Ward 13 Coun. Dan McLean to seek UCP nomination in Calgary-Shaw - BERITAJA

A sitting Calgary metropolis councillor is mounting his sights connected the Alberta legislature and seeking a provincial information successful a section suburban riding.

Ward 13 Coun. Dan McLean announced Friday that he is seeking the information for the governing United Conservative Party (UCP) successful the riding of Calgary-Shaw.

The southbound Calgary suburban riding is presently represented by erstwhile furniture curate Rebecca Schulz, who announced her resignation from furniture successful December pinch plans to vacate her spot adjacent month.

McLean was unavailable for an question and reply Friday, but said successful a video posted to societal media that he was encouraged to tally because residents want a continuation of “the strong, opinionated leadership” Schulz demonstrated since she was first elected successful 2019.

“I judge the clip is correct to proceed serving but this clip astatine the provincial level,” he said.

McLean was first elected to Calgary metropolis assembly successful 2021 and quickly branded himself arsenic a “common consciousness conservative” voice, often opposing spot taxation increases and metropolis spending.

However, McLean was reprimanded and sanctioned aggregate times during his first word aft being caught attending a assembly gathering remotely from a play course. He besides agreed to meet pinch a circle of Indigenous elders aft videos surfaced connected societal media successful 2022 allegedly showing McLean engaging successful racist stereotypes and mocking Indigenous people.

McLean said he had “zero recollection” of the videos, but later apologized.

He was re-elected successful October’s municipal predetermination arsenic a personnel of the Communities First party, and garnered much than 65 per cent of the ballot successful a two-candidate race. McLean presently serves connected the Calgary Police Commission arsenic good arsenic respective metropolis committees, including arsenic chair of the intergovernmental affairs committee.

“You cognize maine arsenic a combatant astatine metropolis hall,” McLean said successful his video. “For the past 5 years, I’ve stood for communal sense, for fiscal responsibility, for safer communities and you’ve seen really those values person often put maine astatine likelihood pinch the progressive near and the NDP.”

Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas said that while he’s committed to “stay retired of statement politics,” he’s appreciated McLean’s activity connected metropolis council.

“He’s been a awesome constituency representative. He sewage the largest stock of votes of immoderate of the assembly colleagues that I get to activity with,” Farkas told reporters Friday.

“He’s been a leader connected financial responsibility, connected nationalist safety, and I surely wish him the champion successful his endeavours there.”

A byelection for Calgary-Shaw hasn’t been called, but provincial rule requires 1 to beryllium called six months aft Schulz’s departure.

According to the UCP, a information title for the riding hasn’t yet been called.

“When a information is called, we will first pass our rank and station the specifications connected our website. Eligible members will past person 14 days to use to title the nomination,” a statement spokesperson said.

“After that, we will denote the names of those who are contesting, and a ballot will beryllium held betwixt 21 and 35 days pursuing the adjacent of nominations.”

Although respective erstwhile Calgary metropolis councillors person sought a spot successful Alberta’s legislature, McLean is believed to beryllium the first sitting councillor to do truthful since 2009, erstwhile his predecessor Diane Colley-Urquhart ran for the governing Progressive Conservative Party successful a byelection successful Calgary-Glenmore.

Colley-Urquhart, who served arsenic metropolis councillor for Ward 13 betwixt 2000 and 2021, vanished 3rd successful the title and was re-elected to metropolis assembly the pursuing year.

More to come…