Decision 2010: Calgary Municipal Election

[Rusty van Reddick]

Originally Posted by DizzyEdge

Candidate listing for Alderman Ward 7
Cook, Elizabeth Ann
Farrell, Druh
Krisko, Michael
Pilling, Jim
Taylor, Kevin

Certainly seem to be a dearth of info about these candidates.. what I find funny is regardless of all the howling in the Sun etc about Druh, she'll probably easily win.

Kevin Taylor is an amazing human being actually- Hillhurst resident (as far as I can tell) and strikes me as progressive. But the reason I call him "amazing" is that he's the guy who has spent many thousands of his own dollars to help Jose Ribeiro and his (now) wife- Jose is the Brazilian fellow who was blinded (completely- both his eyes had to be surgically removed) after being shot in Chinatown two years ago. He just seems like a spectacular person. Kevin I mean- and actually Jose is pretty amazing too.

[DizzyEdge]

^ Thanks for the info. I just saw him on the news, I guess he was the first person to show up with nominations today, so he got a few seconds of air time. I'm just surprised with how much flack Druh has received from some quarters that the ward candidates aren't going for the jugular.. well maybe that will change now.

Also, perhaps this isn't the best way to consider candidates, but I do think I would prefer someone who lives inner city.

[Ferreth]

Originally Posted by srperrycgy

[...]
Waciak, Stan The Man
[...]
Tummonds, Billy The Butcher
[...]

What's up with the pseudonyms? Memorable, and probably worth about 1% of the vote on it's own, but I'd say you should have to run under your own name, with a 'goes by' added on as an option.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by srperrycgy

Have you had any chats with your neighbours yet, in reaction to the Nenshi signs?

Both Mrs. Bigtime and myself have talked with neighbours and fellow residents in the elevator, usually they notice the pin we are wearing and we strike up a quick "elevator pitch" for them!

[You Need A Thneed]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Both Mrs. Bigtime and myself have talked with neighbours and fellow residents in the elevator, usually they notice the pin we are wearing and we strike up a quick "elevator pitch" for them!

I've got to get myself a button yet, not that I run into many people in an average day.

[srperrycgy]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Both Mrs. Bigtime and myself have talked with neighbours and fellow residents in the elevator, usually they notice the pin we are wearing and we strike up a quick "elevator pitch" for them!

Excellent!

[jeffwhit]

Originally Posted by Wooster

Do I see there that you convinced our father to donate?

I assumed that was you... they do have an extra large lawn sign.

[Riise]

Originally Posted by DizzyEdge

I'm just surprised with how much flack Druh has received from some quarters that the ward candidates aren't going for the jugular.. well maybe that will change now.

It could be that they realized she is simply representing her constituents and to oppose what she has done would be putting them against the voters.

[Wooster]

Originally Posted by jeffwhit

I assumed that was you... they do have an extra large lawn sign.

Maybe a different person...

Didn't know they gave them the extra large one. Also, they have a Chris Harper sign on the way.

[Rusty van Reddick]

Originally Posted by Ferreth

What's up with the pseudonyms? Memorable, and probably worth about 1% of the vote on it's own, but I'd say you should have to run under your own name, with a 'goes by' added on as an option.

nickname =/= pseudonym. "Rusty van Reddick" is a pseudonym. These guys are presumably using their real names with a little frosting of fun attached. You can't run under a fake name.

[Wooster]

Latest "Better Idea" policy release from Nenshi:

Re: Poverty/Opportunity

http://www.nenshi.ca/new/2010/245

[DizzyEdge]

Originally Posted by Riise

It could be that they realized she is simply representing her constituents and to oppose what she has done would be putting them against the voters.

Well and I believe much of those opposed to her, don't live in her ward.

[Wooster]

Interesting that the media has now defined the frontrunners as McIver, Higgins and Nenshi (this is absolutely essential for Nenshi's chances).

http://www.calgaryherald.com/frontrunners+Nomination/3553631/story.html

CBC has also done so in its articles regarding the race.

[fusili]

Originally Posted by Wooster

Interesting that the media has now defined the frontrunners as McIver, Higgins and Nenshi (this is absolutely essential for Nenshi's chances).

http://www.calgaryherald.com/frontrunners+Nomination/3553631/story.html

CBC has also done so in its articles regarding the race.

As much as Connelly, Stewart, Burrows, Lord and Hawkesworth are going to hate to admit it, they are all essentially out of this race (I would classify them as middle runners- guys like Fech are completely inconsequential). Connelly and Burrows should've thrown their support behind Higgins or McIver and Stewart and (maybe) Hawkesworth should've thrown their support behind Nenshi. Only Hehr was smart enough to do so. Kudos to him.

[O-tacular]

Saw a billboard with McIver on it this afternoon. It's hard to describe how unnatural and creepy he looks with a big smile and rosy cheeks. It's either photoshopped or they had to coax him with the mental image of a vault full of money collecting dust. Wouldn't it be awesome if they posted his face on TV screens everywhere 1984 style?

In all seriousness though, I'm terrified we'll end up like we did int he 90's after a decade of Al Duer if he gets in. Expect no new infrastructure until 2020.

[DizzyEdge]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Saw a billboard with McIver on it this afternoon. It's hard to describe how unnatural and creepy he looks with a big smile and rosy cheeks. It's either photoshopped or they had to coax him with the mental image of a vault full of money collecting dust. Wouldn't it be awesome if they posted his face on TV screens everywhere 1984 style?

In all seriousness though, I'm terrified we'll end up like we did int he 90's after a decade of Al Duer if he gets in. Expect no new infrastructure until 2020.

I'm not quite as worried, since he seems to be gung ho behind the SE lrt, my bigger concern is simply that he plays both sides of the fiscal conservative / spend loads on infrastructure, without any clear indication of what sorts of spending is acceptable or not acceptable to him, outside of that lrt line.
ie, no clear picture of what he's really about, other than the fiscal conservative which might be real or a facade.

[MalcolmTucker]

From a distance, I get the impression that Hawkesworth is trying to claw his way into the race, and is going to/already started to run one of the most negative campaigns the city has ever seen to try and get there.

[fusili]

Originally Posted by Sir.Humphrey.Appleby

From a distance, I get the impression that Hawkesworth is trying to claw his way into the race, and is going to/already started to run one of the most negative campaigns the city has ever seen to try and get there.

I do too. Maybe he will get the angry Sun Commenter vote (singular).

[Radley77]

Barb Higgins campaign speech from Hotel Arts:

http://barbhiggins.ca/news/barb-higgins-speech-hotel-arts-calgary.html

Laying out what she plans to do as soon as she enters office, reiterating how she thinks about priorities, a collobrative leadership style (bringing in economist Jack Mintz, and forum with U of C school of public policy), plan to direct administration to develop a bonus system to reward people that find significant budget savings that have least impact on services.

[srperrycgy]

My tweet on Dale Hodges' lack of appearance at a Twitter debate tonight:

"Didn't see any tweets from Dale Hodges at the Twibate. I guess it's hard to hook the Internet up to a typewriter."