Mayoral candidates take on province in Calgary municipal election campaign’s last days

October 15, 2025

Mayoral candidates take on province in Calgary municipal election campaign’s last days

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith isn’t on the ballot, but is coming up frequently in Calgary’s municipal election campaign with candidates running for mayor calling out the provincial government.

The bulk of the messaging against Alberta’s provincial government is coming from the Calgary Party, which has released more than 10 press releases and campaign statements about the province since last month.

That campaign messaging includes laying the blame on Smith for “derailing the Green Line,” and accuses the province of “playing politics” and interfering with city hall, as well as “gutting” public safety with the ban on photo radar for traffic enforcement.

“The reason we’re calling out the province is the province has been in our backyard,” the Calgary Party’s mayoral candidate, Brian Thiessen, told Global News.

“We think it’s important to establish barriers and if (Smith) wants to run Calgary city council, she should resign her seat and run for office.”

According to Thiessen, the campaign messaging is tapping into frustrations Calgarians are feeling around a number of issues, including an ongoing teachers’ strike.

It’s not just the Calgary Party calling out the province. Incumbent mayoral candidate Jyoti Gondek held a press conference Wednesday to announce a commitment to push back and demand accountability from the provincial government if she’s re-elected.

Gondek also opened her office on Wednesday to canvassers for the Forever Canadian petition, which aims to secure a referendum question on if Alberta should stay in Canada.