Signs of the Times?

We have a new mayor in Calgary - one who is young (38), minority, and Muslim, the first ever leader of a major city in North America. What's up with that?

Mr Nenshi is obviously an educated elitist, so what is he doing in the midst of Texas North, the seat of conservatism in Canada? Well, in the words of the immortal bard, Bob Dilan, "times they are a changin'".

Not only do we have a mayor that no one would have predicted to win in this bastion of right-wing uber conservatism, but three of the Conservative's hand-picked candidates were also defeated:

• Ric McIver is a far-right leaning individual who has been seen at a couple of tea-party rallys
• Al Browne was endorsed by Jason Kenney in Ward 12, formerly Ric's stomping grounds, and part of Jason's federal riding
• Richard Dur, another favourite of Jason's.

What are we to make of this? Was it just a gesture by the citizens of Calgary for change at the municipal level? Or, does it signal a broader leaning away from the politics of the right? Is Calgary growing up, becoming more cosmopolitan in its outlook? Or, is it just a blip in the oddity of conservative politics in Alberta?