Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek, left, interviews Alberta Premier Danielle Smith at an economic forum in Calgary, Alta., Tuesday, April 18, 2023.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
CALGARY – Alberta’s two main provincial party leaders shared the same stage but not at the same time, delivering competing visions for the province’s largest city as they move into campaign mode before this spring’s election.
Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek interviewed Opposition NDP Leader Rachel Notley then Premier Danielle Smith as part of Calgary Economic Development’s annual Report to the Community.
Gondek asked each leader questions including how they would diversify the city’s economy, their vision for Calgary’s downtown, and how they would work with the federal government to ensure a steady source of municipal funding.
Notley talked about the importance of reinvesting in post-secondary education, ways an NDP government would revitalize the city’s downtown and promised to scrap the “ridiculous” Sovereignty Act to provide greater investment certainty.
Smith focused on her government’s record of providing corporate tax cuts, a national campaign to attract more workers to Alberta and private investment in the downtown.
The writ is scheduled to be dropped on May 1 for a May 29 polling day.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 18, 2023.
