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Bell: Danielle Smith and UCP mock NDP Nenshi, the so-called rock star

So far Naheed Nenshi isn't the big player the NDP expected when they chose him to lead the Alberta NDP

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You know you’re in trouble when you are the opposition and the UCP government of Premier Danielle Smith is making fun of you and you are the one wearing the Kick Me sign.

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We’re talking about Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi.

Bell: Danielle Smith and UCP mock NDP Nenshi, the so-called rock star Back to video

Now, Nenshi may somehow get himself off the ropes. Politics is a rapidly changing game but his leadership right now leaves some of the NDP faithful puzzled.

To my Alberta NDP friends, I told you so.

You know I was often a critic of Nenshi because he was always more about style than substance.

I talked about how picking Nenshi as leader just might not work.

Turning the NDP into the Nenshi Democratic Party was not some magic fix.

Still, the Nenshi cult of personality emerged triumphant.

The man and his true-believing supporters in the so-called urban progressive crowd still clung to the illusion the former mayor of Calgary was a rock star, no matter how out of tune he could sound.

But Nenshi isn’t a rock star.

Talk to Calgarians. Nenshi is an image, an image some find attractive. Toronto hipsters love the guy.

He can deliver lofty speeches chock full of sugary, feel-good sentiments. Nenshi can charm certain crowds.

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And Nenshi as Calgary’s mayor had it easy with the majority of city council on his side, newshounds who treated him with kid gloves and little opposition pushing back in his early years at the top.

But through the years more and more people figured Nenshi out. Talk to Calgarians about Nenshi-era property taxes.

Now Nenshi is in the big leagues where NDP orange goes up against UCP blue.

Nenshi just can’t pontificate and get away with it.

On Tuesday in the legislature, Nenshi squared off against Smith.

Nenshi should have plenty of ammo. Here was his chance.

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At one point, Nenshi rolls out a political dog that won’t hunt. He wants Smith and other UCP politicians to sign a pledge saying they aren’t separatists, an old request.

Nenshi breaks a rule of political jousting.

Do not ask a question where you know your adversary has a ready answer.

Nenshi wants Smith to sign the pledge.

Smith says the UCP government policy is to promote a sovereign Alberta within a united Canada. The premier doesn’t break a sweat.

Nenshi says Smith’s word salad is meaningless. Why can’t Smith say she opposes separatism and be a proud Canadian?

Smith says she is a proud Canadian and she wants Albertans to feel the same way. Then the premier pivots to her advantage.

She points to 10 years of damaging policies from former prime minister Justin Trudeau. She says Nenshi is Trudeau’s buddy.

She points to the former federal leader of the NDP who backed Trudeau, without naming Jagmeet Singh.

Smith speaks of how they crushed the Alberta economy and how she’s trying to fix things by signing a deal with Prime Minister Mark Carney to move the province’s economy forward within Canada.

Nenshi’s counterpunch?

“Yet more meaningless word salad. Thankfully it’s Ramadan and I don’t gotta eat it.”

Take that, Danielle! Yikes.

Nenshi pursues Smith into the world of weird.

“Does the premier believe it is possible to be a single person within the confines of your marriage?”

By this time Smith is energized saying it sure sounds like Nenshi is talking about the Alberta NDP being in an unhappy marriage with the federal NDP.

The UCP members of the legislature like that hit and Smith is off to the races, talking about the anti-oilpatch position of federal NDP leadership hopeful Avi Lewis and slamming former NDP premier Rachel Notley saying she opposed the Northern Gateway and Keystone XL pipelines.

Nenshi says the NDP government got the TMX pipeline but it is too little too late.

Smith is in a fighting mood and up in the polls.

The day before the premier attacked Nenshi for the broken water pipe fiasco in Calgary. She slammed him for the Green Line LRT plan that she says ended up being five times more costly than what he put on the back of an envelope.

In the legislature, Devin Dreeshen, Smith’s mince-no-words point man on roads and rails, goes after Nenshi.

Every time he drives down the Trans-Canada Highway and sees the pile of ugly on the west side of the city known as Bowfort Towers he thinks of Nenshi.

Dreeshen says news is not good for Nenshi.

Long-time labour leader Gil McGowan and political writer Max Fawcett are among those questioning Nenshi’s leadership of the NDP.

“It’s not easy being orange,” says Dreeshen, of Nenshi and his NDP orange.

On this day the dig at Nenshi was “too easy.”

Dreeshen later tells us Nenshi did fire back at him saying: “You can do better.”

Do better? Perhaps Nenshi should look in the mirror.

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Comment by RD Turner.RTRD Turner8 min agoHe is no rock star. He is an actor on the stage. He has no positions on anything.reply 2 0sharereport00 older repliesshow older repliesAdvertisement

Comment by RD Turner.

He is no rock star. He is an actor on the stage. He has no positions on anything.

Comment by Pat Dunne.Pat Dunne16 hrs agoYes Nenshi is more business than bluster.When he speaks out it matters.reply2 replies 1 14sharereport22 older repliesshow older replies

Comment by Pat Dunne.

Yes Nenshi is more business than bluster.

When he speaks out it matters.

Comment by ky lam.klky lam17 hrs agoSo how many public pensions does the Nesh have 3 so far. Maybe he can become the federal NDP and get 4. Plus the CPP and OAS.reply2 replies 11 0sharereport22 older repliesshow older replies

So how many public pensions does the Nesh have 3 so far. Maybe he can become the federal NDP and get 4. Plus the CPP and OAS.

Comment by Marco Polo.MPMarco Polo18 hrs agoTake a picture. Nenshi political days are about to be placed in Alberta political archives, beside Knotley. editedreply 9 0sharereport00 older repliesshow older replies

Comment by Marco Polo.

Take a picture. Nenshi political days are about to be placed in Alberta political archives, beside Knotley. edited

Comment by Phill Edwards.PEPhill Edwards19 hrs agoJohn/Steve, please, when you use multiple monikers, watch your spelling, syntax, and grammar.reply 1 9sharereport00 older repliesshow older replies

Comment by Phill Edwards.

John/Steve, please, when you use multiple monikers, watch your spelling, syntax, and grammar.

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