Calgary Council: McLean's Partisan Praise Sparks Controversy

CALGARY, AB — Councillor Dan McLean used his position as Chair of Calgary's Intergovernmental Affairs Committee to publicly congratulate federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre today, a move that raises questions about the line between municipal advocacy and partisan cheerleading.

The Ward 13 councillor posted the congratulatory message on social media following Poilievre's 87.4% endorsement at the Conservative Party's national convention, which wrapped up yesterday in Calgary. McLean added that his message was "within my lane" as committee chair—a claim that invites scrutiny given the committee's mandate to represent Calgary's interests across all levels of government, not endorse political leaders.

The Committee's Actual Job

The Intergovernmental Affairs Committee exists to prepare Calgary's case when federal or provincial policies affect the city. That means coordinating growth plans, building Indigenous relations, and pushing for better funding deals—not issuing atta-boys to party leaders.

Under the City's Code of Conduct for Elected Officials, a councillor's public statements are presumed to be personal opinion unless Council explicitly authorizes them to speak for the municipality. There's no indication Council passed any resolution blessing McLean's congratulatory note.

McLean's Track Record

The chair appointment came last November 3, handing McLean the role until October 31 of this year. It's a position that requires navigating relationships with Ottawa and Edmonton without picking partisan sides—a balancing act that becomes harder when the chair publicly celebrates one party's internal politics.

McLean has stumbled before. In 2023, he joined a Council meeting from a golf cart, triggering an Integrity Commissioner report. In 2022, he was stripped of committee seats following racist remarks. Last April, as the province moved to scrap municipal codes of conduct, his predecessor as committee chair joined other councillors in warning about potential impacts on council behavior.

The Federal Landscape

Poilievre's Conservative Party raised a record $47.78 million in 2025 and currently leads federal polling. For Calgary—a city perpetually lobbying Ottawa for infrastructure dollars and fairer fiscal frameworks—maintaining productive relationships with all parties matters. The next federal election will determine who controls those purse strings.

Neither Calgary City Council nor the City Clerk's Office has issued any statement about McLean's post. The Integrity Commissioner's office investigates alleged Code of Conduct breaches, though no formal complaint has been publicly reported.

The friction point: Can a municipal committee chair tasked with advocating for Calgary across party lines publicly celebrate one federal leader's political victory without undermining that mandate? McLean thinks it's within his lane. Others may disagree about where that lane ends.