(Edmonton, AB) August 29, 2025: “Working-class voters have gravitated towards the right of the political spectrum, whether it’s Danielle Smith at the provincial level or Pierre Poilievre at the federal level,” said Alberta Federation of Labour president Gil McGowan in an interview with left-wing publication The Tyee. “Until the NDP recognizes that problem and finds a solution for it, they’re going to continue to come up short.”
McGowan’s blunt, but accurate, assessment is yet another sign of serious trouble in the NDP family. Once considered the natural party of Alberta’s labour movement, the NDP under Nenshi is facing growing backlash from its own supporters.
“Nenshi is learning the hard way that purple isn’t the new orange,” said Deputy Government Whip Tany Yao. “Labour leaders are accusing the Alberta NDP of abandoning workers, that’s more than just a messaging problem, it’s a leadership crisis.”
The latest criticism from McGowan follows a string of scathing rebukes from longtime NDP supporters. In June, NDP activist David Climenhaga reported Nenshi is “seriously underperforming, and serious people are starting to notice”. In the same article, NDP-friendly political analyst Evan Scrimshaw claimed, “this is a five-alarm fire for the NDP and for believers in progressive values.”
Meanwhile, United Conservatives are delivering real results for working Albertans. This includes $234 million over the next three years to create apprenticeship seats across the province and a new $15 million grant program to support union training providers in high-demand fields.
As Nenshi’s NDP drifts further from its roots, even their staunchest allies are making clear the party’s problem starts at the top.
