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drkalbi · Joined: 06 Aug 2006

Civic activist and business professor Naheed Nenshi became Calgary's next mayor in a thrilling come-from-behind victory that kept voters in suspense late into Monday night.

Nenshi, 38, defeated longtime news anchor Barb Higgins and longtime alderman Ric McIver, who earned the nickname "Dr. No" from his critics for opposing many initiatives.

Nenshi is the first Muslim elected to lead a major Canadian city, an attribute he said was not a major issue in the campaign.

"I haven't shied away from anything in this campaign," Nenshi said Tuesday. "And issues of race and religion have not come up very much � except, frankly, by the media.

"I do hope that every kid who woke up this morning and their parents showed them the newspaper or turned on the TV � regardless of their background, regardless of their ethnicity or their income or what neighbourhood they live in this city � I hope every kid in the city said, 'Wow, in Calgary I can be anything.'"

Initial numbers showed voter turnout was 53.24 per cent, up from 32.9 per cent in 2007. Nenshi got 140,263 votes � 40 per cent of the ballots cast. McIver picked up 32 per cent, while Higgins got 26 per cent.

Nenshi has promised to limit urban sprawl, make neighbourhoods more fun, safer and greener. The Mount Royal University business professor took those ideas online, using social media tools like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to help power his campaign.

"We really sought not just to use Twitter and Facebook as kind of a press release mechanism, but an opportunity to engage in really authentic two-way dialogue with people," Nenshi said.

McIver said he was disappointed by the result but glad he had run for mayor.

"Bottom line is, I didn't get enough votes. That's the nature of democracy," McIver said. "I'm happy. I would never have forgiven myself had I not ran for mayor," he added. "I needed to do this � the city needed me to do this. I'm satisfied I did the right thing, for the right reason, in the right way."

Higgins, after leading when results started to come in, finished third. She said she wouldn't have changed a thing about the way she ran her campaign. Now, she said, she's going to spend some time considering what she'd like to do next.

Nenshi outlined four priorities he wants to tackle as soon as he is sworn in next Monday: dealing with the city's $60-million budget shortfall, moving forward on a road tunnel under a new airport runway, planning for a new southeast light rail transit line and reforming the city administration.

mises · Joined: 05 Nov 2007 Location: retired

My brother voted for him. He didn't know the guy was a muslim until after he won. I see from many G&M commentators that he wasn't alone. He is qualified for the position.

The guy has the right ideas. The Calgary downtown has grown in recent years with many more people living within walking distance or transit of work. Unfortunately the suburban expansion is extreme. Driving into CGY from Edmonton really is a gross sight. Fields of exurbs that didn't exist even 5 years ago. The C-train expansion west that the mayor-elect will push is excellent policy. The downtown has been cleaned up and made more pedestrian friendly. There are huge retail projects as well (The Core looks incredible and will make to and from work in the winter much more tolerable). The mayor says he will continue and expand on the urbanization. It is a very well run city. Every time I visit I am surprised at how livable it is.

sharkey · Joined: 12 Oct 2008

Who cares if he's Muslim... I'm surprised it happened in Calgary, too. I guess our right side isn't nearly as nutty as the US's.

Captain Corea · Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Location: Seoul

Calgary has always been conservative, but not necessarily how people think. fiscally,socially, politically...sure. but when it comes to race, I feel calgarians are quite open.

jvalmer · Joined: 06 Jun 2003

On the other hand · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Location: I walk along the avenue

Easy Rider · Joined: 20 Oct 2010 Location: Korea

Sounds good.

rollo · Joined: 10 May 2006 Location: China

Didnt know Muslim was a race. But this is a good thing , it seems the guy is qualified.

youtuber · Joined: 13 Sep 2009

Calgary's last mayor and council couldn't account for hundreds of MILLIONS of dollars that went missing.

The people were fed up with it and made a drastic move. Similar to Obama's win.

The dude studied at Harvard which was plugged heavily and I am sure is one of the main reasons for his win. But wait.....didn't Bush graduate from Harvard too?

Edmonton's mayor and council are heads and shoulders above Cowtown's.