The area has a large south Asian population, and a provincial government riding profile says the second-most spoken language in the district is Punjabi. Edmonton-Strathcona This core-area riding on Edmonton's south side has been the home turf of two Alberta NDP leaders — Raj Pannu and Rachel Notley. Past-premier Notley resigned the seat six months ago after stepping down as party leader last year. Naheed Nenshi, who was mayor of Calgary for 11 years, is hoping to be the next party leader to represent the riding. He is one of six candidates: Ravina Chand, Republican Party Darby-Rae Crouch, UCP (currently the agriculture press secretary) Naheed Nenshi, NDP Samuel Petrov, Alberta Party Don Slater, Alberta Liberal Party Jesse Stretch, Wildrose Loyalty Coalition Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills A provincial riding profile of the mostly rural district, which straddles Highway 2, says slightly more than 50,000 people live within its boundaries. With a lengthy history of MLAs from conservative-leaning parties, the riding also includes Carstairs, Crossfield, Trochu and Irricana, along with the communities in its name. After a decade representing the riding as a Wildrose, then UCP MLA, legislature Speaker Nathan Cooper resigned last month to become Alberta's representative in Washington, D.C. There are four candidates hoping to replace him: Cameron Davies, Republican Party of Alberta leader Tara Sawyer, UCP Beverley Toews, NDP Bill Tufts, Wildrose Loyalty Coalition Byelection day polling stations will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday. Canadian citizens who are at least 18 years of age or older on the date of the election are eligible to vote if they are a resident of one of the three electoral divisions. Elections Alberta does not plan to use vote tabulation machines for counting, a spokesperson said. Elections Alberta is expected to release unofficial vote results on Monday night. Official results will be published on July 3.
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Support for solar energy and offshore wind falls among Democrats and independents, AP-NORC poll says
Americans' support for green energy tax credits and renewable energies like wind and solar power has decreased in recent years, according to a new poll, driven by a softening in support from Democrats and independents. The poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that U.S. adults' support for tax credits for electric vehicles and solar panels has weakened, as well as their enthusiasm for offshore wind farm expansion. While Democrats remain the strongest supporters of these initiatives, the poll reveals signs of growing cynicism within their ranks. The poll results coincide with sweeping changes President Donald Trump's Republican administration is making to regulations related to energy and climate change, including slashing the federal workforce in these departments. And although Democrats and independents have weakened their support for some green energy initiatives, there has not been an increase in support for Trump's energy policies. The poll found only about 4 in 10 U.S. adults — including only 1 in 10 Democrats and about 2 in 10 independents, along with three-quarters of Republicans — approve of the way Trump is handling climate change, which largely tracks with his overall approval rating. Democrats and independents drive decline in support for renewable energy credits About 6 in 10 Democrats, 58%, favor tax credits for purchasing an electric vehicle, down from about 7 in 10 in 2022. Among independents, support declined from 49% in 2022 to 28%. Only one-quarter of Republicans supported this policy in 2022, and that hasn't changed measurably. 'As far as the pollution goes … the vehicles nowadays put out very little emissions to the air,' said JD Johnson, a 62-year-old Democrat from Meadowview, Virginia, who somewhat opposes tax credits to purchase an electric vehicle. That's partly because he sees the electric vehicle manufacturing process as energy intensive and believes gasoline-powered vehicles have made improvements with the pollutants they emit. The decline in favoring solar panel tax credits was across the board rather than being concentrated among Democrats. 'For solar panels, in all honesty, I don't think they're that efficient yet,' said Glenn Savage, 78, a left-leaning independent from Rock Hill, South Carolina. 'I'd rather see them pour money into research and try to get the solar panels more efficient before they start giving tax breaks to the public. I may be wrong on that, but that's just my thought.' Scientists say transitioning to renewable energies and ditching fossil fuels that release planet-warming emissions are essential to protect the planet. Billions of dollars in project grants for clean technologies awarded during President Joe Biden's Democratic administration have been canceled by the Trump administration, and the offshore wind sector has been stunted by Trump's executive order that paused approvals, permits and loans for wind energy projects. Fewer than half of U.S. adults, 44%, now say that offshore wind farms should be expanded in the U.S., down from 59% in 2022. About half favor expanding solar panel farms, while about two-thirds were in support in 2022. When people are concerned about the economy and their personal finances, environmental issues are sometimes prioritized less, said Talbot Andrews, an assistant professor in the department of government at Cornell University who was not involved in the poll. 'I think it makes people anxious to think about increased taxes or increased spending on environmental issues when the cost of eggs are going through the roof,' Andrews said. Low support for Trump's efforts to expand offshore drilling and coal mining Trump has championed the expansion of offshore oil drilling, as well as domestic coal production. Despite a decline in support for expanded renewable energies, the new poll shows that only about one-third of U.S. adults think offshore drilling for oil and natural gas should be expanded in the U.S., and only about one-quarter say this about coal mining. In both cases, Republicans are much more likely than Democrats to support expanding these energy sources. Trump has sought to open up national monuments for oil drilling, but more U.S. adults oppose than support auctioning off more public space for oil drilling. Only about one-quarter of U.S. adults favor this, while 4 in 10 are opposed. Republicans are much more likely than independents or Democrats to be in support. Bipartisan support for consumer rebates and home appliance ratings The Energy Star program that certifies appliances, such as dishwashers and refrigerators, as energy efficient recently appeared in headlines when the EPA made plans to scrap the program. The blue and white logo is well recognized, and experts say the program has long had bipartisan support until recently. The poll found three-quarters of Democrats support providing consumer rebates for efficient home appliances, compared with 6 in 10 Republicans. Patrick Buck, 54, from Chicago, describes himself as a liberal Republican and is a fan of the consumer rebates for energy-efficient appliances. 'It seems to work in terms of transforming what people have in their houses, because a lot of people have a lot of old appliances and just can't afford new ones,' he said. Safe air, water, meat and produce The poll found only about 2 in 10 U.S. adults are 'extremely' or 'very' confident in the federal government's ability to ensure the safety of their drinking water, the air they breathe and the meat, poultry, fruits and vegetables they buy in grocery stores. About 4 in 10 U.S. adults are 'somewhat' confident in the federal government's ability to ensure the safety of each of these, and about 4 in 10 are 'not very' or 'not at all' confident. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. The Trump administration has announced plans to roll back rules and policies related to limiting pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, such as rules that limit pollution from power plants and blocking California's efforts to phase out cars that run on gas. The federal government has also cut staff at the Food and Drug Administration, the federal agency tasked with protecting public health and ensuring food supply safety. ___ The AP-NORC poll of 1,158 adults was conducted June 5-9, using a sample drawn from NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 4 percentage points. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find the AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
What to know about debate over protesters and ICE agents wearing masks amid immigration crackdowns
CHICAGO (AP) — President Donald Trump and his allies have repeatedly called for mask-wearing at protests to be banned and for protesters whose faces are covered to be arrested, with the most recent push following demonstrations in Los Angeles over immigration raids. Legal experts told The Associated Press there are a variety of reasons people may want to cover their faces while protesting, including to protect their health, for religious reasons, to avoid government retaliation, to prevent surveillance and doxing, or to protect themselves from tear gas. With legislative action happening across the U.S., they say it's only a matter of time before the issue returns to the courts. Protesters, meanwhile, have voiced anger over footage of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents covering their faces at immigration raids and masked officers at the Los Angeles protests, calling it a double standard. Here are some things to know about the debate over face masks: Legislative efforts target masked protesters At least 18 states and Washington, D.C., have laws that restrict masks and other face coverings in some way, said Elly Page, senior legal adviser with the International Center for Not-For-Profit Law. Since October 2023, at least 16 bills have been introduced in eight states and Congress to restrict masks at protests, according to the center. Many of these laws date back to the 1940s and '50s when many states passed anti-mask laws as a response to the Ku Klux Klan, whose members hid their identities while terrorizing victims. Amid protests against the war in Gaza and the Republican president's immigration policies, Page said there have been attempts to revive these rarely used laws to target protesters, sometimes inconsistently. Concerns over masked ICE agents Trump's calls to arrest protesters for wearing masks came as federal agents were seen donning masks while conducting raids in Los Angeles and other U.S. cities. Democratic lawmakers in California have introduced legislation aiming to stop federal agents and local police officers from wearing face masks amid concerns that ICE agents were attempting to hide their identities and avoid accountability for potential misconduct during high-profile immigration raids. The issue also came up at a congressional hearing on June 12, when Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, criticized ICE agents wearing masks during raids, saying: 'Don't wear masks. Identify who you are.' Republican federal officials have maintained that masks protect agents from doxing. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin called the California bill 'despicable.' Unresolved First Amendment question Geoffrey Stone, a University of Chicago law professor, said the U.S. Supreme Court has made clear that the right to free speech includes the right to speak out anonymously. But he said how it should apply to protesters wearing masks remains 'an unresolved First Amendment question.' For Stone, that raises a key question: Why should protesters and ICE agents be subject to different rules? 'The government doesn't want them to be targeted because they engaged in their responsibilities as ICE agents,' Stone said. 'But that's the same thing as the argument as to why you want demonstrators to wear masks. They want to wear masks so they can do their 'jobs' of engaging in free speech properly. The same rationale for the officers wearing masks should apply to the protesters.'
