Author Archive

Interview with Calgary 2010 Ward 12 Alderman Candidate Shane Keating

1
August 13, 2010 - By

This is a continuation of a series of interviews that I will post about local candidates that are running in the 2010 Calgary municipal election. I do not endorse any of the candidates necessarily, unless stated otherwise. The intent is to allow the candidates a forum in which they can share some of their views.

This interview is with Shane Keating,  who will be running for Alderman in Ward 12 this term.

1) I am a resident of Ward 12 and a potential voter. What do you think is the biggest issue facing the voters of this ward?
SK: With the change in Ward 12 boundaries during this election and the removal of five communities from Ward 12 (Willow Park, Maple Ridge, Haysboro, Acacia, and Riverbend), a clearer sense of the biggest issue facing the voters is the inability to remain current with city infrastructure. The lack of infrastructure can be divided into three main components.
First and most noticeable deficit is in transportation. Simply increasing the width and number of lanes does not alleviate the congestion that riddles the city’s roadways, it merely delays the crisis while Calgary grows and again becomes too large for the [...]Read More

Tags: Categories: Alderman - Ward 12

CalgaryPolitics.com Presents Charity Bowling Event for Brown Bagging It!

1
August 11, 2010 - By

 

Many of you know that I am a regular volunteer and a huge supporter of Brown Bagging it for Calgary’s Kids Society ( BB4CK). The gents over at calgarypolitics.com and I have decided to organize a Charity Bowling Event to help raise awareness and some money for this amazing group!  With the 2010 Calgary Election less than two months away, we thought it would be fun to mix Bowling and Politics for a good cause!

Join in as local Bloggers, Media and Candidates for the 2010 Calgary Municipal Election help to “Strike Out” Hunger  This fun event will take place on Monday August 30, 2010 at 6:30-9pm.  The response so far has been amazing and tickets/lanes are selling quickly, with many candidates already booking lanes! 

All proceeds will go to support BB4CK!   Brown Bagging It For Calgary’s Kids Society is a local organization that provides nutritious lunches to almost 1600 needy children a day!  Their website is http://www.makeityourproblem.ca/

 I have attached a copy of the invitation and registration form!  We hope to see you there!

 
Shane

Invitation Form Link is Here

Registration Form is Here

Facebook Page

This is [...]Read More

Categories: Public Service Announcements

Interview With Calgary 2010 Ward 1 Alderman Candidate Ric Lockhart

2
August 3, 2010 - By

This is a continuation of a series of interviews that I will post about local candidates that are running in the 2010 Calgary municipal election. I do not endorse any of the candidates necessarily, unless stated otherwise. The intent is to allow the candidates a forum in which they can share some of their views.

This interview is with Ric Lockhart, who will be running for Alderman in Ward 1 this term.

 

Question #1: What do you think is the biggest issue facing the voters of Ward 1 that is totally unique to that part of Calgary?

RL: As an aldermanic candidate, trying to identify a “single biggest issue” among 90,000 people in 11 distinct communities, composed of every age, race and religion, would be as daunting as trying to attain world peace. I think you might have better luck with world peace.

  The beauty of Ward 1 is its diversity. Some of its neighbourhoods are established and some are very new, some are bustling and some quiet. The ward also includes business and residential sectors, each with its own agenda and concerns. There is just about something for everyone, including issues. We did, however, find [...]Read More

Tags: ι Categories: Alderman - Ward 1

Interview with Calgary Ward 7 Alderman Candidate Kevin Taylor

July 19, 2010 - By

This is a continuation of a series of interviews that I will post about local candidates that are running in the 2010 Calgary municipal election. I do not endorse any of the candidates necessarily, unless stated otherwise. The intent is to allow the candidates a forum in which they can share some of their views.

This interview is with Kevin Taylor, an local active community volunteer and business owner that will be running for Alderman in Ward 7 this term.

  1) What do you think is the biggest issue facing the voters of Ward 7 that is totally unique to that part of Calgary?

 Kevin:  I think the biggest issue facing the voters of Ward 7 that is totally unique to that part of Calgary is the dramatic diversity of issues within the Ward. Ward 7 stretches from The Calgary Drop In Centre in downtown East, all the way up into the suburbs of Dalhousie in the Northwest. Finding ways to handle such a range of needs requires one critical thing: Two-way communication between the Alderman and the communities within the Ward.That means attending community meetings, and listening to and responding to calls from residents to make sure their issues [...]Read More

Tags: ι Categories: Alderman - Ward 7

Diane Colley-Urquhart Is Not Running for Mayor of Calgary in 2010

3
June 23, 2010 - By

   

 

 

Over the past few months, there has been a lot of speculation that Diane Colley-Urquhart would take a run at the Mayor’s chair after 10 years as the Alderman for Ward 13.  The following press release confirms that Diane will not be running for Mayor after all and has opted to run for re-election in her current ward.

Diane has had a ton of success in this Ward and many people feel she will be tough to beat this October.  This is likely why there have been no credible challengers announce that they will be running against her.  I imagine a few “tire kickers” in Ward 13 just realized that 2010 is not their year!

Shane

This has been cross posted from Shane @www.calgaryrants.com

Tags: Categories: Alderman - Ward 13, Mayor of Calgary

Who Is Running For Alderman in Calgary Ward 13? ( aka..The Ward No One Seems To Care About?)

1
June 8, 2010 - By

Many of us are getting excited about the upcoming 2010 Calgary Municipal Election!  As a blogger I am finding that this election is going to be exciting due to the many different and interesting races that are shaping up across the city.  Taking a quick look at http://www.calgarydemocracy.ca/ you can see that there are some very interesting candidates that have come forward to contest many of the Aldermanic seats this year.  After reviewing a ton of the information, I notice that there is one ward that no one is really talking about….Ward 13!

 Ward 13 is has been represented by Diane Colley-Urquhart since they year 2000.  There is speculation that she is considering a run at the Mayor’s chair this year and while I am not sure if it is authorized or not, there is even a new twitter group called ‘Friends of Diane” pushing her to run for mayor.  The Twitter account states a tag line of ” Diane Colley-Urquhart has served Calgary as a great Alderman. Lets get her to be the next Mayor of Calgary!” and with 9 followers, I am not sure if this is the push they are looking for.  ( However, with the recent [...]Read More

Tags: Categories: Alderman - Ward 13

Sean Chu Is In Fact Running for Calgary Ward 4 Alderman

May 18, 2010 - By

In a previous post last month, I had wondered if Sean Chu would run for Ward 4 Alderman in the 2010 Calgary Municipal Election.  I had a brief coffee today with Sean and he in fact confirmed that he is in fact running for Alderman in Ward 4.  ( The Herald also has this story online now and it will likely be in tomorrows paper.) 

 Sean confirmed to me that he has decided to run and will make his official announcement at the Edgemont Community Association on Thursday May 20, 2010 at 10:30am.

 As per my previous post, I think that Sean’s extensive community involvement and his 17 year career as a City of Calgary Police officer prove that he would be an excellent Alderman.  Sean has agreed to do a quick interview on Calgaryrants.com in the near future, so watch for it!

The race for Ward 4 just got a little more interesting!

Shane

This Post is a cross post from Shane @ www.calgaryrants.com

Tags: Categories: Alderman - Ward 4

Interview with Calgary Ward 1 Alderman Candidate, Chris Harper

1
May 13, 2010 - By

This is a continuation of a series of interviews that I will post about local candidates that are running in the 2010 Calgary municipal election. I do not endorse any of the candidates necessarily, unless stated otherwise. The intent is to allow the candidates a forum in which they can share some of their views.

This interview is with Chris Harper, an local active community volunteer that will be running for Alderman in Ward 1  this term.  Chris is a part of a new generation that “gets’ social media and I first came across this chap on Twitter in fact! 

 

What do you think is the biggest issue facing the voters of Ward 1 that is totally unique to that part of Calgary?

CH:  The largest issue facing ward 1 is change. The ward has been represented by the current Alderman since 1983 and has seen some substantial changes since then. Overall the residents I have spoken with feel that they have been well represented; however, state that the once healthy relationship with their Alderman is no longer present. Unreturned phone calls, lack of communication, and silence from their current Alderman are strong concerns [...]Read More

Tags: ι Categories: Alderman - Ward 1

Interview With Calgary Ward 12 Alderman Candidate, Roger Crowe

May 10, 2010 - By

This is a second of a series of interviews that I will post about local candidates that are running in the 2010 Calgary municipal election.  I do not endorse any of the candidates necessarily, unless stated otherwise.  The intent is to allow the candidates a forum in which they can share some of their views.

This interview is with Roger Crowe, an active community volunteer that will be running for Alderman in Ward 12 ( Ric McIver’s old riding) this term. 

 

I am a resident of Ward 12 and a potential voter. What do you think is the biggest issue facing the voters of this ward?

 
RC: After meeting with and speaking to many residents of Ward 12, there are some obvious issues that come to mind. I have summarized these issues on my website at http://site.rogercrowe.ca/


One of the most glaring needs that inevitably comes up in any conversation is the inadequacy related to transportation; roadways, traffic and public transit. I have lived here in Ward 12 for almost 40 years now and I, and approximately 80,000 other members of the ward have to deal with these issues every day. [...]Read More

Tags: ι Categories: Alderman - Ward 12

Interview with Calgary Ward 11 Alderman Candidate, Ernest McCutcheon

May 3, 2010 - By

  I hope that this first of what I hope to be a wide ranging series of quick interviews with local candidates that are running in the upcoming Calgary 2010 Municipal Election.  I will ask each candidates a series of questions and have them answer them, unfiltered.  Unless specified, I do not endorse any of the candidates interviewed and only use the interview as a method to share the candidates views.  ( As most candidates will get looked over by our busy MSM.)

                                                                     

This interview is with Ernest McCutcheon, a candidate in Ward 11. 

  1) I grew up in Ward 11 also. Apart from the SW Ringroad…What do you think is the biggest issue facing the voters of Ward 11?

  EM:  The SW ring road is going to be a large issue over the next couple of years especially since other sections of the road throughout Calgary have now been approved, are in progress or have been finished. With the city growing, the congestion in the SW is only going to get worse. I wish I had a great answer as to what option is needed or is the best solution. Unfortunately, I [...]Read More

Tags: ι Categories: Alderman - Ward 11

It’s Official! Ric McIver is Running for Mayor of Calgary in 2010

2
April 22, 2010 - By

                                              It’s official!  Ward 12 Alderman Ric McIver has officially announced his candidacy for Calgary’s Mayor in the 2010 Election.  This announcement has been long anticipated by many ( including myself) and finally confirms his intentions to what what is considered by some the ‘most open’ secret in Calgary municipal politics.

   I was at Ric’s Block Party event last night and I must say it was quite impressive.  The media confirmed the event had over 900 people attend and from a quick scan of the room, it was a very diverse cross section of Calgary.  At a $150 a ticket, these events usually draw the business suit/tie crowd so I was amazed that there were people of all ages and backgrounds attending.  It is likely a testament to Ric’s popularity in this City. 

Ric gave an passionate speech about his vision for Calgary’s future, which I think was key.  He answered Bronco’s criticism of his “Dr.No” moniker and made repeat mention that he wants this city to be a Calgary for Everyone.  He also called for the inclusion of a written hansard in the City Hall meetings so there is a written record for all see, which I think is a [...]Read More

Tags: ι Categories: Mayor of Calgary

Will Sean Chu Run for Ward 4 Alderman?

4
April 3, 2010 - By

  I was pleasantly surprised when I heard a rumour recently that Sean Chu was considering a run for Ward 4 Alderman in the 2010 Calgary Civic Election!  I have had the good fortune to get to know Sean over the past few years while working together on the Calgary Hays PC Association Board and on various fundraisers.  Through my experience with working with him, I think he would make an excellent alderman!

 With the departure of outgoing Ward 4 Alderman Bob Hawkesworth ( see Bob’s confirmation on his blog at http://blog.hawkesworth.com/) the race for Ward 4 will be an interesting one.  Bob has held this seat for a long time and while some feel he has done a good job,  it really is time for a change in Ward 4 in my opinion! 

 Sean Chu has been a City of Calgary Policy officer for over 17 years and has many years of dedicated experience in the community.  Here is a brief snapshot of some of his community work:

• Advisor to the Sunalta/Scarboro Coalition for Safer Communities which led a successful local initiative to stop a halfway house from being built close to schools in Sunalta.

• Member of the [...]Read More

Tags: ι Categories: Alderman - Ward 4

Shane Keating Enters Ward 12 Alderman Race

2
March 27, 2010 - By

With the anticipated announcement that current Ward 12 Alderman Ric McIver will be running for mayor, the race to replace Ric’s seat will be one of the most interesting races to watch in the October 2010 Calgary civic election.  There have been a few rumours about who will or will not run in Ward 12, but one gentleman has officially made his intentions known!

 I was pleasantly surprised when I ran into Shane Keating at a fundraiser yesterday and he handed me a business card that stated ” Shane Keating, Aspiring To Be Your Alderman“!  I actually sit with Shane on a local volunteer board ( South East Calgary Recreation Society- http://www.secrs.ca/ ) and had no idea that he was even considering this move.  While I do not know Shane well, I must say that he is a really friendly, hardworking man.

 Shane has launched a  campaign website at http://www.shanekeating.ca/ which outlines his community involvement and past work. 

 I fully expect that more names will be coming forward publicly once Ric McIver announces that he will be running for Mayor! As a resident of Ward 12, I am excited about this race and cannot wait to see who else throws their hat in the ring!  I can confirm that [...]Read More

Tags: ι Categories: Alderman - Ward 12

Pie in the Sky? Alderman Joe Connelly Has No Chance At Becoming Calgary’s Mayor in 2010!

2
February 25, 2010 - By

Its good to have goals. Even better, some say you must dream big if you ever want to be successful in life! That said, I think that Alderman Joe Connelley’s dream of becoming mayor is way bigger than he will ever be able to achieve. In light of Mayor Dave Bronconnier’s announcement that he will not be seeking re-election, first term Alderman Connelly has decided that he is mulling over a potential run at the mayors chair. The only problem? He has no support and no money.

Now I must admit, I had the chance to golf with Joe at the Premiers Golf Tournament in Calgary this past June. I honestly liked him and he is a funny, larger than life approachable guy. In fact, after spending the afternoon with him, I felt a little bad about bashing him on my blog. Then I remembered, the post was well deserved. If you want a peek, the link is here WOW, Could they be any more arrogant! In this post, I quote the following rant that will haunt him forever:

“If I want to go be a bus [...]Read More

Tags: ι Categories: Mayor of Calgary

Bye Bye Bronco!

February 23, 2010 - By


Great news!

Bronco Not Running For Mayor in 2010! Ya-Hoo!

You cant see me right now, but if I had a live webcam feed you would see some serious ass shaking! I am literally dancing around the house like a mad man! Why? Because the the city I love finally has a chance to get back on the right track! With the Bronco’s announcement today that he will not run again, we finally have the potential to get some real leadership at City Hall!

This news is no surprise to me! I called this in a post on 12/1/2009 Called “Bronco’s Running Scared” although I thought he would wait until the last minute to bow out. Anyone that reads this site understands that I am not a huge fan. For some past Bronco jabs, check out:

The question floating around today is Who Will Run? I wondered this same question in May 2009 on this post: Who Will Be Calgary’s Mayor in 2010? And apart from the addition of Druh Farrel, Craig Chandler and [...]Read More

Tags: ι ι ι ι Categories: Mayor of Calgary