I think this is a fantastic article:
http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Na...297/story.html
Quote:
Tired of seeing productive farmland turned into cookie cutter housing developments? Find a candidate who backs transit-oriented development, brownfield redevelopment, compact design and a progressive secondary suites policy in-line with other major cities.
Concerned with chemicals being sprayed on public spaces? Find a candidate who will introduce a pesticide bylaw similar to the ones in all other major Canadian cities.
Love biking, but wish we had a better on-street bicycle network? Ask the candidates how often they bike to work and what they'd do to make cycling a more plausible option for commuters.
Frequently travel out of town for business and frustrated that you can't catch the C-Train to the airport? Find out if any candidates would support an LRT extension to the airport like Vancouver's Canada Line, soon to be celebrating its first anniversary.
Live in an apartment or townhouse, and upset that the city doesn't offer you curbside recycling? Ask if there are any candidates who have a plan to get all Calgarians participating in curbside recycling. And while you're at it, see how candidates feel about curbside organics (yard and kitchen waste) pick up for centralized composting.
Surely most Calgarians have a laundry list of priorities they'd like to see council attend to.
Those priorities won't be attended to if we vote for candidates based on who buys the most billboard space, gets the most on-camera time or has the most recognizable name. And they certainly won't be attended to if we don't get out and vote.
Voter turnout is notoriously low at 33 per cent in the 2007 municipal election and 18 per cent in 2004. The last time the mayor's seat was open (2001), voter participation improved marginally at 38 per cent, but it's still an abysmal reflection of our apathy.
There's no excuse not to get informed and cast a vote. It's easier than ever to get engaged with politics, especially at the civic level.
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Who is in charge of this product and why haven't they been fired yet?
Last edited by kermitology; 07-29-2010 at 10:44 AM.
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