Bell: Smith UCP — it's wakey-wakey time from those Calgary byelection blues

Advertisement 1 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Breadcrumb Trail Links HomeNewsLocal NewsNationalPoliticsOpinionColumnists Bell: Smith UCP — it's wakey-wakey time from those Calgary byelection blues The UCP lose in south Calgary. They cannot afford losses like that Author of the article: By Rick Bell Published Sep 15, 2026 Last updated 48 minutes ago 4 minute read Join the conversation Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi speaks at a press conference in Calgary on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026. NDP candidate Kyle Campbell was named the winner in Calgary-Shaw byelection on Monday. Jim Wells/Postmedia Article content Naheed Nenshi is all smiles. He should be smiling. Article content Winners smile. The Alberta NDP Nenshi leads won on Monday night. Article content Article content You can call Nenshi all the names you can dream up and slam the NDP as a horror show as often as you like but no-one can erase the numbers on the scoreboard. Article content “This is an earthquake,” says Nenshi, of his party’s victory in the riding known as Calgary-Shaw and seen as conservative country. Article content Article content And it is Premier Danielle Smith’s UCP who are under the rubble. Article content Noon News Roundup Your weekday lunchtime roundup of curated links, news highlights, analysis and features. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Article content UCP supporters will find a hundred and one reasons to try to explain why the UCP didn’t really lose. Article content The turnout was low. People stayed at home. It’s only a byelection. Article content Of course, if they’d won there would be a press release crowing about the victory. “Another vote of confidence from Albertans,” it would read. Article content It wouldn’t read: “We won but it’s only a byelection.” Article content The excuses pile up. Article content We are told if the voters of a small party led by a former UCP politician, now a vocal critic of Smith, had voted for the UCP candidate, then the UCP would have won. Article content On social media, there are some stupid voices sliming new Canadians. What the hell. Article content How hard it is to look in the mirror. Article content It is especially hard when we’re talking about electing a member of the legislature in Calgary-Shaw. Article content Calgary-Shaw. The deep south. The most…