EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Danielle Smith directly confronted NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi in the legislature on Tuesday, labeling him a hypocrite for criticizing government transparency and ethics while highlighting his own history of accepting sponsored international travel as Calgary mayor.
The sharp exchange occurred during Oral Question Period, as captured in a video clip shared widely on social media. Smith responded to Nenshi’s line of questioning by stating, “Well Mr. Speaker, no one likes a hypocrite,” before detailing several trips Nenshi took years earlier.
Smith pointed out that Nenshi participated in a five-day trip to China in 2013 for a sustainability conference near Shanghai, with costs covered by the World Economic Forum and the China Centre for Urban Development — described by critics as linked to the Chinese government. She also noted his attendance at the World Economic Forum in Davos on three occasions (2013, 2014, and 2016), some of which involved billing Calgary taxpayers, along with a fully sponsored stay at a Rockefeller Foundation summit in Bellagio, Italy, in 2018.
These details echo points previously raised by the United Conservative Party, which has accused Nenshi of selective outrage on issues of influence and disclosure.
Nenshi pushed back during the session, interrupting to defend his record on disclosures and accusing Smith of relying on incorrect facts. He appeared animated and defensive in the clip, waving his arms while insisting on his transparency as mayor.
The exchange has drawn significant online attention, with many commenters viewing the moment as Smith landing effective blows against the opposition leader amid the NDP’s recent polling challenges in Alberta.
Nenshi’s office and the NDP have not issued a detailed rebuttal in immediate response to the latest exchange, though past defenses of his Davos trips insisted on their value for Calgary on issues like urban resilience and economic development. Records confirm Nenshi’s participation in the listed WEF meetings and the China and Bellagio events during his time as mayor.
