Two-term legislature member from Edmonton joins Alberta NDP leadership race

EDMONTON — A two-term legislature member from Edmonton has joined the Alberta NDP leadership race.

Rakhi Pancholi, who made the announcement early Thursday in a video on social media, said her campaign will focus on growth, opportunity and optimism.

“I really want to challenge the traditional narrative of this province, which lately has actually seemed incredibly small and negative,” she said in an interview.

“The current provincial government talks a lot about what they can’t do, what they won’t do, who they’re fighting with at this point in time — whether it be the federal government, other Canadians, Albertans themselves … teachers, doctors.

“I just feel that is not reflecting what Albertans really want.”

Pancholi worked as a lawyer for 13 years, specializing in labour and employment, before being elected for the NDP in Edmonton-Whitemud in 2019 and having critic roles in children’s services and education.

She’s the second NDP legislature member to announce her campaign for the top job.

Kathleen Ganley, a member from Calgary, held a news conference in Calgary to kick off her campaign earlier this week. She was joined by seven caucus members and was also endorsed Thursday by former Alberta NDP leader Brian Mason.

Current NDP Leader Rachel Notley, who served as Alberta premier from 2015 to 2019, announced last month she would step down as party leader as soon as her replacement is chosen on June 22.

Other potential candidates for the NDP leadership include Edmonton legislature member Sarah Hoffman and former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi.

Nenshi has tended to avoid partisan politics, but he endorsed Notley in last year’s provincial election and said this week that he’s talking to people about whether a run for the NDP leadership could help to build a better Alberta.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 8, 2024.

The Canadian Press