Time for some honesty: Nenshi - Overhyped Trend Vote?

[CUG]

Lets get honest here. Nenshi, the hipster's Messiah, the biggest trend vote since Obama, is barely a remarkable mayor. As a regular citizen of Calgary there are three things that come to mind regarding Nenshi:

1: He's pissed off the police service to the point where they're looking at closing district offices in order to maintain their current level of service.. instead of growing as planned.

2: He allowed work on the design bridge to continue past its deadline and over budget.

3: A lot of teenagers who haven't an ounce of political knowledge voted for him and swung the vote away from the only candidate who knew anything about civic politics.

Do you think that less mature teenagers and twenty-somethings will eventually realize that they're having the wool pulled over their eyes. Do any of you members in that age-range even realize it?

[kvg]

Once elected politicians all do roughly the same thing, eg, Bronco/Nenshi, Bush/Obama, etc..

I should have vote McIver though.:banghead:

[Sugarphreak]

...

[CUG]

It's too bad I couldn't design the poll to expose confirmation bias. Is there such thing as a psychological engineer?

[spikerS]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
McIvor should have won, Nenshi gets a big fat :thumbsdow

For the simple reason that unlike Nenshi who cares more about being a social butterfly and is only now realizing you can't please everybody; Ric actually gives a shit about this city, he had experience with how it was run and was willing to make the tough calls where it counted.

Face it, if Nenshi had lost... he would be out camping with the Occupy movement right now.


Meanwhile we are facing an 8% tax hike (plus 6% next year and another 6% after that), our police service is being slashed & to top if off they are cutting the snow removal budget. We won't even get the same level of service as last year because they are cutting back on the residential cleaning now... WTF!

Without Ric, Druh has pretty much taken over with her eco-bs so we can expect giant sized green bins forced on us with yet another monthly bill to go with it.

+1

summed up my thoughts exactly.

[dandia89]

has beyond ever been happy with a mayor?

[civic_stylez]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
[B]McIvor should have won, Nenshi gets a big fat :thumbsdow

For the simple reason that unlike Nenshi who cares more about being a social butterfly and is only now realizing you can't please everybody; Ric actually gives a shit about this city, he had experience with how it was run and was willing to make the tough calls where it counted.

Face it, if Nenshi had lost... he would be out camping with the Occupy movement right now.

THIS.

[ZenOps]

Noone could ever be better than King Ralph.

[Toma]

Nenshi rules.

A true "for the people" attitude, and the ONLY candidate with schooling, education and understanding to do the job.

What he lacked in experience he quickly learned.

Simply, there was no other choice.

[Cos]

Originally posted by Toma
Nenshi rules.

A true "for the people" attitude, and the ONLY candidate with schooling, education and understanding to do the job.

What he lacked in experience he quickly learned.

Simply, there was no other choice.

:werd: a lot of this mess is left over from Bronco (see the bridge, burn the money or let it finish). Is he perfect? no. I would have really liked Blinky to stay as a councilman or be the GM of the City. He was a good politician and I liked him but I dont trust him to be Mayor.


edit: Holy F I just agreed with Toma

[Toma]

Originally posted by Cos


:werd: a lot of this mess is left over from Bronco (see the bridge, burn the money or let it finish). Is he perfect? no. I would have really liked Blinky to stay as a councilman or be the GM of the City. He was a good politician and I liked him but I dont trust him to be Mayor.


edit: Holy F I just agreed with Toma

People forget the Bronco business.... and the previous damage way back from another short on education fella.... King Ralph

I can't believe people in this City will consider people for politics that lack more than high school education and understanding of the field of business and politics.

A leader must posses two key features IMO. Education and intelligence, as well as benevolence and a "for the public good " mentaility

[bspot]

Originally posted by CUG

2: He allowed work on the design bridge to continue past its deadline and over budget.

You're right.

They should have sold the already purchased bridge parts for salvage and thrown away the $24 million they paid for a fixed price contract.

Speaking of fixed price contracts, anything over budget is being eaten by Graham, the contractor on the job.

Why do you give a shit if a private company is going over budget on a job?

You are ignorant on civic issues.

[Guillermo]

Originally posted by CUG
1: He's pissed off the police service to the point where they're looking at closing district offices in order to maintain their current level of service.. instead of growing as planned.



actually, this has nothing to do with pissing off the police service - it's all about money. on the one hand you have the silly majority whining about tax increases (when in face calgary pays among the lowest municipal taxes in Canada), and on the other hand you have government services whining about not being able to do their job in the face of budget cuts.

at the end of the day, unless you want to increase taxes, the city is going to have to learn to live with budget cuts - CPS included. They were supposed to also have budget cuts a year or two ago, which they somehow got out of... Rick is just going to have to figure out how to do more with less, like the rest of the city and province has been doing for the last 5 years. :rolleyes:

[Guillermo]

and who starts a poll with an ultra-biased opinion like that? not to mention that the answers aren't distributed among opinions evenly. nice.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[Cos]

.

[CUG]

Originally posted by bspot


You're right.

They should have sold the already purchased bridge parts for salvage and thrown away the $24 million they paid for a fixed price contract.

Speaking of fixed price contracts, anything over budget is being eaten by Graham, the contractor on the job.

Why do you give a shit if a private company is going over budget on a job?

You are ignorant on civic issues. And you apparently don't know anything about contract law. You're ignorant of how shitty your pseudo-messiah mayor is. Don't bitch at me about it. Nenshi's a hack. A harvard grad teaching at MRU? Reach for the stars Naheed.

[Toma]

Originally posted by Guillermo
and who starts a poll with an ultra-biased opinion like that? not to mention that the answers aren't distributed among opinions evenly. nice.
Josh does. Beyond's resident Rocket Scientist.

[CUG]

Originally posted by Guillermo


actually, this has nothing to do with pissing off the police service - it's all about money. on the one hand you have the silly majority whining about tax increases (when in face calgary pays among the lowest municipal taxes in Canada), and on the other hand you have government services whining about not being able to do their job in the face of budget cuts.

at the end of the day, unless you want to increase taxes, the city is going to have to learn to live with budget cuts - CPS included. They were supposed to also have budget cuts a year or two ago, which they somehow got out of... Rick is just going to have to figure out how to do more with less, like the rest of the city and province has been doing for the last 5 years. :rolleyes:

All you guys saying this are assuming that the rest of us aren't okay with small tax increases. To be asking the cops to chew up their budget when the city's house isn't in order is absurd.


Originally posted by Toma

Josh does. Beyond's resident Rocket Scientist. Don't you have a mass genocide criminal to apologize for somewhere Toma?

[Tik-Tok]

Where's the "It doesn't matter who is Mayor, the current situation would be minimally different, because of the rest of the Alderman" choice?

[CUG]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok
Where's the "It doesn't matter who is Mayor, the current situation would be minimally different, because of the rest of the Alderman" choice? I didn't feel like trying to add a 6th option. Nenshi is the epitome of failed promises and the self over-sell, just like Obama.

[Toma]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok
Where's the "It doesn't matter who is Mayor, the current situation would be minimally different, because of the rest of the Alderman" choice?
hahahaha

Isn't that the truth.

[Kg810]

Originally posted by CUG
And you apparently don't know anything about contract law. You're ignorant of how shitty your pseudo-messiah mayor is. Don't bitch at me about it. Nenshi's a hack. A harvard grad teaching at MRU? Reach for the stars Naheed.

Can you elaborate ont he contract law stuff? The last I heard (from the news) the bridge was on a fixed budget and any additional costs would be taken care of by the contractor.

[Toma]

Originally posted by CUG
I didn't feel like trying to add a 6th option. Nenshi is the epitome of failed promises and the self over-sell, just like Obama.
Please, you can't even back up what you say without resorting to bullshit, lies, exaggeration, and shallow rhetoric

You hated him form the start. You hate brown people, you hate arabs, you hate Muslims.

Your whole little thread reeks of emotion, rather than facts.

The truth is, he has done nothing wrong.

True, he hasn't done anything earth shattering either..... but he is doing a good job, and is doing the right thing with what he is given or handed down.

At least with Nenshi, you can trust that he will do the right thing for the people, and not just for the elite. :thumbsup:

[CUG]

Originally posted by Kg810


Can you elaborate ont he contract law stuff? The last I heard (from the news) the bridge was on a fixed budget and any additional costs would be taken care of by the contractor. Oh? Care to share your source on that? I know I'd go into a capital loss situation if there were cost overruns, what good and profitable business wouldn't. If what you're saying is not the case, it's only reasonable that the city takes action on it so that it is, but I feel what you've said is a red herring.

That's our money that's not going into the snow removal budget deficit, the police budget, etc, but is buying a bridge that a group of idiots decided was required for Calgary.

Originally posted by Toma

Please, you can't even back up what you say without resorting to bullshit, lies, exaggeration, and shallow rhetoric

You hated him form the start. You hate brown people, you hate arabs, you hate Muslims.

Your whole little thread reeks of emotion, rather than facts.

The truth is, he has done nothing wrong.

True, he hasn't done anything earth shattering either..... but he is doing a good job, and is doing the right thing with what he is given or handed down.

At least with Nenshi, you can trust that he will do the right thing for the people, and not just for the elite. :thumbsup:
Did I really just hear this from an anti-semetic war criminal sympathizer? I don't hate muslims or brown people, or Arabs either. I don't have the capacity for hatred that you do Toma, you're on your own there homie. Edit: believe it or not, I don't even hate you, even though you routinely dismiss my scrutiny of our mayor as racism. That's an old gig, nephew.

[Marsh]

Im alright with Nenshi, but he needs to get his fat ass off Twitter and start doing some real work

[dansmith11]

I for one like the idea that Nenshi was voted in by a bunch of "immature twenty somethings".

WE are the future. It's time to stop letting our parents generation call the shots. They are the only ones really voting, and they keep voting for the same old fucks they always vote for. That's why nothing changes. You can't expect Nenshi to change everything when the rest of city council are still the same old story.

I say forget the old guard. It's time for change! It's time for us immature uninformed twenty somethings to get up off the couch and band together with things like social media and organize to take control of this bitch.

Even if it means a transition period where we vote in a bunch of people for the wrong reasons who don't really know what they're doing and end up making a bunch of mistakes. With all our access to information and communication, we can learn from those mistakes pretty fast; and it would be a small price to pay to get our generation involved in politics.

So even if Nenshi is the worst mayor in the history of Calgary, I still think it's awesome he won. It sends an important message.
It lets young people know your vote is actually important; that you can actually effect change. And it lets the old guard know they better get their shit together and pay attention to what the youth wants, because if you don't, you can easily be replaced by anyone with a facebook page and some side walk chalk.

viva la revolution!

:clap:

[Kg810]

Originally posted by CUG
Oh? Care to share your source on that? I know I'd go into a capital loss situation if there were cost overruns, what good and profitable business wouldn't. If what you're saying is not the case, it's only reasonable that the city takes action on it so that it is, but I feel what you've said is a red herring.

That's our money that's not going into the snow removal budget deficit, the police budget, etc, but is buying a bridge that a group of idiots decided was required for Calgary.


Initial source was on 660news a couple weeks ago, basically said the bridge was agreed on a fixed budget and that if the budget goes over what was agreed on the city will fight paying the additional costs. I guess from the way it was told, the city will try their best to deny taking on any additional costs but they never covered any part of contract laws. So who knows, maybe they can attempt to fight it but end up needing to pay up because of contract laws.

Edit - found an article from Global
http://www.globaltvcalgary.com/delayed+peace+bridge+hits+one+year+milestone/6442512377/story.html

[CUG]

Originally posted by dansmith11


So even if Nenshi is the worst mayor in the history of Calgary, I still think it's awesome he won. It sends an important message.

:clap: I'm all for the removal of the white-haired power circles downtown, but something seems a little off about this last sentence, it's probably how the "important message" you think it sends is that the 20-somethings aren't informed voters with any working knowledge of key issues :dunno:


Originally posted by Kg810


Initial source was on 660news a couple weeks ago, basically said the bridge was agreed on a fixed budget and that if the budget goes over what was agreed on the city will fight paying the additional costs. I guess from the way it was told, the city will try their best to deny taking on any additional costs but they never covered any part of contract laws. So who knows, maybe they can attempt to fight it but end up needing to pay up because of contract laws. While that's actually pretty awesome, I just hope the litigation doesn't end up costing the city another million. I really think that by watching the nickles and dimes on non-essential services, they could make up this 5 million they're telling the police to trim off. Sure, I hate the traffic cops, and no one likes getting tickets, but they cleaned the place up pretty nicely.

[syritis]

it seems like hes too busy trying to make everyone happy through deliberation and studies rather then just getting the work done. he won't let him self piss off a few people for the greater good and now everyone is seeing that he's a idealist hipster.

my biggest piss off is that in a time of unstable economic recovery he is cutting jobs. thanks smart guy.

[dansmith11]

Originally posted by CUG
I'm all for the removal of the white-haired power circles downtown, but something seems a little off about this last sentence, it's probably how the "important message" you think it sends is that the 20-somethings aren't informed voters with any working knowledge of key issues :dunno:


actually dude, YOU said that his voters were uninformed teenages and immature twenty somethings. My point was it sends the message that young people can make change, and that even IF they were uninformed as you said they are, it would STILL be a good thing. I was simply framing my arguement in the context of your initial statements.


Originally posted by CUG
Lets get honest here. Nenshi, the hipster's Messiah, the biggest trend vote since Obama, is barely a remarkable mayor. As a regular citizen of Calgary there are three things that come to mind regarding Nenshi:

1: He's pissed off the police service to the point where they're looking at closing district offices in order to maintain their current level of service.. instead of growing as planned.

2: He allowed work on the design bridge to continue past its deadline and over budget.

3: A lot of teenagers who haven't an ounce of political knowledge voted for him and swung the vote away from the only candidate who knew anything about civic politics.

Do you think that less mature teenagers and twenty-somethings will eventually realize that they're having the wool pulled over their eyes. Do any of you members in that age-range even realize it?

[codetrap]

Christ on a crutch, I'm going to have to mark this on my calendar. I actually agree with every point Toma has made in this thread.

:eek:

[Toma]

The "problem" with "uninformed" is that even people that THINK they are 'informed', do not necessarily have a rational logical sense for their 'belief".

Young people I find also have greater tolerance of "different" or "new". They are not as scared of different views, and cultures. They are not as quick to paint things like "our way is right, therefore your ways must be wrong.".

I suspect an "uninfomred' teenager has just as much credibility as a 'emotionally, but not factually informed' person of any age.

Take Josh (CUG). Started this thread making strange "claims", yet after 2.5 pages has failed to provide a rational, logical, well thought out argument with 'evidence' or references to substantiate his emotional position.

Also, one would need to provide evidence of HOW exactly their candidate of choice would have been better?

Certainly, looking at "resumes" of the candidates prior to election, watching videos, interviews, as well as Nenshi's "TED" talks, really, all the candidates paled in comparison. Looking at it from a rational, non emotional, "best person for the job" type position.

Really, I WAS going to vote Mciver, but then I realized my SOLE reason for that was his support of Race City. And that was emotional, and not logical. There is much more in this City besides the track, and after listening to the candidates, researching them, etc... for the first time in my life, I actually went out to Vote for a Mayor.

[msommers]

It's funny how a new leader is voted in and people expect a revolution.

[whiskas]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak


I commend you for standing by your man Cos, but what has Nenshi really accomplished?

He has been in for a year and the only notable things I've seen him do is stop the daily flower service & bitch out the Enmax CEO.

Taxes are going even higher than originally forecast, yet city services are being slashed on all fronts. Where is all the money going?

If just one thing, I had expected him at least to get a handle on the city budget, he hasn't been able to do it and it has gotten much worse since he took over.

Be specific as to what has gotten "much worse".

Right now it just sounds like you're :cry: because your man didn't get voted in.

And don't even think about whining about the taxes. Calgary has one of lowest municipal tax rates in the country for a city of our size.

[ICEBERG]

Originally posted by Toma
The "problem" with "uninformed" is that even people that THINK they are 'informed', do not necessarily have a rational logical sense for their 'belief".

Young people I find also have greater tolerance of "different" or "new". They are not as scared of different views, and cultures. They are not as quick to paint things like "our way is right, therefore your ways must be wrong.".

I suspect an "uninfomred' teenager has just as much credibility as a 'emotionally, but not factually informed' person of any age.

Take Josh (CUG). Started this thread making strange "claims", yet after 2.5 pages has failed to provide a rational, logical, well thought out argument with 'evidence' or references to substantiate his emotional position.

Also, one would need to provide evidence of HOW exactly their candidate of choice would have been better?

Certainly, looking at "resumes" of the candidates prior to election, watching videos, interviews, as well as Nenshi's "TED" talks, really, all the candidates paled in comparison. Looking at it from a rational, non emotional, "best person for the job" type position.

Really, I WAS going to vote Mciver, but then I realized my SOLE reason for that was his support of Race City. And that was emotional, and not logical. There is much more in this City besides the track, and after listening to the candidates, researching them, etc... for the first time in my life, I actually went out to Vote for a Mayor.

Very good points. I agree 100% that he is trying his best and people need to give him more time. Even though I voted for Mciver, I think Nenshi is a good fit for the job.

[Guillermo]

Originally posted by CUG


All you guys saying this are assuming that the rest of us aren't okay with small tax increases. To be asking the cops to chew up their budget when the city's house isn't in order is absurd.

Don't you have a mass genocide criminal to apologize for somewhere Toma?

hey, i'm all for tax increases, and i've said that a million times on beyond, mostly with respect to snow removal... but it seems that the vast majority is againts increased taxes.

[Guillermo]

nenshi did a good job with the airport tunnel, and also quickly implemented the airport express bus.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[mazdavirgin]

Nenshi was the lesser of three evils. McIver was in the pockets of the land developers. Higgins refused to detail her electoral platform and was funded by a rich cabal.

In either case the mayor is one person and mostly a figure head. It's not like the mayor can change anything without the support of the alderman...

[Sugarphreak]

...

[Cos]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak


I do agree with you on this, Calgary did at least step up and vote for a change of Mayor, better than Barb for sure.... but they failed miserably when it came to putting together a good council group.

The councilman for my area is a total douchebag, there were way better choices. I even spent the time to research and e-mail the candidates questions to find out where they stood on issues.

The guy that won had shitty generic answers, but he won because he stood on the side of Bow Trail waving at cars :facepalm:

They should really have an exam you need to pass to vote; the meek are inheriting the earth by default.

You think you got jewed on your councilman? Try living in sunnyside. Lol

[Sugarphreak]

...

[Cos]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak


hahaha, you have my sympathies Cos

I live up north now but I lived in Bridgeland before. Although she wasnt my alderman she still managed to ruin my life. Fucking bow river walk bullshit.

[ZenOps]

You young peeps have no power or money.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2058605/Number-men-aged-25-34-living-parents-hits-highest-level-1960.html

"The typical U.S. household headed by a person age 65 or older has a net worth 47 times greater than a household headed by someone under 35, according to an analysis of census data released Monday."

http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/wealth-gap-between-young-and-old-americans-widest-on-record/article2227903/?service=mobile

The US census numbers never lie of course. But if you are under 35 and have a family, your net worth is 47x less than a person who is 65 and has a family.

The ratio used to be much closer to 10x. Nenshi being around 40 just hit the cusp of Generation X (The lost generation) and he too lived with his family for a very long time and probably was at the 47x ratio.

This upcoming generation is screwed (bluntly speaking) I'd expect a 200 to 1 disparity between 35 and 65 by the time you'allz hit 35.

In which case I'd say - Save your nickels now. But for gods sake don't burn anything down because you will be inheriting it all soon enough anyways.

[CUG]

Originally posted by Toma


Take Josh (CUG). Started this thread making strange "claims", yet after 2.5 pages has failed to provide a rational, logical, well thought out argument with 'evidence' or references to substantiate his emotional position.

Also, one would need to provide evidence of HOW exactly their candidate of choice would have been better?

Certainly, looking at "resumes" of the candidates prior to election, watching videos, interviews, as well as Nenshi's "TED" talks, really, all the candidates paled in comparison. Looking at it from a rational, non emotional, "best person for the job" type position.

It's hard to overlook your PR campaign that's pandering to an easily misled youth, as is evidential in this situation with the mayor, but we all understand you still need customers when the track closes.

I was warming up to Nenshi before the election and when I was in the booth I actually did a double check when I stroked McI's name. Nenshi's lack of civic political experience was a stroke against him. He's got a sound business ethos and no prior political experience. Helping out at the community center, being a NFP prof and chairing an arts center isn't sufficient qualification to run a city like Calgary.

What I was able to identify that YOU and so many other pseudo-socially-progressive wannabes with a narrow-minded view on politics could not, was the formulaic use of cliche political buzz words dressed in contemporary cultural colloquialisms. Again, I don't like the white haired power circles in Calgary, but McIvor would have been much more beneficial to the city during a difficult fiscal situation, while keeping essential services running. The best in the world? Nope, but better than a social butterfly who's pissing off the people who cleaned the city up :)

I guess the poll is speaking for itself ;)


Originally posted by ICEBERG


Very good points. I agree 100% that he is trying his best and people need to give him more time. Even though I voted for Mciver, I think Nenshi is a good fit for the job. Same with Obama right? Just checking.


Originally posted by dansmith11

actually dude, YOU said that his voters were uninformed teenages and immature twenty somethings. My point was it sends the message that young people can make change, and that even IF they were uninformed as you said they are, it would STILL be a good thing. I was simply framing my arguement in the context of your initial statements.
Okay, while affirming my initial statement. Thank you?

[Guillermo]

i think that nenshi would get a lot more done if he didn't have to work with that silly council.

[CUG]

Originally posted by Guillermo
i think that nenshi would get a lot more done if he didn't have to work with that silly council. Hey, tell me your name so that I can pretend that me knowing it has some currency when I whine and cry like a communist :)

[eblend]

Originally posted by syritis
biggest piss off is that in a time of unstable economic recovery he is cutting jobs. thanks smart guy.

don't know the specifics of this as I haven't been in the country for the last 5 weeks, but cutting gov jobs is actually not that bad of an idea, half the people working for the gov are useless lazy fucks, I know, I work for the gov myself and am amazed how some of the most useless people on earth have been lifers

[frozenrice]

Now that the novelty of Nenshi has worn off (I gave him the benefit of the doubt in the beginning), I don't honestly think he's doing that great of a job. Watching him on the news, at times he comes across as a bitchy princess. He's too preoccupied with promoting fine arts and crap like that. How hard do you think he's working on things like Race City or the sw section of the ring road? Just my .02.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[ICEBERG]

Originally posted by CUG




Same with Obama right? Just checking.



Two years to clean up 8 years worth of shit that the Bush admin left him. Do you think anyone could have fixed it in that time? And all the expenditures and debts incurred during Bronco's tenure are all Nenshi's fault. The fiscal nightmare the previous city council left behind, are all Nenshi's fault. I get it.

[SJW]

I don't trust his shifty eyes. There's witchcraft going on i'm sure of it.

[kertejud2]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak


Sure, some of the top issues in Calgary have been enough funding for police, housing, snow clearing, taxes and the airport tunnel. Correct?

Let’s look at the facts:
-Police are closing district offices due to budget cuts
-The snow clearing budget was slashed for this year
-The tax hike for this year is 8%, next year is 6%, the year after is 6% more.
-The airport tunnel was done (yah) but not for the lower price (~300M) Nenshi had promised. In fact the cost will be well over 1B plus the city got roped into the 1M per year insurance policy.
-He failed miserably in getting his secondary suite promise passed, not because it wasn't a good idea, but because he was ignorantly trying to blanket the city and hit opposition instead of doing his homework on which neighborhoods would be more suitable.



The city budget is out of control, he is failing miserably on keeping his key promises and I just don’t understand how people can continue to support him.

So you're whining about budget cuts and tax increases and also that the budget is out of control?

What should it be? Keep services funded (or increase their funding) or get the budget under control? It can't be both. Not unless those taxes go WAY up.


And what exactly would McIver have done to solve the ever glaring problem that the city has: More costs than revenue?

[hampstor]

Originally posted by Guillermo
i think that nenshi would get a lot more done if he didn't have to work with that silly council.

He has control of council - more so than any mayor in recent history than I can think of. He's already getting a lot of things he wanted done - I believe the only major thing he didn't get so far was the secondary suites.

I have sat in on enough Council sessions to see what Nenshi does to the other Aldermen. It appears like they are afraid of challenging him because he makes them look and feel like idiots very quickly when they do. He is very smart and quick witted - much more so than any Alderman. I watched him lay the smackdown once on one of the newbies. The only one to challenge him is really Bronco with a Beard (Gord Lowe).

Even though I did not vote for him or agree with some of the crusades he has been on (ie: tunnel) - I can't (and won't) fault him for some of the shit going on. Being a politician is a much tougher gig than people realize.

[ekguy]

So far I feel like he's not over rated at all. Definitely doing a pretty decent job.

I'm very interested to see what he would do with a second term to be honest. I don't feel like 4 years is enough to see what he really could do.

Is it limited to two terms for city mayors ?

[ffmf]

I don't understand why Ric McIver would have been better since it seems counter intuitive to provide more/better services while not increasing taxes.

Nenshi is only one vote on council. Similar to a sports coach he likely gets too little credit when things go well and too much blame when things go poorly.

Also, I am glad that council is treating the police dept like any other. They should be looking for cuts like everyone else. I thought council asked them to provide possible cuts without cutting front line officers.

[Toma]

Originally posted by CUG


What I was able to identify that YOU and so many other pseudo-socially-progressive wannabes with a narrow-minded view on politics could not, was the formulaic use of cliche political buzz words dressed in contemporary cultural colloquialisms. Again, I don't like the white haired power circles in Calgary, but McIvor would have been much more beneficial to the city during a difficult fiscal situation, while keeping essential services running. The best in the world? Nope, but better than a social butterfly who's pissing off the people who cleaned the city up :)

I guess the poll is speaking for itself ;)

put the thesaurus down. Using big words while evading even trying to put forth an argument to back up your original claims..... Baffle em with bullshit. Is that your strategy¿ lol.

are we lookin at the same poll btw?

[Cos]

I voted for Nenshi and I'm happy with his work. - 46
I voted for Nenshi and I'm UNhappy with his work. - 6
I didn't vote for Nenshi and I'm happy with him. - 14
I didn't vote for Nenshi and I'm not happy with him. - 22

So if you take out the stupid last option, because really the first 4 actually suffice on all the plausible options, the percentages are as follows.

Voted and happy - 52.3%
Votes and unhappy - 6.8%
Didnt vote and happy - 15.9%
Didnt vote and unhappy - 25%

That means, according to this modified poll, 68.2% of people are happy with his performance.

[kevie88]

Am I the only one looking forward to less snow removal this year? Let it snow MF'ers!

[01RedDX]

.

[Unknown303]

Originally posted by kevie88
Am I the only one looking forward to less snow removal this year? Let it snow MF'ers!

:clap: :clap: It's a dream come true when the snow removal budget gets cut.

[Khyron]

He's 1 vote. We don't have dictatorships. I still think he was the right choice and gets a lot done with the little power he's got to work with.

You can't cry about taxes as he's hamstrung by the province. Until cities get a slice of the income tax you're always going to see property taxes increase.

[CUG]

Originally posted by Toma
put the thesaurus down. Using big words while evading even trying to put forth an argument to back up your original claims..... Baffle em with bullshit. Is that your strategy¿ lol.

are we lookin at the same poll btw? If there was a word in that post that you feel was uncharacteristic of my usual polysyllabic communication style I'd be happy to google it for you. I don't get how you expect me or anyone to validate or acknowledge any points you make when you're so hostile Toma. I like to think I approach things pretty reasonably, fair, and courteous most times. I'll concede this: as disappointed as I am with our mayor, he is performing better than I expected he would. I mean he's on facebook and twitter a lot :thumbsup: :rofl:

[Cos]

Originally posted by Unknown303


:clap: :clap: It's a dream come true when the snow removal budget gets cut.

So true. What a waste of my snow/ice tires then :cry: I would have been better off with my AT's/MT's

[Isaiah]

He's doing a fine job and will continue to win municipal elections for as long as he chooses to remain at the helm. He's too smart to make a major mistake and if he did, he's brilliant enough to recover.

I appreciate having a mayor who's smart enough to understand every issue put before him and do what he believes is the right thing rather than just vote strategically in order to maintain alliances.

For the record, I'm a politically engaged gen x-er in my 30s who has voted in every election at all levels of government since I was 18 years old.

[HiTempguy1]

Originally posted by Cos


So if you take out the stupid last option, because really the first 4 actually suffice on all the plausible options, the percentages are as follows.

Voted and happy - 52.3%
Votes and unhappy - 6.8%
Didnt vote and happy - 15.9%
Didnt vote and unhappy - 25%

That means, according to this modified poll, 68.2% of people are happy with his performance.

Uh, pretty sure you have to add "McIvor should have won" to the didn't vote for nenshi and unhappy pile, derpa derp :nut: I love it of how you just tossed away 25% of the votes.

That would mean:

Voted and happy - 39.2%
Votes and unhappy - 6.3%
Didnt vote and happy - 11.2
Didnt vote and unhappy - 43.3%

[Supa Dexta]

Originally posted by Isaiah
For the record, Nenshi and I have been dating for 4 months.. And I love him

[kertejud2]

Originally posted by CUG

What I was able to identify that YOU and so many other pseudo-socially-progressive wannabes with a narrow-minded view on politics could not, was the formulaic use of cliche political buzz words dressed in contemporary cultural colloquialisms. Again, I don't like the white haired power circles in Calgary, but McIvor would have been much more beneficial to the city during a difficult fiscal situation, while keeping essential services running. The best in the world? Nope, but better than a social butterfly who's pissing off the people who cleaned the city up :)


McIvor wanted to keep taxes as low as well but also supported (even promoted) the continued outward expansion of the city. How is that putting the city in a better fiscal situation in these difficult times? His only option would be to also cut services. Would he have just let the Police budget alone? That would mean bigger cuts to all the other services and/or even higher user fees than are being proposed now.

And what essential services are no longer running?

[Cos]

Originally posted by HiTempguy1


Uh, pretty sure you have to add "McIvor should have won" to the didn't vote for nenshi and unhappy pile, derpa derp :nut: I love it of how you just tossed away 25% of the votes.

That would mean:

Voted and happy - 39.2%
Votes and unhappy - 6.3%
Didnt vote and happy - 11.2
Didnt vote and unhappy - 43.3%

Good point. This is what happens when you do shit late at night and have your brain off for a week.

I meant to do that but just wasn't thinking.

So really:

- 50.4% happy
- 49.6% unhappy.

That is f*ing close.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[Guillermo]

Originally posted by CUG
If there was a word in that post that you feel was uncharacteristic of my usual polysyllabic communication style I'd be happy to google it for you. I don't get how you expect me or anyone to validate or acknowledge any points you make when you're so hostile Toma. I like to think I approach things pretty reasonably, fair, and courteous most times. I'll concede this: as disappointed as I am with our mayor, he is performing better than I expected he would. I mean he's on facebook and twitter a lot :thumbsup: :rofl:

i think what he's saying is that it's clear you don't have much writing experience. stop trying to impress people with big words and convoluted sentences. :dunno:

[CUG]

Originally posted by Guillermo


i think what he's saying is that it's clear you don't have much writing experience. stop trying to impress people with big words and convoluted sentences. :dunno: Aren't both of you guys science majors, which basically means you wouldn't know what a convoluted sentence, or a lack of writing experience actually looked like?

[Guillermo]

Originally posted by CUG
Aren't both of you guys science majors, which basically means you wouldn't know what a convoluted sentence, or a lack of writing experience actually looked like?

i finished my undergrad over a decade ago, and no, it doesn't mean that. stop making yourself look stupid.

[Isaiah]

Originally posted by Supa Dexta

:rofl:

[Thaco]

Originally posted by Toma
Nenshi rules.

A true "for the people" attitude, and the ONLY candidate with schooling, education and understanding to do the job.

What he lacked in experience he quickly learned.

Simply, there was no other choice. this

[frinkprof]

Looks like another one of those threads where the misinformation has piled to the point where unraveling it would take more time than I have nowadays.

I might just have to pick on the biggest issues/offenders in the interest of saving time.

Sorry it had to be you Sugarphreak.


Originally posted by Sugarphreak
Meanwhile we are facing an 8% tax hike (plus 6% next year and another 6% after that), our police service is being slashed & to top if off they are cutting the snow removal budget. We won't even get the same level of service as last year because they are cutting back on the residential cleaning now... WTF! Everything you just wrote about is very much up in the air. You're speaking as if it has all been decided, which none of it has.

Cuts to the police and snow budgets have been proposed, they have yet to be decided. The budget deliberations begin on November 23rd. What you are seeing right now is part of a process that is unfinished at this point. Earlier in the year, council approved a "goal" of having no more than a 5% tax increase this year, and then directed the various departments (roads for the snow clearing, CPS for the police budget, etc.) to identify potential areas to cut to keep in line with the 5% tax increase (yes, cuts to the proposed budgets are needed to keep the increase at a certain rate). Roads happened to come back with identifying a certain amount to cut off the snow removal budget, among other things. CPS balked at identifying cuts and is actually asking for an increased budget.

Various members of council have now been responding to this in the media with what they would like to see, and many wish to see less cuts that previously proposed, which means various hikes that are greater than the 5% benchmark.

Your presentation of figures is a pretty poor glossing-over of things that are not only far from decided, but shows a pretty poor misunderstanding of how the process works.

The 8%/6%/6% breakdown is what a single alderman (Gord Lowe, Ward 2) is proposing based on him not wanting certain cuts that the on the table. (Link (http://www.calgarysun.com/2011/11/09/council-gets-budget-they-want)). The scenario you paint isn't even correct if taken as what Lowe is saying. The cuts and the increased tax hikes are mutually exclusive. The increased tax hikes in this proposal are in fact a direct result of not wanting to make several of the cuts.


Originally posted by Sugarphreak
I commend you for standing by your man Cos, but what has Nenshi really accomplished?

He has been in for a year and the only notable things I've seen him do is stop the daily flower service & bitch out the Enmax CEO.Here's a list of progress made, directly pulled from his "Better Ideas" campaign promises:

1. Audit changes (some headway - new auditor in place, otherwise in progress, see below)

2. Convenient and Quick Access to the Airport. Airport tunnel underway, route 100 (to from McKnight LRT) and 300 (to from downtown) buses began service.

3. Public Transit be a more preferred choice for Calgarians. $3 Park N Ride fee removed (Personal note - I was against this move), Customer Service Advisory Group has been instated - first meeting is December 1st. Administration has been directed to create a long-term (30 year) transit network plan (especially rapid transit), something that has never been in place before.

4. Campaign finance reform. Not as much concrete progress on this one. It's the purview of the Province (given that cities exist within the auspices of the Municipal Governance Act). Nenshi has made his pitch to the
Province, but it is in their hands.


5. Calgary will be a city of sustainable, walkable, livable,
complete communities. New agreement with developers was approved, increasing the fees paid for greenfield development. The subsidy is still there and significant, but it has been reduced. Nenshi wanted more, council approved less. Implementation of infrastructure improvements in existing areas has seen less progress, but this is more of a longer-term initiative, and you will see more focus on this in the next couple years.

6. City Council will be more transparent, more efficient, and easier for citizens to access and engage. Videos of council sessions now available online. He wants council to make their expenses and a list of who they meet with in private publically available, something he does himself. Other initiatives (review of pay and perks council receives, possibly changing council meeting structure to make it easier for citizens to attend and speak) are working their way through committee/council.

7. Calgarians will be able to get around easily by any mode of transportation. Snow removal improved last year. Cycling report came out in June, implementation in forthcoming years. Some improvements made to parking policies ($5 Fridays for example), Short-stay parking priority for Nenshi, more on this in the next while.

8. Calgary will be a City where its citizens are enriched by outstanding libraries, recreation amenities, and a vibrant cultural scene. Central Library funded and should commence construction next year, also new library in Saddletowne. Community Investment Fund implemented and should bring more such projects, including 4 new rec centres and new protective equipment for firemen.

9. Calgary will be a city where secondary suites provide a safe and legal option for affordable housing. Small win for the future communities, but overall not the desired result advocated for by Nenshi. This will probably have to wait for a new makeup of council.

10. Calgary will be the best place in Canada to start and grow a business (aka cut red tape). This is definitely the most long-term process of the campaign promises. The process merging of business and non-residential property tax has been commenced - administration is currently studying it - then it will be passed back to council for decision. Also, dialog with city employees has been started - suggestions have been solicited on how to do things better and several are being implemented. The business community has also been engaged and suggestions have also been solicited from them. Next year it is the general public's turn to have their say on how the City can conduct day-to-day business better. After the consultation is wrapped up, the implementation process begins. Couple year outlay for this.

----

Not an exhaustive list, but the big stuff is there, plus the secondary suites setback.


Originally posted by Sugarphreak
Taxes are going even higher than originally forecast, yet city services are being slashed on all fronts. Where is all the money going?False (in principle). See above.


Originally posted by Sugarphreak
If just one thing, I had expected him at least to get a handle on the city budget, he hasn't been able to do it and it has gotten much worse since he took over. Premature. See above.


Originally posted by Sugarphreak
Sure, some of the top issues in Calgary have been enough funding for police, housing, snow clearing, taxes and the airport tunnel. Correct?

Let’s look at the facts:
-Police are closing district offices due to budget cuts False. Speculation by the Police Chief based on undecided matters.

-The snow clearing budget was slashed for this year False. Undecided matter.

-The tax hike for this year is 8%, next year is 6%, the year after is 6% more. False. Undecided and actually only the desire of one alderman.

-The airport tunnel was done (yah) but not for the lower price (~300M) Nenshi had promised. In fact the cost will be well over 1B plus the city got roped into the 1M per year insurance policy. This really should be its own discussion due to complexity, but most of the $1B figure is due to scope creep that nevertheless adds incremental value-added elements to the package, predominantly extra interchanges that will be needed anyway. The incremental cost of the airport tunnel item itself grew (if I recall correctly), but remains well below the oft-cited "$1B" figure.

-He failed miserably in getting his secondary suite promise passed, not because it wasn't a good idea, but because he was ignorantly trying to blanket the city and hit opposition instead of doing his homework on which neighborhoods would be more suitable. Ignorant in what way? In the way that every single community scientifically polled was showing at least 70% support across the board? Again, this should probably be its own discussion, and it actually was. Sorry our last debate on the matter was cut short Sugarphreak, I had to take a bit of a hiatus from some things at that time. Much like the fluoride issue, this decision was made mostly because of the makeup of council and not the public opinion that dictated the opposite. Nenshi doesn't have to homework on which neighbourhoods are more suitable - that is already done by private enterprises and citizens - legally or not. I know you and I are at ideological odds on this issue, which is fine. I'm mostly taking issue with your use of the word "ignorant" here. Ignorant is disregarding the polling on the issue, which many members of council - not Nenshi - did.

Responses in red.


Originally posted by Sugarphreak
And where was the whole city audit system reform we were promised? He went on and on about that during his campaign and NOTHING has been done.This is actually in progress. The new City Auditor started in February of this year. He reviewed and confirmed to be independent. Council is in the process of reviewing the structure of the audit committee (a proposal from Nenshi that is based on his campaign literature on the matter - more public members, revised workplan, etc.).

I can't comment on the exact status of this at the moment. I think it is actually somewhere in a council-administration back-and-forth reporting process right now and will come up after the budget deliberations are done, but not exactly sure, haven't put in as much research on this one. Either way, this was always one of the medium-term things on the mayor and council's plate.



Originally posted by Sugarphreak
Face it, if Nenshi had lost... he would be out camping with the Occupy movement right now.This is patently false. He has gone on record numerous times saying he does not agree or align with the movement and wants to see them gone. The trick is in how to do it. Almost every city in North America is dealing with this issue right now and are struggling with the legalities of how to do it without giving the protestors exactly what they want (to be dragged kicking and screaming in front of the cameras) or to make international headlines (Oakland).


Originally posted by Sugarphreak
Considering Beyond was his biggest supporter it says a lot.I don't think that's really true. It was a big thing on CalgaryPuck and other online communities too. All that said, much was made about the online/Twitter campaigning, but the truth is that a ton of traditional campaigning was done too - live debates, door knocking, signs, handshaking, etc.

------------

I know you posted more than the selected quotes above, but most of it was repeating the misunderstood budget/cuts stuff.

[frinkprof]

Originally posted by hampstor


He has control of council - more so than any mayor in recent history than I can think of. He's already getting a lot of things he wanted done - I believe the only major thing he didn't get so far was the secondary suites.

I have sat in on enough Council sessions to see what Nenshi does to the other Aldermen. It appears like they are afraid of challenging him because he makes them look and feel like idiots very quickly when they do. He is very smart and quick witted - much more so than any Alderman. I watched him lay the smackdown once on one of the newbies. The only one to challenge him is really Bronco with a Beard (Gord Lowe).

Even though I did not vote for him or agree with some of the crusades he has been on (ie: tunnel) - I can't (and won't) fault him for some of the shit going on. Being a politician is a much tougher gig than people realize. Well said. I seem to recall you being vocally opposed to Nenshi as a candidate (although I can't remember who you stated was your preferred choice). At any rate, I think the above is a balanced and knowledgeable response from someone who didn't vote for him.

[Toma]

Originally posted by CUG
Aren't both of you guys science majors, which basically means you wouldn't know what a convoluted sentence, or a lack of writing experience actually looked like?

lol.... after 12 years at U of C, I found most disciplines expect you to write little but say a lot. Clear and succinct.

I think only "English", and "arguing on the internet 201" are exceptions. ;)

You made wild claims, used lotsa wordy sentences, but actually SAID nothing ;)

Like I said, your tactic seems to be to baffle em with bullshit, but not at all manage to rationally, logically, present an argument to support your emotional position.

Aside from upgrading your high school at Mount Royal, may I suggest some classes for you. If they offer classes on logic or critical thinking, take them (usually under the department of Philosophy)

If they offer psychology classes dealing with Social psychology.... take them, especially higher level ones dealing with propaganda and persuasion.

Then you can put your thesaurus to good use, and actually use words to make a point, instead of talking in circles.... although trying to impress people "in real life" with verbiage is generally considered showboating, especially when the same point could have been made concisely.

[Modelexis]

I don't care for the subject of the thread, but on the subject on CUG's writing style. Not 100% sure, but I think the term for his speak is "postmodernism"

http://cscs.umich.edu/~crshalizi/how-to-talk-postmodern.html

It's not easy to speak in postmodernism, I can't do it. Fairly common in academia, which is probably why I don't have the skill.

[borN]

Frinkprof wins.

[Isaiah]

Originally posted by borN
Frinkprof wins.

Understatement. Reminds me of Mortal Kombat with the finishing move where the winner kicks the head right off the loser's body or rips the heart out of their chest.

Interested to hear a rebuttal to the frinkprof's post by either the Higgins or McIver camps.

[whiskas]

Finkprof just pulled a Nenshi - he made them feel like idiots.

[Toma]

Originally posted by Isaiah
Interested to hear a rebuttal to the frinkprof's post by either the Higgins or McIver camps.
lol... yeah right.

They Nenshi naysayers in this thread so far are emotionally motivated, meaning, they aren't REALLY interested in facts. They pretend like they are.... but

They hate him, and that's that. You can clobber them with facts all day, their best retort will be exaggerations, lies, and pure conjecture lol

[Toma]

Originally posted by Modelexis
I don't care for the subject of the thread, but on the subject on CUG's writing style. Not 100% sure, but I think the term for his speak is "postmodernism"

http://cscs.umich.edu/~crshalizi/how-to-talk-postmodern.html

It's not easy to speak in postmodernism, I can't do it. Fairly common in academia, which is probably why I don't have the skill.

Bahahahhaa... well written to boot


Postmodern language requires that one uses play, parody and indeterminacy as critical techniques to point this out. Often this is quite a difficult requirement, so obscurity is a well-acknowledged substitute.

Soooo true in Josh's (CUG) case ;)


, ``We should listen to the views of people outside of Western society in order to learn about the cultural biases that affect us''. This is honest but dull. Take the word ``views''. Postmodernspeak would change that to ``voices'', or better, ``vocalities'', or even better, ``multivocalities''. Add an adjective like ``intertextual'', and you're covered. ``People outside'' is also too plain. How about ``postcolonial others''? To speak postmodern properly one must master a bevy of biases besides the familiar racism, sexism, ageism, etc. For example, phallogocentricism (male-centredness combined with rationalistic forms of binary logic). Finally ``affect us'' sounds like plaid pajamas. Use more obscure verbs and phrases, like ``mediate our identities''. So, the final statement should say, ``We should listen to the intertextual, multivocalities of postcolonial others outside of Western culture in order to learn about the phallogocentric biases that mediate our identities''. Now you're talking postmodern!

Of course, the difference is, Josh didn't actually say anything, but tried to use the technique.

[Guillermo]

Originally posted by frinkprof
Looks like another one of those threads where the misinformation has piled to the point where unraveling it would take more time than I have nowadays.

I might just have to pick on the biggest issues/offenders in the interest of saving time.

Sorry it had to be you Sugarphreak.

Everything you just wrote about is very much up in the air. You're speaking as if it has all been decided, which none of it has.

Cuts to the police and snow budgets have been proposed, they have yet to be decided. The budget deliberations begin on November 23rd. What you are seeing right now is part of a process that is unfinished at this point. Earlier in the year, council approved a "goal" of having no more than a 5% tax increase this year, and then directed the various departments (roads for the snow clearing, CPS for the police budget, etc.) to identify potential areas to cut to keep in line with the 5% tax increase (yes, cuts to the proposed budgets are needed to keep the increase at a certain rate). Roads happened to come back with identifying a certain amount to cut off the snow removal budget, among other things. CPS balked at identifying cuts and is actually asking for an increased budget.

Various members of council have now been responding to this in the media with what they would like to see, and many wish to see less cuts that previously proposed, which means various hikes that are greater than the 5% benchmark.

Your presentation of figures is a pretty poor glossing-over of things that are not only far from decided, but shows a pretty poor misunderstanding of how the process works.

The 8%/6%/6% breakdown is what a single alderman (Gord Lowe, Ward 2) is proposing based on him not wanting certain cuts that the on the table. (Link (http://www.calgarysun.com/2011/11/09/council-gets-budget-they-want)). The scenario you paint isn't even correct if taken as what Lowe is saying. The cuts and the increased tax hikes are mutually exclusive. The increased tax hikes in this proposal are in fact a direct result of not wanting to make several of the cuts.

Here's a list of progress made, directly pulled from his "Better Ideas" campaign promises:

1. Audit changes (some headway - new auditor in place, otherwise in progress, see below)

2. Convenient and Quick Access to the Airport. Airport tunnel underway, route 100 (to from McKnight LRT) and 300 (to from downtown) buses began service.

3. Public Transit be a more preferred choice for Calgarians. $3 Park N Ride fee removed (Personal note - I was against this move), Customer Service Advisory Group has been instated - first meeting is December 1st. Administration has been directed to create a long-term (30 year) transit network plan (especially rapid transit), something that has never been in place before.

4. Campaign finance reform. Not as much concrete progress on this one. It's the purview of the Province (given that cities exist within the auspices of the Municipal Governance Act). Nenshi has made his pitch to the
Province, but it is in their hands.


5. Calgary will be a city of sustainable, walkable, livable,
complete communities. New agreement with developers was approved, increasing the fees paid for greenfield development. The subsidy is still there and significant, but it has been reduced. Nenshi wanted more, council approved less. Implementation of infrastructure improvements in existing areas has seen less progress, but this is more of a longer-term initiative, and you will see more focus on this in the next couple years.

6. City Council will be more transparent, more efficient, and easier for citizens to access and engage. Videos of council sessions now available online. He wants council to make their expenses and a list of who they meet with in private publically available, something he does himself. Other initiatives (review of pay and perks council receives, possibly changing council meeting structure to make it easier for citizens to attend and speak) are working their way through committee/council.

7. Calgarians will be able to get around easily by any mode of transportation. Snow removal improved last year. Cycling report came out in June, implementation in forthcoming years. Some improvements made to parking policies ($5 Fridays for example), Short-stay parking priority for Nenshi, more on this in the next while.

8. Calgary will be a City where its citizens are enriched by outstanding libraries, recreation amenities, and a vibrant cultural scene. Central Library funded and should commence construction next year, also new library in Saddletowne. Community Investment Fund implemented and should bring more such projects, including 4 new rec centres and new protective equipment for firemen.

9. Calgary will be a city where secondary suites provide a safe and legal option for affordable housing. Small win for the future communities, but overall not the desired result advocated for by Nenshi. This will probably have to wait for a new makeup of council.

10. Calgary will be the best place in Canada to start and grow a business (aka cut red tape). This is definitely the most long-term process of the campaign promises. The process merging of business and non-residential property tax has been commenced - administration is currently studying it - then it will be passed back to council for decision. Also, dialog with city employees has been started - suggestions have been solicited on how to do things better and several are being implemented. The business community has also been engaged and suggestions have also been solicited from them. Next year it is the general public's turn to have their say on how the City can conduct day-to-day business better. After the consultation is wrapped up, the implementation process begins. Couple year outlay for this.

----

Not an exhaustive list, but the big stuff is there, plus the secondary suites setback.

False (in principle). See above.

Premature. See above.

Responses in red.

This is actually in progress. The new City Auditor started in February of this year. He reviewed and confirmed to be independent. Council is in the process of reviewing the structure of the audit committee (a proposal from Nenshi that is based on his campaign literature on the matter - more public members, revised workplan, etc.).

I can't comment on the exact status of this at the moment. I think it is actually somewhere in a council-administration back-and-forth reporting process right now and will come up after the budget deliberations are done, but not exactly sure, haven't put in as much research on this one. Either way, this was always one of the medium-term things on the mayor and council's plate.


This is patently false. He has gone on record numerous times saying he does not agree or align with the movement and wants to see them gone. The trick is in how to do it. Almost every city in North America is dealing with this issue right now and are struggling with the legalities of how to do it without giving the protestors exactly what they want (to be dragged kicking and screaming in front of the cameras) or to make international headlines (Oakland).

I don't think that's really true. It was a big thing on CalgaryPuck and other online communities too. All that said, much was made about the online/Twitter campaigning, but the truth is that a ton of traditional campaigning was done too - live debates, door knocking, signs, handshaking, etc.

------------

I know you posted more than the selected quotes above, but most of it was repeating the misunderstood budget/cuts stuff.

this is the best post ever. even though i always disagree with sugarphreak, he is a good-hearted guy and I do like him... but at the same time it's really nice to see him get pwned like this! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

:goflames:

[Guillermo]

another awesome thing Nenshi did was get rid of all of the excess spending that was going on in city hall... like seriously, they were bringing in fresh flowers and doughtnuts/snacks everyday. Nenshi put and end to that crap. :clap:

we can't even plow the fucking roads and these chumps were having fresh flowers delivered. :rolleyes:

[Isaiah]

His strongest asset is the accountability he has brought to city hall.

[themack89]

Just so you guys know not every uninformed twenty something voted for Nenshi.

I am uninformed twenty something and voted for McIver. :poosie:

But quite frankly I dont think it impacts young people's lives enough to make them care. Most of us [youngins] simply do not care what City Hall does in terms of policy, we just deal with it.

Either we don't make enough money or too busy with other shit to the point where we can't be bothered. I have never had a conversation with anyone my age who gives a rat fuck about what the City is doing for policy.

[CUG]

87 of 166 people (the majority in this poll at the moment) don't feel favorably.

In Toma (Toma)'s case, those 87 people are all racist, and just don't see the value in a mayor who clearly was not a hipster trend vote. :rofl:

Toma (Toma), and Guillermo (an non-tenured science professor at MRU, who probably voted for his colleague) doesn't give people enough credit. For instance, it's common when you're routinely saddled with the burden of justifying your voting behaviour to attack the form of the questions being posed to you. Then, the rebuttal usually takes the form of a hollow and lengthy transcending account of less remarkable accomplishments that, if unchecked, appear to be revolutionary and precedent setting - when in fact they're less than remarkable. I don't know how I should feel, one of your team thinks Slobodan Milosevic was a nice man?

Edit: Toma (Toma), you're crying for concision and telling people to take philosophy classes, that's ironic :rofl: High school was done for me in 1999, I think you were 28 at the time.

[Guillermo]

for the record, i have nothing to do with MRU... community colleges are for hacks.

[Guillermo]

Originally posted by CUG
87 of 166 people (the majority in this poll at the moment) don't feel favorably.



you can't conclude that, because the "McIvor should have won, thanks Barb" option doesn't actually say that the person disapproves of Nenshi's job.

also, the options are "loaded" and you started the thread with a biased rant about what a shitty mayor he is. wrong, wrong, wrong.

you don't only suck at writing, but making polls too.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[CUG]

Originally posted by Guillermo
for the record, i have nothing to do with MRU... community colleges are for hacks. Oh? Are you sure? I'm positive before your other account got banned that you told me I would end up in one of your classes.

Of course it's a biased rant. I didn't vote for Nenshi, and he didn't end up being the messiah the hipster voters thought he would be.

I have an anti-semite war criminal sympathizer and the anti-semite war criminal sympathizer's sympathizer who think my writing sucks. What's next, you guys going to join hands and deny the holocaust? Oh wait... let me guess, that's probably pro-western propaganda too right? :rofl: How fitting that this engagement occurs on November 11th.

[Guillermo]

Originally posted by CUG
Oh? Are you sure? I'm positive before your other account got banned that you told me I would end up in one of your classes.

Of course it's a biased rant. I didn't vote for Nenshi, and he didn't end up being the messiah the hipster voters thought he would be.

I have an anti-semite war criminal sympathizer and the anti-semite war criminal sympathizer's sympathizer who think my writing sucks. What's next, you guys going to join hands and deny the holocaust? Oh wait... let me guess, that's probably pro-western propaganda too right? :rofl: How fitting that this engagement occurs on November 11th.

I assumed that since you're taking science classes, you're attending the U of C. my bad. but that explains a lot, actually. thanks. :rofl:

[Toma]

Originally posted by CUG
87 of 166 people (the majority in this poll at the moment) don't feel favorably.

Edit: Toma (Toma), you're crying for concision and telling people to take philosophy classes, that's ironic :rofl:

You have commited a logical Fallacy... a type of Red Herring known as Argumentum ad populum.

You also are quite good at committing the informal Fallacy known as Argumentum Verbosium


refers to an argument that is so convoluted, complicated, and badly articulated that no one is able to refute it.

by giving an argument loaded with jargon and appeal to obscure results,

You commit MANY others.... but....

See, a basic philosophy class or two, and you would seem a lot smarter than you do, and your arguments might make sense.... or at least not sound so ridiculous.

[CUG]

Originally posted by Toma


You have commited a logical Fallacy... a type of Red Herring known as Argumentum ad populum.

. You're accusing me of ad populum? :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: I think we're done here, nephew.

[Toma]

Originally posted by CUG
You're accusing me of ad populum? :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: I think we're done here, nephew.
You never even got started.

Look at your fits post. You have not supported it with anything logical or factual and we are on page 6 lol.

[kvg]

I personally wish McIver won now, but this is a stragicly timed poll at best, as property taxes are going up so of course approval ratings will be down, at least temporarily. CUG this seems more like a rant thread IMO, and no that isn't an attack on you, just an observation.

[Disoblige]

Originally posted by Isaiah
His strongest asset is the accountability he has brought to city hall.
I agree.

With McIver.. I don't know..