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Mayor Naheed Nenshi blasted the governing Tories on Wednesday for launching an early provincial campaign, saying Calgarians “are not happy about this election.”

Political opponents and analysts have already criticized Premier Jim Prentice for calling an election a year before the province’s fixed election date, although the premier insists he needs a mandate for his new financial plan.

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At a news conference about a new transit app for the city, however, Nenshi also targeted the timing of the May 5 vote.

“If we’re in a world where it’s difficult to find $200,000 to investigate the deaths of children in care, to then find $30 million to run an election … it’s a tough argument for me to make if I were in that shoe,” Nenshi said.

In February, the provincial government cut $275,000 from the office of the Child and Youth Advocate, which investigates deaths and serious injuries of children in government care or who have received government services. Days later, the province revoked $546,000 from the auditor general’s budget.