Charlie Clark (politician)

Clark was first elected to Saskatoon City Council in 2006, unseating incumbent Elaine Hnatyshyn. He was acclaimed in 2009 and re-elected by a wide margin in 2012.[5] As a councillor Clark often championed greater transparency and alternative development strategies. He voted to ban corporate, union, and out-of-province campaign contributions in motions that were ultimately defeated, advocated for better waste management and transportation policies, and against new mega-projects.[6]

After 10 years as a councillor, Clark launched a bid for mayor in 2016, challenging four-term incumbent Don Atchison, who was again seeking re-election.[3] Clark ran on a platform of better planning for future growth, including economic and environmental sustainability, as well as more focus on issues of social justice and inclusiveness.[4] The 2016 election became a tight three-way race when another challenger, Kelley Moore, declared her candidacy.[7] Clark's campaign was buoyed by a large team of more than 800 volunteers and several high-profile endorsements, including a late-campaign endorsement from actor Zach Galifianakis, to whom Clark is related.[4][8] Despite trailing in the polls late in the campaign, Clark was elected mayor, defeating Atchison by a margin of over 3,000 votes.[9]

During his first term, Clark oversaw the development of new community partnerships focused on economic and social development, public safety and harm reduction, and sustainability. He championed initiatives like the Safe Community Action Alliance, the city's Low Emissions Community Plan, a new rapid-transit system, and active transportation infrastructure.[10][11][12][13] His long-time support for protected bicycle lanes led to opponents labelling Clark "Bike Lane Charlie."[14] He also drew a sharp contrast with former mayor Atchison, who never attended a pride parade during his 13-year tenure as mayor, when he grand-marshaled the 2017 pride parade.[15]

Clark ran for a second term as mayor in 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. He ran on a platform of economic recovery, inclusive growth, and addressing the root causes of crime. He was challenged by former provincial MLA and cabinet minister Rob Norris, who was accused of organizing a slate of candidates in the election - a charge Norris denied.[16] Atchison also entered the race in a bid to reclaim the mayor's chair. Clark, Norris, and Atchison were joined in the race by Cary Tarasoff, Zubair Sheik, and Mark Zielke. The date of the election was initially moved by the provincial government so as not to conflict with the 2020 provincial election, and was then postponed by a severe blizzard. Clark was ultimately re-elected to his second term by a wide margin.[17][18]