The first official Alberta NDP leadership debate exposed a major difference between frontrunners Kathleen Ganley and Naheed Nenshi, with the former continuing to lay out clear policy positions and initiatives she supports and would implement.
“I know right now that most people can’t afford their rent or their mortgage. I know that kids don’t think they’re going to be able to afford a home when they grow up — and I know that right now. I can take a policy (stance) on it right now,” Ganley said in an interview following the debate.
Naheed Nenshi disagreed with releasing detailed policies.
“Three years from now, we don’t know what hell the UCP will wreak on us over those three years,” he said. “So, to make a bunch of promises today knowing full well that you may not be able to implement them in three years because the world will be different, that’s not a New Democrat thing to do, that’s a UCP thing to do.”
You can watch Global’s coverage of the debate and see footage of the exact quotes here: Globalnews.ca/video/10453616/first-ndp-leadership-debate-wraps-in-lethbridge
During the debate Thursday night, Ganley talked about her plans to overhaul the Alberta Energy Regulator, support renewable energy development, ensure families can see a doctor and more.
Ganley has previously released a series of policies at TeamGanley.ca that also include cutting costs for low- and middle-income families, ending price gouging in the electricity sector and hiking minimum wage. She has pledged to continue rolling out a detailed platform over the course of the leadership campaign.
Ganley said she believes Alberta New Democrats need to take real, concrete ideas to voters, something she thinks could have been done better during the 2023 campaign.
“I think we need to arm our supporters with a real offer to take to voters to build an economy that works for people,” Ganley said. “Our ideas on the economy are better and we need to say so — that is how we win in 2027.