Amarjeet Sohi officially launched his campaign to be MP of Edmonton Southeast on Saturday.
“I believe that this is the most unprecedented time that we are facing as a country,” Sohi told media at the launch.
“We need leaders from every part of our country stepping up, people who have the experience, people who have demonstrated that they can get big things done in the past, and I have.”
The 61-year-old, who was elected mayor in 2021, was the Liberal MP in the old Edmonton Mill Woods riding for five years and served as a cabinet minister under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau before being defeated in the 2019 federal election.
Before that, the former transit driver sat on Edmonton city council as a councillor from 2007-15.
Sohi called the current situation between Canada and the U.S. “a wake up call” and said it is a chance to build a new economy with trade corridors and bring Canadian goods to more international markets.
Sohi said, if elected, he would also push the federal government to do more in terms of housing.
“I think I can take Edmonton’s experience of being a leader in housing and take that to a national stage and really figure out how we can build more homes,” he added. “Choice in housing, housing growth, including serving the most vulnerable population in Edmonton and through the other cities as well.”
Sohi announced last week he would take a leave of absence from the Edmonton mayor’s chair to run as a Liberal in the newly-created riding.
Also seeking office in Edmonton Southeast are Jagsharan Singh Mahal (Conservative), Harpreet Grewal (NDP), Carrie McLaren (Green) and Martin Schuetza (PPC).
