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Originally published on July 19, 2026 in issue 16 of Forward Weekly
Naheed Nenshi has no shortage of critics, but lately some of his loudest have been the people who want him to succeed. Instead they find themselves asking, “Where’s Nenshi?”
Editor Omar Mouallem brought those concerns into the room when the Alberta NDP leader agreed to a long-form interview at Forward Weekly’s offices in Edmonton. At the centre of the discussion was the tension between progressive ambition and Alberta’s political realities, and whether his party is failing to seize this critical moment.
The conversation also moved through separatism, health care, immigration, pipelines, his testy relationship with the federal NDP’s Avi Lewis and the backlash to his recent photo with Israel’s ambassador.
This wasn’t an endorsement, nor was it an ambush. It was a chance for Nenshi to answer the doubts directly — and for viewers to decide whether his case is convincing.
Omar Mouallem is a story consultant and multimedia producer working across film, podcasts, books and journalism. He has written for The New Yorker and The Guardian, authored best-selling books and is the executive producer of Haq Story Studios & School.
A note from Forward Weekly on opinion content: The opinions expressed in this feature article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Forward Weekly or its publisher, editors, staff, or affiliates.