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Omar Mohammad
Running on the slogan “Shine Brighter Together,” Dr. Omar Mohammad,
a sharply dressed and charismatic pediatric dental surgeon, casts
himself as an agent of hope and change. Though new to politics, he
approaches the race with clear-eyed realism about the long odds — yet
with the confidence of someone who’s beaten them before. Growing up
in a turbulent home, he spent his teens in shelters and living out of his
car. Those experiences, along with work in international development,
shape a campaign centred on poverty, affordability and compassion.
Edify: How did you become political?
OM: Out of concern for my city. After returning
from my residency in Manitoba in 2016, I
started seeing encampments. I was proud of
Edmonton — we take care of each other —
so I kept asking, “What’s going on?” Back in
2009, we were trying to end homelessness
— but there was no fentanyl then. Now it’s
everywhere, combined with rising costs and
lack of housing.
Edify: What's your plan for tackling these
issues of homelessness and housing?
OM: The first model has to be Indigenous-led
housing with wraparound services — addiction
treatment, mental-health care, vocational
training, family supports. People become
homeless for many reasons, and each group
needs housing that fits their circumstances,
but dignity must be at the core. Shelters should
be places people want to be, including bridge
housing for those in transition or long-term care
for severe addictions. At Alberta Hospital, I
saw how devastating fentanyl withdrawal can
be. The province is adding treatment beds
because I believe involuntary treatment is
coming — and the city won’t be ready for the
aftermath. Yes, you can force sobriety, but
if you don’t address why someone became
homeless or addicted, they’ll fall back in.
Edify: And if they fall back in, they’re at higher
risk of a fatal overdose.
OM: Exactly. That’s why vocational services
are so important. A lot of people don’t have
the tools to thrive, and we need to provide
them. Employment leads to stability, stability
leads to community and community leads to
security. As a clinician, I approach this like
treating a disease. With cancer, we can’t save
everyone, but we save many. It’s the same
with addictions — we need comprehensive
care, not just short-term fixes.
Edify: What are your plans for LRT safety?
OM: Requiring proof of payment before
boarding is one way because, yes, people
who aren’t paying for LRT are generally the
ones making it unsafe.
Edify: You’ve said homelessness has
doubled and affordability is a major issue. Yet
you also want to keep people without tickets
off transit. Isn’t that a contradiction?
OM: No, you have to look at it holistically. This
is where housing-first solutions, plus addiction
and mental-health supports, come in. Those
need to be coordinated with the city so people
can get passes and access the system. But
there also has to be accountability. What we
have now — checking proof of payment only
after you’re on the train — is flawed. Too often
I see Black and Indigenous people singled
out, and it creates conflict. I don’t accept that.
Edify: A core tenet of your campaign is
tackling the city’s $4.4-billion debt. How
do you propose being fiscally responsible
and freezing property taxes without cutting
essential services, and in some cases,
expanding essential services?
OM: I know this won’t be an overnight fix,
but we must balance both the operating
and capital sides of our budget. That means
stopping the borrowing, cutting back on
capital megaprojects and shifting investment
from infrastructure to people.
Edify: How do you reconcile that with our
rapid growth?
OM: We’ll need to embrace density. Growing
outward endlessly isn’t sustainable. There’s
always “not in my backyard” people resisting
higher density near them, but there are
places people want and need it. Post-COVID,
far fewer people are working downtown,
so if we want the core to thrive, we need to
convert unused buildings into housing
and bring more people back to live there,
instead of pouring money into downtown
revitalization projects. Once you bring
people, businesses follow.
Edify: Your policies seem reasonable and
likely popular. But, forgive me for asking, why
not run for councillor first? Running for mayor
is like skipping the juniors to try for the NHL.
OM: I know it’s a long shot, I'm not delusional.
But there’s a chance because I’m not the
status quo. I’m an advocate for change, and
when I do something, I’m all in. Watching
the city that raised me fall apart compels me
to act. This feels like a calling. I’ve worked
abroad in development and seen how small
changes transform lives. That history of
service and problem-solving is what I want
to bring as mayor. Even if the odds are small,
running is advocacy. ■
Rahim Jaffer
Name recognition isn’t always an advantage. For Rahim Jaffer, first
elected to Parliament at 25, his four terms as Conservative MP for
Edmonton–Strathcona were overshadowed by ethical and legal
scandals, culminating in DUI and cocaine possession charges later
reduced to a careless driving conviction. His fall from grace was so
profound that he left the limelight entirely — first as a stay-at-home
parent, then running a Whyte Avenue diner, the Rooster Kitchen and Bar,
where he now serves brunches and burgers in a plain company T-shirt.
But, he says, it was that small-business grind that revealed supposedly
anti-business policies at City Hall, inspiring his comeback bid.
OM: I have to ask about your past. As a
former four-term MP, your record sounds
strong on paper, but then come the
controversies. The word “disgraced” often
precedes your name in articles. How can
you overcome that?
RJ: I don't have any skeletons in my closet;
they're all out there. Those who want to 
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