Calgary police to investigate allegations of plot to oust former Mayor Naheed Nenshi

Calgary police say they have reached out to former Mayor Naheed Nenshi to get a formal statement and launch an investigation into allegations of an entrapment plot against him.

It comes after Nenshi called for law enforcement to look into an alleged scheme by conservatives, which was reported by Canadaland Monday, to get him kicked out of office years ago.

Nenshi previously said he was disappointed to read about the alleged plot, adding “it appears that there are people that seem to think that their money and their connections make them more important or powerful than everyday citizens.”

“As a community, we should never stand for the kind of assault on our democracy and on our society that is alleged in this article,” Nenshi said in a statement.

“I have faith that the appropriate authorities (including the Calgary Police Service and the RCMP) will investigate this story deeply and if any laws have been broken, appropriate action will taken. I also call upon municipal, federal, and provincial leaders, to unequivocally disavow this type of conduct and condemn those who are found to perpetuate it.”

READ MORE: Former Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi calls for investigation into alleged plot to oust him from office

Police say they contacted Nenshi after information from a November 2021 complaint resurfaced. In the complaint to police, an alleged plot against the former mayor was mentioned.

In a statement, investigators say they took the citizen’s allegations of a plot against Nenshi to the British Columbia Prosecution Service. However, it “was not supported for further investigation at the time.”

Police add they cannot act on comments made through the internet.

“It is vital that official reports are made to the police as they cannot be accepted via social media or other online forums,” police told CityNews.

“All victims have the right to privacy and by reporting a crime through official channels, police can ensure all information is secure. Also, social media sites are not monitored around the clock, so some crimes solely reported via social media may go unnoticed.

“It is important to recognize that discussing a crime over social media is not the same as reporting it to law enforcement.”

Doug King, professor of justice studies at Mount Royal University, says at this point, allegations of a plot against Nenshi appear to be a media matter more than a police matter.

“Right now there’s a lot of information that’s being shared on social media, now it’s moved into the mainstream media,” King said. “Right now it’s a bunch of rumours and hearsay evidence … From my perspective, the talk is that the police are beginning the process of an investigation. I don’t even think it’s at that phase yet, I think they’re actually just going to be making some inquiries.”

King says police need something more substantial than what’s been reported so far to understand if the Criminal Code applies to this situation.

“No bribe was offered, so it’s really, at this point in time, something more of a mystery as opposed to some kind of criminal investigation,” King explained.

King says officers will likely interview Nenshi and try to determine if anyone was victimized.

“You can plot a lot of things over a cup of coffee, and you never actually follow through on any of them — that would not rise to a criminal offence,” he said.