On Tuesday February 27, 2018, former Edmonton Mayor and former Alberta Government Health Minister, Stephen Mandel, was pronounced leader of the Alberta Party with 66% of the votes, ahead of commercial lawyer Kara Levis, and Calgary-South East MLA, Rick Fraser.
Stephen Mandel, a three term Edmonton Mayor, former Health Minister in the Jim Prentice short-lived Progressive Conservative Government now eyes the Premier’s seat in the 2019 Alberta Election. After a horrible date as MLA and Health Minister, bowing out to an Alberta NDP (New Democratic Party) takeover that saw Progressive Conservatives ( PC) thrown out of power, in what I described as Mandel’s most unfortunate period in his political journey. From a one term Edmonton City Councillor, he was able to go out and win the hearts and minds of Edmontonians to becoming Mayor, and a popular one for that matter, before drowning with the Progressive Conservatives after three successful terms as Mayor of Edmonton. Like every politician, Mandel has to re-invent himself, chase the PC ghost hovering over his head, perfect his craft, start winning elections again which he just did with the Alberta Party leadership, and now shooting for the stars.
Well, some Progressive Conservatives like Mandel who do not sing from the same song book as MLA and United Conservative Party (UCP) Leader, Jason Kenney. have stayed in the political centre and have joined forces with the Alberta Party. While some NDPs have also crossed over to join the Alberta Party. No wonder their membership has increased over 400% in the last year, but still six times strikingly tiny, compared with the membership of the UCP and NDP . That leaves Mandel with a lot of catching up with slightly over a year left, perhaps the reason why he chose to focus on building the party and taking his message to Albertans, in no rush to get a seat at the Alberta Legislative Assembly.
Mandel is known for his excellent relationship with the multicultural communities, attending more community events that anyone can count. He pushed for an Africa Centre in Edmonton, and mega projects such as the Arena. He is approachable and makes himself available. If you need to meet or talk to Mandel, you will meet and talk to Mandel. He is courageous and can push through visionary ideas, well yet to hear of any yet at the Alberta provincial level. Although the Arena had a positive impact on Edmonton’s economy during the recession, built ahead of time, and on budget, his critics have not hesitated to bring it up after his leadership success. Despite its successes and its conspicuous position in Edmonton’s landscape, Mandel’s critics still see the Arena as a make the billionaire richer scheme.
At 72 years old, Mandel is criticised for his age, to the contrary, the great Bernie Saunders, light up American presidential primaries on the democratic side, the most popular politician in the USA today, at 74 years old, he gave Hilary Clinton a run for her billions, a run for her media supporters, and a run for her very recognisable name.
Written off by so many, Mandel has come from a position of no name to become Mayor of Edmonton. Today, he has name recognition much more than when he first won the Edmonton Mayoral race. He knows how to raise funds but most importantly, he has or knows how to show genuine empathy or live in the world of the community or person he is meeting or listening to, an excellent listener that comes across as genuine in an art where most politicians come across as actors or fake. He still has supporters and knows how to sell but need exciting ideas to get people off their seats better than those we heard during the leadership debate in Edmonton.
If the NDP does not do well in the battle ground City of Calgary in the 2019 Alberta Election, and Alberta Party is able to pick up some new seats and hold on to old ones, Mandel may not become the king but the key king maker, the power broker in a minority government.
