‘Not your traditional politician’: Edmonton mayoral candidate says he wants to change city hall for the better

Edmonton mayoral candidate Omar Mohammad speaks with Alberta Primetime host Michael Higgins about why he’s running, and his priorities for the city.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Michael Higgins: You’re not a politician but you’re making a run for the mayor’s chair. What’s motivating your candidacy?

Omar Mohammad: I’m born here in Edmonton and like most Edmontonians I’m upset by the way our city’s been run. The facts don’t lie. We’re drowning in debt at $4.4 billion right now. We’re facing an unprecedented rise in property taxes. Homelessness has doubled in the last year alone and most Edmontonians don’t feel safe in their own backyards or on LRT.

The other candidates that are running -- Tim Cartmell, Andrew Knack, Tony Caterina -- have all been in office for about 10 years and things haven’t gone better in this city. I argue that things have gotten worse.

I don’t feel that Edmontonians are stupid. They’ve seen the decline in our city and I don’t feel that the same politicians that have made things worse should really be having another go.

MH: Looking at the current city council, what decisions, what actions, do you take issue with most?

OM: I look at it from what Edmontonians prioritize. So fiscal responsibility is a big topic of a discussion right now. We haven’t balanced the budget. I think we only need to spend money that we have, not put us further into debt, which is put that on to our kids and our grandkids to foot the bill.

We continually raise property taxes, buying things that we don’t want nor need. Homelessness has skyrocketed. We need housing-first solutions, full wraparound services, addiction supports, vocational services. This is related with drugs and I don’t feel that the city has interrelated these. And security, outside looking in, as an Edmontonian, especially on our LRT it’s a big problem. I want to bring forward some common sense solutions to make our LRT a little bit more accessible, a little bit more safe for Edmontonians.

MH: That’s a lot on your radar. How does that define you as a candidate, the ideology that you bring to the table?

OM: I’m non-partisan in nature. I’m not an ‘us against them’ type person. I don’t really fit on an ideology. I’ve actually asked my friends, ‘Where do you think I fit?’

I’m not more of a left or right. I’m more of a, ‘Let’s take the whole line and move it up.’ I’m in a totally different direction. So I would say I’m an up ideology, if there was such a thing.

MH: A lot of the other candidates say something similar, that they maybe fit into that middle ground. How do you compete against that?

OM: By just being myself, bringing the platform forward. I am not your traditional politician, as you were saying before. I’m an Edmontonian. I really feel that city hall has lost touch with Edmontonians, and I feel I bring something different to the table.

I’m a pediatric dental surgeon, I see 150 families in my practice every week. Every culture, every religion, every neighbourhood, every socioeconomic status. I’m in tune to what Edmontonians want. So that’s what I bring to the table, what Edmontonians want. I’m here to advocate for Edmonton.

MH: You mentioned fiscal responsibility a moment ago. So what does fiscal responsibility look like on an Edmonton City Council led by Omar Mohammad?

OM: We have to balance the budget. We can’t do big capital spending projects that keep putting us into gross debt. Edmontonians don’t want things that we can’t afford. Things like bike lanes, for instance, spending $300 million. Edmontonians don’t want it. They don’t represent all of Edmonton.

Things like Blatchford, for sure. If you’ve ever paid attention to my videos, you’ll see that Blatchford has been a complete blunder. We need to spend money efficiently. Things like composting practices. I know we’re a very environmental city and I’m pro-environment, I’m a big outdoors guy, but there’s methodologies that are eight times cheaper.

It’s easy to spend other people’s money, taxpayer money. Fiscal responsibility is just how I would treat my household. Spend the money you have, spend it adequately and don’t waste other people’s money.

MH: Where do you stand on legislation, actions taken by the provincial government to more define the relationship between municipalities and the province?

OM: I’m new to politics so I’m kind of going with the flow here, but the big change here recently is the political parties and I do not believe that political parties are beneficial to Edmontonians at the municipal level.

They allow corporations and special interest groups to donate a lot more money to political candidates, which leaves the door open that the candidate will be beholden to the rich.

Are we going to be making decisions based on what Edmonton wants or what the rich, corporate donor wants? Any councillor that’s a part of a political party that may be elected in office might have to go according to political party lines, not really vote according to what their constituents might want.

I know it puts me at a financial disadvantage. I’ve thought about which way it was going to run but recent polls have shown that the vast majority of Edmontonians don’t agree with party politics at the municipal level, and I intend to honour the wishes of Edmontonians.

So I have to honour that, and as far as I’m concerned, anybody else who doesn’t do that is a hypocrite.

MH: So you’re running as an independent. Let’s say you do get elected mayor, how then do you build a relationship with the Smith government?

OM: Fair enough, as we know that our city has been criticized for their lack of coordination and relationships with the provincial government, I’m already building those relationships.

My slogan is, ‘It’s time to shine, let’s shine brighter together.’ I strongly believe in collaboration. I’ve already talked with members on both sides of the government. I believe that interpersonal relationships with people are very key and very important. So not taking an umbrella approach to things. That’s exactly how I do it, how I’ve done things my entire life and will continue to do.

MH: Is there a voter base that you find yourself most likely to be attracted to, especially based on your videos? You inject some humour, you bring some life to it.

OM: Absolutely, I’ve always got on with the youth. Younger generations have always related very well to me. I teach at the University of Alberta once a week in pediatric dentistry. I work with kids for a living.

I generally do get on with youth, but I get along with absolutely everybody. The grandmas love me, the grandpas love me. Everybody’s been telling me they really like the videos.