The Pulse
Oct. 25, 2021

Amarjeet Sohi is heading to the mayor's office with a strong belief in the power of collaboration, whether it's with other orders of government or his fellow members of city council.

While relations have been rocky between Edmonton and the provincial government under the UCP, Sohi told Speaking Municipally that his first conversation with Premier Jason Kenney was "very constructive," and he's optimistic about building a new relationship.

"We cannot just ignore the important role the province plays helping municipalities deliver infrastructure, help grow the economy, and tackle social issues," he said on Episode 152 of Taproot's civic affairs podcast. "We have no choice other than finding a way to work with the provincial government. And I have ideas."

Sohi recalled a meeting with the mayor of Halifax when he was the federal infrastructure minister, in which the mayor had brought together his council and a coalition of community leaders to make their case. That use of the "convening power" of the mayor's office impressed him, he said.

He already has a strong relationship with the federal government and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in whose cabinet he served from 2015 to 2019. But he's not ready to skip straight to trying an end run around the province to secure support for child care, for example, as Calgary's newly elected mayor, Jyoti Gondek, suggested recently.

"Absolutely, we will explore that option, but I think my preferred approach is going to be to make sure the province is at the table with the federal government and that they're negotiating," Sohi said.

He aims to strike a similarly collaborative tone with the 12 newly elected or re-elected councillors, who will be sworn in with him on Oct. 26.

"I really want to set the tone that collaboration is the key to success at the local level," he said. "I want my council colleagues to understand that I will be open, transparent with them, that I'm there to work with them, and I see all of us as equal."

You won't see public criticism of people he disagrees with, he said. "I don't function that way. I focus on policy. I focus on ideas. And I try to find common ground to get things done."

• The northbound right line of 170 Street between 87 Avenue and 90 Avenue will be closed starting today to begin construction on the new pedestrian overpass. Construction is expected to take nine months.
• Explore the municipal election results by voting station using this interactive tool built by J. Karen Parker, program manager of data analytics at the City of Edmonton.
• CTV News spoke with some of the candidates of colour who experienced racism while campaigning.
• Maclean's spoke with mayor-elect Amarjeet Sohi and Calgary mayor-elect Jyoti Gondek about working together, among other topics. "We can expand the Calgary-Edmonton partnership, to midsize Alberta municipalities to strengthen our relationship with provincial government," Sohi said. "I am very cognizant of the fact that if City Hall alone is talking to the provincial government, we will not be as effective."
• Kristine Archibald, executive director of the River Valley Alliance, told CBC News that although the organization's funding will run out in 2025, the alliance is looking ahead to filling the 26-kilometre gap in the trail system from southwest Edmonton to Parkland County, which could cost $60-80 million.
• Haidong Liang, executive director of the Westend Seniors Activity Centre, has been awarded a Minister's Senior Service Award from the provincial government for his efforts to keep seniors active and engaged throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The fall session of the legislature begins today, with 18-20 bills on the agenda, according to government house leader Jason Nixon. The session is scheduled to run until the first week of December.

• Alberta Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) will host a three-part webinar series about business planning on Oct. 25-26.
• It's Sustainability Awareness Week at the University of Alberta. The event, founded in 2008, will include walking tours, workshops, speaker panels, film screenings, and local food to promote sustainability initiatives, social and environmental issues, and building connections.
• Speakers from NorQuest College and the Centre to End All Sexual Exploitation (CEASE) will participate in a panel on Oct. 27 as part of the United Way Alberta Capital Region's speaker series.
• On Oct. 27, award-winning feminist activist Julie Lalonde will provide a virtual training session on bystander intervention. Lalonde, an advocate for women's rights, is well-known for her project on criminal harassment and stalking as well as her book Resilience Is Futile.
• Fatemeh Bakhtiari will give a presentation about fuels and the aviation industry on Oct. 27 as part of Energy Talks — a lecture series produced by the Edmonton Public Library and the University of Alberta's Future Energy Systems.

• The Alberta Emerald Foundation presents Naheyawin: Practical, Sustainable, and Indigenous Solutions with Hunter Cardinal on Oct. 27. The session will explore "how a storytelling and education approach informed by a treaty lens can support your unique goals."

Photo: A view of the Walterdale Bridge. (Peter Yoeun/Instagram)