The Calgary lawyer calls himself ‘an actual centrist’ on the political spectrum.
“In all of those organizations, people work from across the political spectrum for the good of the organization, whether it’s a charity (or) a business,” Thiessen said in an interview Monday afternoon.
He wants to do the same thing at Calgary city council, which “seems to be 15 individuals firing in different directions,” he said. “None of them are talking or working together.
“The first thing that we need to change at city hall is (to get) them focused on practical solutions, prioritizing key issues like public safety, housing and transit.”
He also acknowledged that some Calgarians feel ignored by city council.
“When I hear people speaking at city hall about their concerns, there is a level of frustration,” he said. “We need to communicate better with people.”
Though the public won’t agree on every issue, “feeling like your voice was heard, that city council amended their position based on the concerns that people raise on different issues, is a pretty important piece of the democratic puzzle.”
Thiessen calls himself “an actual centrist” on the political spectrum.
“I truly believe that there are great ideas from across the political spectrum, and I do not think any one party has cornered the market on good ideas,” Thiessen said, noting that he is a former president of the provincial Alberta Party, a centrist alternative.
“I am a big believer in being fiscally responsible and socially moderate, and so that’s why I say I’m an actual centrist.”
Thiessen believes there is always common ground on the right and left.
“I am experienced at sitting in rooms and hammering out deals to find that common ground. I don’t say it idealistically, I say it from 30 years of practical experience.”
Several candidates have come forward
With Calgary’s municipal election set for October next year, candidates are surfacing early in hopes of replacing incumbent mayor Jyoti Gondek, who has yet to announce if she’ll run again.
One political scientist says it has been historically very difficult to defeat an incumbent mayor in Calgary — it last happened in 1980.
“A year out from 2025, we’re already getting some that are publicly announced, some that are clearly leaning toward going forward,” said Bratt.
He said that indicates candidates may think Gondek won’t run again.
“Or they believe that she is so vulnerable that she can be defeated despite incumbency,” Bratt said.
Lori Williams, another political scientist and associate professor at Mount Royal University, said Gondek has faced a lot of criticism, including a recall campaign.
“I think a lot of folks are looking at her chances of winning or even running and thinking there’s an opening for them,” Williams said.
Thiessen was critical of the tax freeze proposal, calling it a “very simplistic” promise that doesn’t take into account the complexity of city hall or if emergencies arise.
Thiessen claims that would provide a more understanding and perspective of Calgarians’ priorities.
“If that comes back and everyone says, ‘You know what, I don’t care about fire, public safety, all I care about is a zero tax increase’, then we’ll have heard Calgarians, and we’ll amend our positions to reflect Calgary’s priorities.”
Municipal political parties make election ‘greatly complicated’
To date, none of the candidates with intention to run in 2025 have announced affiliation with a party.
The provincial government outlined details of the new rules for local political parties last week, among other campaign changes for municipal elections.
Bratt said the 2025 election is “greatly complicated” compared to those in years past.
Affiliation with parties at the municipal level could help candidates, or it could hurt them, says Williams.
“In the past, people who have been a part of a slate have not been particularly successful, but the difference this time around is there’s a financial advantage to people that are associated with a party,” she said.
— With files from Scott Strasser