Pollster criticized by Nenshi now demanding apology

It was a poll that was referred to as a “catastrophic” failure, but Mainstreet Research is now demanding an apology from Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi.

The company incorrectly predicted before the 2017 municipal election that Nenshi would lose his seat by 13 points to opponent Bill Smith.

Mainstreet’s President Quito Maggi said, according to a Marketing Research and Intelligence Association report, when Nenshi was interviewed by a panel in April, the mayor repeated some inflammatory allegations.

The report reads:

“Mayor Nenshi and his election team expressed frustration with Mainstreet’s role and continued to suggest, as they did during the campaign, that there might have been a cabal among Mainstreet,” and others, “aimed at unseating him.”

To read the full report, click here.

“We believe it’s an abuse of power for him to use that power to make those allegations to a panel of academic experts,” Maggi said Monday.

Maggi adds, several reports have found Mainstreet had no malicious intent, and its polling methodology has been changed as a result of the error.

“I am demanding and will continue to demand a retraction, apology, from him and his campaign,” Maggi said.

Maggi says he’s apologized several times for his mistakes. He’s now made a complaint with the integrity commission. However, Maggi has no wish to pursue legal action.

660 NEWS has asked the mayor for comment.

In 2017, Nenshi won the mayor’s seat with 51.4 per cent; Smith finished second with 43.7 per cent.


(This story has been revised to include a direct quote from the MRIA report.)

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