Calgary City Council Report Card receives a passing grade.

Yesterday a coalition of business lobbyists released their mid-term report card on Calgary City Council. The report was based specifically on business related issued and rated the City Councillors and the Mayor on their performance. Seeing that half of council received a FAILING GRADE, those with losing marks cried foul with the report. ( Naturally...)

I was pleased (and not surprised at all) to see that my Alderman, Ric McIver received the highest grade! A++. Ric has always been a voice for lower taxes and creating a friendlier business environment in Calgary. I am sure that this A+ ranking is driving Bronco crazy! Also, it appears that "D" student Gord Lowe took a shot at Ric yesterday by stating "If you never propose, you only oppose, you get a higher mark." Perhaps this is in reference to Ric's
Dr. No nickname?

At the bottom of the scale, Sugarplum & Fairies Alderman Druh Farrell received a justifiable F grade. If this report card was based on $25 Million pedestrian bridges or closing down Memorial Drive on Sunday's , I am sure she would receive an A+. ( I have heard rumours that she is considering a run for mayor...can you imagine that?)

I know the detractors ( ie. supporters of those who failed this report) will say that this report is biased or unfair, but each and every Alderman was tested the same way. I am sure Bronco, Pincott and Hawksworth will ask the Liberal/NDP establishment to commission their own fairy tale report soon. Trust me gentlemen, it looks like you will need any good press you can create heading into the next election!

Ric McIver for Mayor in 2010? Lets hope so...

When did Calgary become a Socialist city?

Having been born and raised in Calgary ( which is a pretty rare thing in this town) I have seen many changes over the years. Calgary has always been a maverick, free enterprise based, conservative city. That said, I can't seem to grasp when the socialist movement actually took hold here? Perhaps it started with the election of our Mayor, Dave Bronconnier? Surely it has spread with the election of failed NDP candidate Brian Pincott and the new crop of Alderman from 2007. It is being fueled by socialist community groups like Vibrant Communities Calgary. I just hope that it won't last past 2010.

Calgary's latest Socialist intervention happened this week, with he debate over instituting a "Living Wage" Policy for City of Calgary employees and contract workers. The city admits that almost all of their employees make more than the $13.25 amount, so the idea is really pointless to me. Where the Socialists hope to advance is by getting all Temporary and Contact workers included in this living wage scheme, which thankfully got voted down. ( for now.) Once the rest ( Eg. The Common Sense alderman...) of council figured out that the City will have to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars more to bump the contract/temporary workers salaries, they backed away.

Like most Socialist ideals, the sugarplums and fairies start to disappear once the economic reality hits them in the face. Sure, I'd like McLeod Trail to be paved with gold bars and perhaps see all of Calgary's water fountains turned into magical money machines that dispense $100 bills, but will it ever happen? ( Not until I a get elected as an NDP backed Alderman apparently.)

Only a Socialist regime would consider $13.25 a LIVING WAGE anyway. Do the math... $14/hour ( Lets round it up and say the Socialist Union gets them even more money!) at 40 hrs/week. Total Monthly take home= $2240.

$2240. Before Taxes.... Before Union/Mafia Dues....

Take out your rent ( No Rent Controls yet in Calgary...but their is plenty of year left.) and how much of this living wage are you expected to live on? I don't know, but it is likely not enough. This is another example of the Socialist Pie in the Sky Math. if they were smart, they would demand more money....but they realize that Socialist Revolution in Calgary takes small incremental steps. ( Also, if their voters get too wealthly, they will move away to other parties...but that is another story.)

I hope that Calgarians start a Revolution of their own in 2010. Out with Bronco, out with NDP Hawkesworth and Pincott. Out with John ( I'll change my spots after I am elected) Mar and the rest of the free spenders. In the mealtime, I hope they shelve their plans for a giant Karl Marx stature for Olympic Plaza.

Alderman Pincott...Time to Wake Up!

Well, it must be another slow day ( or 14 months) for Ald. Brian Pincott at City Hall.

With all of the pressing issues facing the city of Calgary, I cant help but shake my head at some of the nonsensical ideas coming from Ward 11 Calgary Alderman, Brian Pincott. Yesterday, he supported an idea to revisit the idea of an anti-idling bylaw. A similar idea was floated in Edmonton last month, but has been put on the back burner for one year.

Some of Mr. Pincott's other genius priorities include:

• Banning Take Out/Drive-Thru windows in the city of Calgary.
• Banning back yard fire pits.
• Paint The Pavement... and idea to help "calm" traffic on city streets.
• Making snow removal on city bike baths a priority. ( When most citizens can't get out of their residential side streets in their vehicles!)
• Don't get me started about his lawn pesticide stance or his support over the ban of plastic grocery bags.

Since being elected as Ward 11 Alderman in 2007 ( and only after the popular incumbent, Barry Erskine pulled out just before the election.) I can't remember a week going by without seeing some proposal of sound bite from this gent. Having lived in Ward 11 for nearly 30 years ( I just moved out in Dec.2007.) I cannot believe that his Socialist/NDP ( of which he was a candidate in two federal elections!) views will "jive" with the residents of (a typically conservative) Ward 11 in the next election.

In an interview with the Calgary Sun in 2007, he is quoted as saying... "City hall is viewed by some as a bastion they have to storm. Some say: 'I hate city hall but as long as they're not bugging me I'll keep doing my thing."

Well, your constant proposals for interference in peoples lives is BUGGING me....I think its time to wake up and take your own advice!