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SkyriseCalgary is proud to introduce Getting to Know, a brand new series that will introduce our readers to a host of city-builders, innovators, and urbanists, whose vision for the future includes the creation of cities as livable spaces for all.
Back in 2010, fringe mayoral candidate Naheed Nenshi, the Toronto-born son of Tanzanian Muslim immigrants, did the unthinkable, handily winning what would be his first of two terms so far. With a healthy 40% mandate, Nenshi solidly defeated the Harper-backed Ric McIver and former CTV anchor Barb Higgins, both of whom were expected to collectively crush any chances of the young upstart coming anywhere close to winning. Young, progressive, and media-savvy, the then 38-year-old Naheed Nenshi's cheery mix of folksy civic boosterism delivered with the keen intellect of the well-spoken, Harvard-educated, MA in Public Policy graduate, proved to be an unstoppable force.
Touted by supporters and political pundits alike as the "new face of Calgary," Mayor Nenshi emobdies the spirit of Canada's dearly-held belief in itself as a multicultural mosaic, a place where newcomers from all walks of life can have a chance to be all they can be. Endowed with a folksy everyman appeal with a keen wit and sharp mind, Nenshi has also been labelled as the progenitor of his own "reluctant brand." His 2010 campaign was not only a lesson in the power of social media, it showed the power of marketing one's ideas as more than just policies but as a way of looking at the world. His campaign's success was a victory for the sort of identity politics that have come to define elections at all levels in the half-decade since his historic win.
Perpetually smiling, and as comfortable in a cowboy hat and jeans as in a suit and tie, Nenshi's public image is one that is synonymous with his character. The popular Calgary Mayor is an enthusiastic participant in everything the city has to offer, from the Calgary Stampede to the Calgary Busker Festival, and from catching the odd Calgary Flames match to becoming the first Head Magistrate to walk in the annual Calgary Pride Parade. Seen in the image below on a downtown-bound CTrain with members of the Alberta-based Steel & Timber when the 45th Juno Awards were held in Calgary, Mayor Nenshi's public image is on-point. The social media-savvy politician is a lover of all things urban, and his vision of Calgary features a progressive, multi-faceted metropolis, a vision that is shared by the bulk of his many young urban constituents.
In between photo ops, Nenshi has proven to be an effective civic leader. His two-term Mayoralty has witnessed a series of progressive city-building measures, including bold actions in the realms of housing, urban development, and transit, to name but a few. On housing, Nenshi has been clear in his anti-sprawl stance, going as far as to enter into a much-publicized political battle against the Calgary branch of the Canadian Home Builders' Association, whose views were diametrically opposed to containing suburban sprawl and the redirection of Calgary as a sustainable city. In terms of development, Nenshi has brought an end the $4,800 developer subsidy, a move that is projected to save taxpayers a total of $33 million per year. On transit, Mayor Nenshi has been equally progressive, with the Mayor's Office submitting a formal request to the Province for a funding commitment of at least one third of the $4.5 billion in capital needed for the construction of the long-awaited Green Line LRT. Having increased his mandate up to a whopping 74% during his 2013 re-election bid, Mayor Nenshi has announced plans to run again in 2017, and only the future will tell what the next election has in store for Calgary and its ever-popular Mayor.
SkyriseCalgary will return soon with another edition of Getting to Know. Got an idea for our new series? Let us know!
