Calgary just elected its first openly queer mayor in city history.
Former city councillor Jeromy Farkas, who’s bisexual, bested incumbent Jyoti Gondek and narrowly edged out conservative challenger Sonya Sharp in this week’s municipal election in Alberta’s largest city.
While Sharp has called for a recount, assuming the result stands, Farkas is a fascinating political figure in Calgary to be stepping into the mayor’s office right now.
Farkas has spoken out repeatedly in support of the LGBTQ2S+ people dating back to his days as the president of Wildrose Party’s Calgary-Elbow Constituency Association. But the Wildrose was also the right-wing party with a long history of anti-LGBTQ2S+ policy that paved the way for Alberta premier Danielle Smith’s current United Conservative provincial government.
As a city councillor, Farkas was a fiery conservative voice of dissent against then mayor Naheed Nenshi, regularly voting against progressive city policy including parental leave for city councillors.
And while his policies have shifted toward the centre in recent years, what will his relationship be with Smith and the province? How will he put all of this talk about supporting LGBTQ2S+ people into practice, particularly when Smith’s government is actively introducing anti-LGBTQ2S+ policy? And what version of Farkas is Calgary going to get?
We break down what you need to know.
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