Tough night for conservatives in municipal elections
Despite strong backing from Calgary's conservative establishment, Monday night's municipal election results were tough for many candidates.
Jeromy Farkas who brought his populist approach to his first term on council four years ago, was soundly defeated.
The unabashedly progressive candidate Jyoti Gondek topped him by nearly 59,000 votes. With former federal Liberal cabinet minster Amarjeet Sohi winning the mayor's seat in Edmonton, Alberta's two largest cities are now lead by progressive people of colour.
"Calgary does have this history of electing progressive mayors and I have to laugh every time we're surprised we vote a new progressive mayor," said pollster Janet Brown. She said Albertans may be conservative when it comes to taxation, but are more progressive on social issues than is often perceived.
Brown said across the city's wards, conservative candidates had a tough night, something that should send the governing UCP a message.
"I think it has to give them pause, when you look at the premier's approval numbers, when you look at how poorly conservative candidates did here in the city," Brown said. "Those people who are of a conservative strike, the ones who had dark blue lawn signs, the only ones that got elected running as conservatives had a lot competition - multiple competitors - on the progressive side of things."
Former PC cabinet minister Gary Mar said the change in council make up is also an opportunity.
"The public is demanding a sort of non-partisan approach to dealing with some of these complex problems and they want to see a collaboration. And that's the real opportunity," Mar said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.