Former Calgary councillor seeking nomination to run for the Alberta NDP

Former Calgary city councillor Druh Farrell is entering provincial politics, and says she will seek the nomination to run for the NDP in the Calgary-Bow riding.

Farrell announced her run in a video posted on Twitter Monday. 

Farrell served on city council for 20 years, and did not run in the 2021 municipal election. The former Ward 7 councillor was elected to council in 2001 representing constituents north of the Bow River.

Lori Williams, associate professor of policy studies at Mount Royal University, said a number of people have moved from one level of political office to another, including Ralph Klein and Joe Ceci.

But what is unusual in Farrell's case is her long-standing record on city council, Williams said. Farrell's lengthy career could act as a help or a hindrance, depending on where people stand.

"She was an effective councillor and was effective in representing ridings that combined both inner city and suburban constituents. Calgary-Bow probably sits more on the suburban than the core sort of side of that line, so I guess we'll see how effective that is for her," Williams said.

But the former councillor was also connected to some controversy, Williams said.

Farrell experienced backlash when she urged the city planning department to deny a permit to rebuild a burned down Dairy Queen. She wanted the family owned drive-thru replaced with a mixed-use, high-density development. 

"For some, because of her policy positions, might be someone that they would reject precisely because of what she's known for. And the question will become what combination of factors determines people's vote in that riding?" 

Calgary-Bow is currently represented by the UCP's Demetrios Nicolaides, who is Alberta's Minister of Advanced Education.