Nickel seeks UCP nomination in new Edmonton-South riding
Second-term councillor says party requires additional urban expertise
Ward 11 Coun. Mike Nickel announced Wednesday he is seeking the United Conservative Party nomination in the new riding of Edmonton-South.
“I want to go to a place where I can do the most good. I think downtown, I pushed as hard as I can,” said Nickel, expressing frustration over several recent issues at City Hall, including changes to the City Hall wading pool, the Metro Line LRT and the decision to permanently close the Coliseum.
Nickel’s ward includes much of Mill Woods and the mature neighbourhoods of Ritchie and King Edward Park. He’s just seven months into his second term representing the ward. He served one term as Ward 5 councillor from 2004-07.
Nickel said he decided to change his focus only recently, after a difficult winter with health complications. That convinced him running for mayor is not an option, even if that disappoints some supporters.
The UCP needs more urban expertise, he said, and a better understanding of Edmonton’s story.
“That’s the elephant in the room. You’ve got to deal with that. We’ve got to put that Edmonton narrative front and centre.”
Making the announcement to several media representatives outside City Hall, Nickel said that if he wins the nomination, he will continue to act as councillor for Ward 11 until the writ drops for the next provincial election, expected in 2019.
At that point, he will take an unpaid leave of absence, said Nickel. That’s similar to what Ward 7 Coun. Tony Caterina did when he ran unsuccessfully for the Progressive Conservatives in the last provincial election and to what then Ward 12 councillor Amarjeet Sohi did in the last federal election, where he was elected Liberal MP for Edmonton-Mill Woods.
Nickel’s announcement caught some in Ward 11 by surprise.
“It feels like the municipal election just finished,” said Keren Tang, who came second to Nickel in the October municipal election.
“It’s definitely raised some eyebrows today,” she said. “It must have been a quick decision.”
Nickel has been a well-known and sometimes polarizing figure on council, speaking out when he feels tax dollars are not being spent wisely. He pushed the city to better measure what it wants to achieve.
He previously ran for mayor against former mayor Bill Smith.
The date for a UCP nomination vote in Edmonton-South has not yet been set.
Elections Alberta currently has four candidates listed as seeking the nomination for the UCP in Edmonton-South: Nickel, Olatunde Obasan, Payman Parseyan and Atul Ranade. Parseyan, however, has said he is switching to Edmonton-Whitemud.