Nenshi reflects on 'negative' federal election campaign - Action News
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Nenshi reflects on 'negative' federal election campaign

Calgary's mayor is relieved that the longest federal election campaign in modern Canadian history is over.

Calgary's mayor doesn't think 'anybody is proud of where we went as a country over the last 3 months'

Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi called the federal election campaign 'rancorous' and 'divisive,' but is optimistic about working with Justin Trudeau. (CBC)

Calgary's mayorwho is known for helping peoplefind their lost pets via Twitteris relievedthe longest federal election campaign in modernCanadian history is over.

Perhaps that's because the last few months haven't been an easy go for Canada's big city mayors.

"Just so negative, all the time. And me and others were pushing hard to get the parties to actually talk about stuff that matters about transit and infrastructure and what they're going to do about the economy... and it was tough to get to those points," said Nenshi.

Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi offers his thoughts on the new federal Liberal majority.

With party leaders focusing on things like the niqab debate and Justin Trudeau's hair, Calgary's mayor saidmunicipal issues got largelyovershadowed andthat frustrated a lot of Canadians.

"I don't think anybody is proud of where we went as a country over that last three months and I think what we really sawwas that message last night," he said. "We went through a rancorous, divisive election that did not make people happy about politics and about the opportunity of politics."

Alberta under the federal Liberals

In a Facebook post, Nenshi said he was "very much looking forward to working with Mr. Trudeau," pointing to Liberal party promises to fund Calgary's Green Line and flood-mitigation projects.

"We look forward to getting shovels in the ground on these and other essential infrastructure projects," Nenshi said.

Mayor Naheed Nenshi greets Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau last month at Calgary city hall. (Jonathan Hayward/Canadian Press)

Calgary's mayor also urgedAlbertansto not stressover having another Trudeau in power.

"We've prospered under Liberal governments before, you know, great booms under the Chrtien government, aswell," he said."We're entrepreneurial people. We know what we're doing."

But those words haven't come as comfort to many Albertans,who remain worried about Western Alienation 2.0:

It's a genuine concern, according toUniversityof Calgary political scientist Anthony Sayers, who said many people inthis province have"a sense that the centre (the Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto corridor) doesn't listen to us or isn't as sensitive to our concerns as we had hoped."

"There is concern here about the way that the federal government spends money,some of which is generated in Alberta," he said.

  • How do you think Calgary will fareunder aTrudeau government? Leave your thoughts in the comments section.