In what was perhaps the worst-kept secret in Edmonton over the past few days, the town’s mayor is trying a return to federal politics as a result of he mentioned Canada wants skilled leaders to push again in opposition to U.S. President Donald Trump.
On the identical day that Mark Carney triggered a federal election, Amarjeet Sohi was announced as the Liberal candidate for Edmonton Southeast.
“That is essentially the most consequential election of our lifetime — we should combat to defend our sovereignty, economic system, and staff,” Sohi mentioned in a press release Sunday afternoon.
“Our nation is dealing with unprecedented instances. President Trump is attacking our sovereignty, jobs, economic system and our lifestyle.”
Sohi mentioned he has had the immense privilege of serving Edmontonians as a metropolis councillor, member of Parliament, cupboard minister and mayor, and needs to make use of that have to proceed to serve Canadians.
“Given the specter of this disruption, it’s crucial that sturdy and skilled leaders step as much as defend our staff, working households, native companies and our neighborhood.”
The Conservative Occasion of Canada mentioned native lawyer Jagsharan Singh Mahal is their candidate in Edmonton Southeast. New Democratic Occasion of Canada has not but introduced their candidate for the driving.
Sohi immigrated to Edmonton from India together with his household in 1981 and attended Bonnie Doon Excessive College (now Vimy Ridge Academy.)
He has vital first-hand expertise combating again in opposition to injustice.
In 1988, as a younger social activist doing volunteer growth work in India, he was arrested while organizing a protest by authorities within the state of Bihar and accused of being a terrorist with out proof.
He was beaten, tortured, held without charges or a trial for nearly two years. Most of that point — 18 out of 21 months —was spent in solitary confinement.
A change in native authorities lastly led to his launch and he got here again to Canada, the place he bought married, had a household and labored as a bus driver earlier than getting into politics.
“Canada is dealing with a vital second in our historical past,” Sohi mentioned on Sunday.
“Whereas we are able to’t management President Trump, we are able to management how we reply — that’s the reason I’ve determined to hitch Mark Carney within the combat for our neighborhood, for our province, and for our nation.
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“I can’t again down.”
The mayor’s workplace mentioned Sohi will take an unpaid go away of absence from his place through the federal marketing campaign.
Sohi will nonetheless formally be mayor of Edmonton throughout this time, the workplace mentioned, however the official duties of the place can be carried out by the deputy mayor.
Edmonton metropolis council follows a rotating schedule the place every councillor serves as deputy mayor and performing mayor – the present deputy is Karen Principe and the performing is Erin Rutherford.
The mayor’s workplace mentioned the deputy fills in for the mayor when they aren’t accessible (like now), and the performing mayor steps into the the duties of the deputy. Town mentioned that is most necessary for issues like chairing council and govt committee conferences.
If Sohi is elected as a member of Parliament on April 28, the town mentioned, he’ll resign as mayor. Council will then meet to resolve subsequent steps, which can embody appointing an interim mayor who will serve within the place till the autumn municipal election, or sustaining a rotating acting-mayor schedule. The mayor place can’t stay vacant, nonetheless.
When talking with International Information earlier this week, Alberta political analyst John Brennan famous this has occurred earlier than in Edmonton.
In 1988, former mayor Laurence Decore stepped down to guide the provincial Liberals and the council of the day picked an performing mayor from amongst themselves till an election was held a 12 months later — not in contrast to when premier Alison Redford was pressured out in 2011 and succeeded by deputy premier Dave Hancock on an interim foundation.
Prime Minister Mark Carney broadcasts funding for homes as Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi listens throughout a go to to Edmonton, Thursday, March 20, 2025.
Jason Franson/ The Canadian Press
For months, Sohi has been non-committal about his political future and whether or not he would run for mayor once more within the municipal election this upcoming October.
On Thursday when Carney was in Edmonton, Sohi remained mum on the subject however mentioned he had a productive assembly with the brand new Liberal occasion chief, who was elected simply weeks in the past after former prime minister Justin Trudeau stepped down.
Sohi has served Edmonton each municipally and federally in a number of roles. He represented southeast Edmonton on metropolis council for eight years after being elected in 2007.
In 2015, he made the transfer into federal politics because the MP for Edmonton Mill Woods.
Sohi was minister of Infrastructure and Communities from 2015 to 2018 and Minister of Pure Sources from 2018 to 2019 in Justin Trudeau’s cupboard. He served one time period earlier than dropping his seat through the 2019 federal election.
In 2021, he became Edmonton’s mayor.
Federal driving boundaries have modified since Sohi final ran, and his former driving of Edmonton Mill Woods is now break up into two: Edmonton Gateway and Edmonton Southeast. He’ll run because the candidate for Edmonton Southeast.
It is a breaking information story. Extra to come back…
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