MARSDEN: Where’s Nenshi? Albertans have a right to know

David Marsden is a Calgary writer and editorNaheed Nenshi brings new meaning to the notion of working remotely. We’re now familiar with employees performing their tasks from home, but the NDP leader’s work habits are not only worrisome, but telling.He competed against a worthy group of NDP MLAs, and easily won the race. Even Gil McGowan, someone who, as leader of the Alberta Federation of Labour, possesses a more evident NDP pedigree, was edged aside by the Nenshi wave.There is an open seat in the legislature in Lethbridge-West. It was left vacant by former NDP cabinet minister Shannon Phillips, who resigned in July.Nenshi has expressed no interest in running in Lethbridge, which is fair. There’s no certainty he would win, particularly given his lack of ties to the city.To reflect and ensure a likely path to victory is natural for any new political party leader. Premier Danielle Smith could have competed in 2022 in the vacant riding of Calgary-Elbow, a constituency much closer to her High River home. Instead, she ran in Brooks-Medicine Hat after the local MLA, Michaela Frey, resigned and created a more alluring opportunity.But it’s fair to ask what’s happening with Nenshi. He dominated the party’s leadership race in June, securing 62,746 votes. His competitors got only 10,184 combined. His margin of victory has been characterized as unprecedented in recent Canadian politics.Someone, perhaps Nenshi himself, should have entertained the idea that he would need a seat in the legislature to prove his legitimacy. The flambouyant former mayor of Cowtown was popular with the party’s membership, but maybe not a favourite among the caucus he is now expected to lead as they try to present an alternative to Smith’s United Conservative Party.The NDP MLAs should have been consulted in advance by the Nenshi team, ensuring there was space for their leader in the legislature.Now, Nenshi is not only absent from the front bench of the legislature, and the back bench, but he has no bench at all. He’s watching the new legislative session from the public gallery, like any other Albertan could do if they wanted to waste their time and have no vote.Nenshi can talk all he wants about connecting with Albertans away from the legislature. And it’s true that MLAs spend more time in their communities than they do in Edmonton gnawing on the brittle bone we call democracy.Still, his presence matters. You seldom see an airline pilot chatting with passengers in the aisle and sharing a chuckle away from the cockpit. Nenshi has shown up for the requisite leftie protests and blathered on, but he has not acted to ensure he can fully represent, well, the better half of Albertans where it matters: in the legislature.Nenshi has seldom shied away from speaking out. He must demonstrate now, first to his caucus, and then to Albertans, that he is the leader of the province’s official Opposition. That entails winning a seat in the legislature.If he can’t do that, he’s an empty suit who pulled the wool over New Democrats’ eyes, and not worthy of further attention.Many older Albertans will remember Where’s Waldo — a British series of puzzle books that challenged readers to locate the elusive traveller. Today, they are asking where’s Needless Nenshi?The answer: that’s him in the nose-bleed section of the legislature, well away from the action. David Marsden is a Calgary writer and editor.

MARSDEN: Where’s Nenshi? Albertans have a right to know

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