Former Edmonton mayor, city councillor weigh in on Sohi attempting federal political comeback [Video]

Some former members of Edmonton city council are speaking out about the mayor of Alberta’s capital taking a leave of absence to attempt a political comeback at the federal level.

Amarjeet Sohi’s term as mayor does not end until municipal elections are held in the fall, but he is temporarily stepping away from that job to run federally for the Liberal Party of Canada in the Edmonton-Southeast riding.

In 2015, Sohi stepped away from his role as an Edmonton city councillor to make a successful run at getting elected as a Liberal MP, eventually being named to former prime minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet. However, he lost his seat in 2019 and then ran a successful campaign to become mayor in 2021.

Stephen Mandel, who from 2004 to 2013 served three terms as mayor of Edmonton before becoming a provincial politician, said he was not surprised by Sohi’s decision to try to return to the House of Commons.