Former premier Rachel Notley has announced that she will be stepping down from her role as leader of the Alberta New Democratic Party, a move that will be felt throughout the province, including in the Highwood riding.
"It's a pivotal moment for the NDP to change things up," said Wilson Southam, former president and founder of the Highwood NDP constituency association.
"She was a terrific person and did an excellent job, and I agree with her that it may be time for her to step aside for someone younger, some younger ideas."
Notley was first elected MLA for Edmonton-Strathcona in 2008, then party leader in 2014, before becoming premier from 2015 to 2019. While she will be stepping down from her role as leader, she has not made it clear whether she will resign as her riding's MLA.
Beyond the Alberta NDP leadership, local changes have been happening with the NDP as well.
"We've had an AGM a month or so ago at our constituency association," said Southam. "We have a whole new executive, we've got some pretty exciting younger people with some energy, good energy and big ideas, that are running the show.
"I'm watching with great enthusiasm. I think there's been major change here in Highwood too, and I'm very optimistic about the whole thing."
Southam weighed in on the future of the party's leadership, saying he can think of "half a dozen names and all of them are very experienced."
"David Shepherd, he's a medical guy, and we've got a couple out of Calgary, which would conceptually be an interesting thing, they're MLAs out of Calgary and you know that's an important precinct right there.
"I think that'll be a refreshing change in that it's going forward to have a government that's truly responsible to the community."
