Calgary City Council Mediator Session

  I have been lucky to have been a guest on the unconventional panel three times in the past month!  This week, the panel talked about the City of Calgary "intervention", where a facilitator was brought into a special meeting on Monday.  This caused quite a stir on twitter, as many people were shocked at the thought that council actually needed a psychologist to come in and facilitate a meeting to promote harmony amongst the group.

  I had the chance to talk to Mayor Nenshi about this last night and he confirms that it really was blown out of proportion.  Like George and Cory state in the panel, these types of meetings go on all of the time and are often used as a team building event or  a corporate goal setting session.  Mayor Nenshi laughed at the notion that the facilitator ( who is a psychologist by profession) was there to offer his professional services to try and "head shrink" his colleagues.  I am sure that when  most people heard this story, they imagined the Alderman laying on couches and telling the facilitator "about their mother's".


  We had a good debate on the show this morning and we all had some fun with this topic.  You have to check out the picture on the CBC website which shows off George Brookman rocking the coolest pair of ladies sunglasses! 


Here is a link to the audio podcast!


http://www.cbc.ca/eyeopener/columnists/unconventional/2012/02/01/unconventional-panel---council-mediator/


Do you think that this was blown out of proportion, or does this point to an increasingly dysfunctional council?

Calgary City Council Pay Raises 2012

  There has been quite a stir this week over the 5.35% pay increase for Calgary city council members. Many Calgarians appear frustrated over the increase as it seems out of line with what the average worker will receive in 2012.  While these positions do offer pretty good pay, I do not think that it is out of line for the work that they do.  Personally, I know that my Alderman often works 60-70 hours a week, which is not unusual in an elected role. 

  Many have pointed out that the compensation for Calgary alderman is one of the highest in the country, but its also important to note that many other Canadian city councils have "tax free" portions built into their "lower" salaries and do not carry the same constituent level/alderman.  No two cities needs are alike, so I find it hard to make the comparison this way.

 While these increases are paid by our taxes, I think Calgarians need to put pressure on council to find spending efficiencies across the entire budget. 

 I had the chance to be a guest again on the CBC Calgary Eyeopener's Unconventional Panel yesterday to discuss this.  Here is a link if you are interested.....


http://www.cbc.ca/eyeopener/columnists/unconventional/2012/01/25/debating-pay-raises-at-city-hall/

 
It definitely is an interesting topic.  How do you think they should be paid? 

Vlog Post: My Thoughts On The PPP Canada City of Calgary Recreation Funding Decision

  Disappointed.  That was my initial reaction when I heard the news that PPP Canada had announced that the City of Calgary's application for the funding of some much needed recreation centres in Calgary would not be approved.  As a member of the South East Calgary Recreation Society ( SECRS) for the past few years, I have seen firsthand how hard this committee has worked with the City of Calgary to try and address the recreation facility deficits in our city.

  As a parent, I am fully aware of the lack of recreation facilities in our area. And as a volunteer and community association president, I am committed to finding a solution to address these issues. 



 Here are some of my thoughts on this... ( Note:  these are my personal opinions and do not represent any organization that I am involved with.)




  While disappointed with the outcome, I am prepared to move on a continue to work with the City to find some alternative funding options.  I urge all Calgarians who care about this issue to do the same,

Social Media and the Calgary Secondary Suite Issue

   After a few months of heated debate over the secondary suite issue, Calgary City Council will once again face this issue on March 7, 2011.  No matter what side of the issue you are on, many Calgarians are passionate about this issue and how it will affect their communities.  The issue really is one of the most polarizing debates that I have seen in a long time.

 Without getting into the issue directly, I found it fascinating that many Calgarians are using Social Media to share their views on the issue.  A quick Twitter search under #yycsuite or #suiteyyc shows an amazing level of engagement on this issue by average Calgarians who may not otherwise be as vocal on civic issues.  It would appear that Mayor Nenshi's plea asking for constituents to let their Aldermen know where they stand on the issue has had some effect.  Many groups are quite active on social media sharing their views and engaging some of the Aldermen into the debate online.

 Here is an interesting link from Alderman Diane: ( Secondary Suites Survey)

http://www.aldermandiane.ca/files/Mainpage/SecondarySuitesSurveyResultsFeb22.pdf

Will the Twitter debate actually sway the way that certain Alderman vote?  I doubt it, but I love the fact that citizens can actually let their representatives know how we feel as individuals on certain issues.  I think that smart politicians can use social media to get a sense of where people stand and use this information along with town hall/community meetings to fully engage Calgarians going forward.

Here is a link to a quick interview I did on this issue for the CBC Calgary Eyeopener.

http://www.cbc.ca/eyeopener/episode/2011/02/28/tweeting-texting-and-telephoning/

We Get Mail! Reader Guest Post From Johnny V!

  As a blogger,  I always love feedback on my posts.  Usually, the comments are by Anonymous users who hide behind the cloak of mom's basement to leave their scathing remarks, lol.  So when I get an email from a reader that is funny and has some excellent points, I think I need to share it! 

The email below is from a chap named Johnny V and he has never commented previously.  Check out his letter!

Hi Shane

First let me say I really enjoy your rants, and love Calgarians. They keep me hopeful the political climate will change for the better one day soon. My wife and I left Calgary last August because we had enough of Bronco's kinematic style. He was always whining about the city not having enough money, but oh what a surprise when they discovered millions of dollars in surplus cash. Still our property taxes went up. Absolute road apples. AND Stelmach giving MLAs a gargantuan pay raise shortly after taking office. Then feeding us baloney, and applesauce like we all had congenital myxedema. He's an embarrassment to Albertans every time he opens his mouth to speak. We love Calgary, and had mixed emotions about leaving Alberta, but it had to be done. The urban sprawl has destroyed the beautiful scenery, and the city's snow removal policy almost caused our home in Ranch lands to flood during the spring thaw of 2009 which was directly caused by a build up of 12 inches of ice on the city street. The frustrating part of it all is the city would have issued a fine had we removed it ourselves.

 

Council has sat on their collective asses for years under Dave's watch and did nothing to rectify the problem of side streets not being cleared. Reading about the 5 homes in Citadel burning to the ground just before Christmas because the fire trucks couldn't get up the hill due to the ice made me extremely angry, and we're glad to hear Davie Boy is crawling back to where ever it is creeps like him go. I firmly believe he would have been drawn and quartered by the locals in the next election. We're hopeful the new Mayor and council will be more in tune with the real needs of the people. Like a real public transportation system, oh wait they can't, the city planning department screwed that up approving the building of sprawling subdivisions all over hell's half acre.

It's well documented that city councils have been systematically influencing municipal property values for personal gain for centuries. This low-level of corruption in municipal politics is akin to a global pandemic. "Transparency", "Full Disclosure", "Responsibility", "The People's Representative" are words bantered throughout political arenas, but seldom, if ever, adhered to. Where's Toto when you need him to pull back the curtain so Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man, and the Lion can see the smoke and mirrors for what they are? A dog and pony show, with the occasional pancake breakfast thrown in to feed the plebes.

It was Calgary Mayor Rod Sykes who introduced the Real Estate Registry in 1972 with the intention of curbing the rampant corruption within city hall. The resolution stated: "That a Real Estate Registry be established in the City Clerk's office in which each Member of Council and each Commissioner and Department Head and all supervisory employees of the City shall be required to disclose any interest in real estate within The City of Calgary," and "That the Registry of Real Estate to be held by the City Clerk be made available for inspection only upon receipt of written application and further that this Registry not be printed and/or made available for sale to anyone." The ruling applied directly and indirectly to elected representatives along with middle and upper management, and if ethics could be factored into the equation, it would also apply to their families and friends.

 

Under Duerr's watch nine city aldermen voted to discontinue the Real Estate Registry. Bronconnier was one of them (as mentioned in your rants). The other eight who voted to end the registry were: Mayor Al Duerr, Diane Danielson, Sue Higgins, Bev Longstaff, Joanne Kerr, Dianne Colley-Urquhart, Bob Hawkesworth, and Joe Ceci.

 

Six have since left Calgary's political arena, leaving Bob Hawkesworth (Ward 4), Joe Ceci (Ward 9), and Dianne Colley-Urquhart (lucky 13). Three names I've been suspicious of since 2001. I recently heard a pretty credible rumour that Hawkesworth is going to run for Mayor, and Colley-Urquhart will run for alderman of Ward 13 (or maybe Mayor). Not sure about Ceci yet, but think he will run again.

 

I recently read your faint-hearted rant on Dianne Colley-Urquhart. The read left me scratching my head, especially when you failed to mention her participation in the Real Estate Registry vote, as you did for Bronco. Has she wooed you to the dark side? Where's that razor-sharp intellectual pundit I've come to enjoy reading? Your mandate is sarcasm, isn't it?

 

Will you be commenting on Hawkesworth's and Ceci's repugnant participation in the vote to discontinue the Real Estate Registry?

 

In closing I ask you please remember the honourable aldermen who voted against quashing the Real Estate Registry in 2001.

1. Ray Jones (Ward 5)

 

2. Dale Hodges (Ward 1)

 

3. John Schmal (Elected President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities in 2002) These days Schmal and Steve Syms have launched their "Preston for Premier" initiative in Calgary.

 

4. Former Alderman and MLA Jon Lord (who is running for Mayor). My pick for honesty, ethics, and most likely to table the reinstatement of the Real Estate Registry. Why? Because like yourself, he, and his ancestors have deep roots in Calgary, and Alberta. Check out www.jonlord.ca

Thanks for the rants

Johnny V

--

From the Vaults of Johnny V in Colchester South, Ontario, Canada

Website Last Updated January 2010

Webhouse: http://www.johnnyv.org

Great Stuff!

Happy Weekend....

Shane

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...