Who's Really Behind Calgary's New Political Parties?
From the depths of the Calgary Subreddit and beyond, a big question is surfacing ahead of Calgary’s October 2025 municipal election: new political parties are organizing for the first time in decades—but who's really pulling the strings and leading the charge?
The rise of these organized slates is a direct result of new provincial legislation (Bill 20 in 2024) that, for the first time, allows municipal parties to formally register and have their names appear on the ballot. This marks a fundamental shift away from Calgary's long history of non-partisan civic politics.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the three key political parties and the figures driving them:
A Better Calgary Party (ABC)
- Key Figure: Craig Chandler – A longtime conservative activist and organizer whose involvement often comes with controversy due to his hardline views and history in provincial and federal politics.
- Political Stance: Pitches itself as "common-sense conservative" and focuses on essential services and fiscal responsibility.
- Mayoral Candidate: The party is not fielding a Mayoral candidate, but has been closely associated with and has endorsed conservative-leaning candidates in the past. It is focused on electing a slate of like-minded Council candidates.
Communities First
- Key Figure/Leader: Sonya Sharp, current Ward 1 Councillor, who is the party's Mayoral candidate. Marc Henry, a former Chief of Staff for Mayor Dave Bronconnier (2001–2010) and head of the established polling firm ThinkHQ, is a key strategist for the party.
- Political Stance: Positions itself as a more centrist or moderate-conservative alternative, with a data-driven focus. The party's priorities include increasing police staffing and opposing city-wide blanket rezoning.
- Mayoral Candidate: Sonya Sharp
The Calgary Party
- Key Figure/Strategist: Stephen Carter – A high-profile political strategist with a knack for breakthrough campaigns, having engineered Naheed Nenshi’s 2010 mayoral win and worked on Alison Redford’s PC leadership bid.
- Political Stance: Generally describes itself as centrist, with a mission to make Calgary safer, more inclusive, and more responsive. Its priorities include housing, community policing, and improving transit.
- Mayoral Candidate: Brian Thiessen, an employment lawyer and former Chair of the Calgary Police Commission.
Why It Matters
The formal introduction of parties is the most significant change to Calgary's municipal electoral landscape in decades. Calgary elections have historically been about individual candidates and local issues, but these new structures introduce top-down organization, unified platforms, and, potentially, more centralized campaign financing.
The ultimate question remains: Will Calgarians embrace these new party brands and their slates, or will they stick with the established tradition of voting for independent candidates and local voices? This election could mark a lasting shift in how power and politics work at City Hall.
Get more info at the source: https://www.reddit.com/r/Calgary/comments/1nonf9v/new_parties_test_calgary_voters/