Short: Party politics hits city hall
Summary
This episode explores Alberta's new pilot project allowing municipal political parties in Calgary and Edmonton. Host Rob Brown and former Vancouver mayor Kennedy Stewart discuss the potential impacts, including increased voter engagement, campaign finance changes, challenges for independent candidates, and how parties might affect council governance, contrasting it with Vancouver's partisan experience.Episode description
This fall, Calgary and Edmonton voters will face a first in Alberta history: municipal candidates backed by political parties.
The provincial government has launched the move as a pilot project, but it’s already stirring debate. Critics warn it could erode the independence of city politics, while supporters say it may bring clarity and accountability to local campaigns.
West of Centre Short host Rob Brown speaks with Kennedy Stewart, a former Vancouver mayor and longtime political science professor, who has run both as an independent and as part of a party slate. From spending caps and donor lists to door knockers and party discipline (or lack thereof), Stewart lays out how partisanship reshapes city campaigns and governance — for better and worse.
Host: Rob Brown | Producer & editor: Falice Chin | Guest: Kennedy Stewart