Former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi expected to be focus of first Alberta NDP leadership debate [Video]

Former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi is expected to be the centre of attention as the first debate in the Alberta NDP leadership race is held Thursday night.

But a political scientist is expecting the exercise to be more civil than civil war as the five candidates meet up in Lethbridge, Alta., to put their best foot forward.

“It’s going to be a tricky thing because each of them is going to want to distinguish themselves without hurting the chances of whoever wins,” said Lori Williams, a political science professor at Calgary’s Mount Royal University.

“It’s a delicate balance in a leadership debate because you want to be supportive of the party and supportive of whoever becomes the leader. You don’t sort of want to kneecap them so they can’t serve effectively … but at the same time you’ve got to distinguish yourself.”

Nenshi, 52, was elected mayor of Calgary in 2010 and won three terms …