Calgary Civic Election Poll #1: Who do you support for Mayor?

[frinkprof]

Originally Posted by peter12

There are two readings of that statement.

The favourable: That Ric McIver is a man of good liberal and humanist intentions and believes that all religious groups deserve the right to publicly proclaim their beliefs without the threat of harm from other citizens or oppression from their government.

The less favourable: That Ric McIver is somehow tied up with the Street Church mob (which includes Craig Chandler) and is almost certainly receiving donations in kind for his appearance at the March.

The two are more than a little involved. Chandler has managed Ric's campaign in the past, and Chandler has heavily promoted McIver through the various groups he is involved in ever since (PGIB, Concerned Christians of Canada, Street Church, etc.).

[frinkprof]

Originally Posted by Slava

Right....so the poster questions whether he should take someones opinion seriously because of the phrase they use, and I ask how seriously we should take his opinion because he lives in Toronto. Can no one see why I would ask that? I fail to see how my asking how serious we should take his opinion is in any way insulting or question anything over the top here?

Both were a bit out of line.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by frinkprof

Both were a bit out of line.

Well if you think its out of line for me to ask how seriously we should take a Torontonians opinion of a Calgary election then I apologize. (For the record, how am I or anyone else here supposed to know that he is heavily involved....or in Toronto for that matter without him posting so?).

Anyway....I apologize if that somehow crosses the line.

[Bigtime]

I think it's just a simple misunderstanding. Frink and I both know Bunk very well, and know that he is a Calgarian that just happens to be in Toronto right now for work.

You on the other hand had no way of knowing this, so I can't beat you up for the comment.

Plus I love your avatar.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

I think it's just a simple misunderstanding. Frink and I both know Bunk very well, and know that he is a Calgarian that just happens to be in Toronto right now for work.

You on the other hand had no way of knowing this, so I can't beat you up for the comment.

Plus I love your avatar.

Well I'm sure we can all find common ground once Naheed drops out and throws his support behind Kent anyway!

Like I have stated before I'd be supporting Nenshi and working on his campaign were it not for Kent being in the race. Its not exactly oil and water here....which could lead to the dreaded vote split and cause the worst case scenario to happen.

[Bigtime]

Mrs. Bigtime will be doing some volunteering for Kent as well. She's just trying to coordinate it around having the child at home.

[frinkprof]

Anyone else surprised that Kassam currently has 10% of the vote in this poll?

[Bunk]

I took no offense. It was a valid query, no worries. The reason I advocate and care about the election is that I do plan on making Calgary my long term home in the not too distant future - so I have a stake as well. I also care a lot about Calgary's future and basically chose my career path based on my desire to help improve Calgary. Reason I ever ended up living in Toronto is due to my spouse. Hope that helps explain.

Anyway, back on topic. Regarding the vote splitting - I'd imagine most support for either Kent or Neheed (or Hawksworth or Stewart) might naturally gravitate toward the person percieved to have the best chance of winning with the most similar view points. Probably will happen with supporters of people like Connelly or Craig Burrows etc too.

[Slava]

^ Its all water under the Peace bridge to me!

I am surprised that Alnoor has as much support here as that poll indicates. In general though I think that the poll is not too representative of the population as a whole. I know that on CP McIver might not have much in terms of support, but in the general community he has more than indicated here.

Dare I say that amongst internet nerds Nenshi appears to have huge support, (based on other polls I've seen...maybe linked into this thread?), but I don't think that carries into the general population.

I think the most you can take from this is that there are 3-4 main contenders at this point and that people are showing an appetite for change in general.

[The Yen Man]

I'm honestly just looking for a candidate that isn't such a "politician" (if that makes any sense). Every election we get a horde of candidates that just spew rhetoric and empy promises. A lot of them don't have a clue how they're going to acheive anything, they just pander to get votes. I'm willing to give someone like Nenshi a try to see where it goes. It can't be worse than the alternatives IMO.

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

I'm honestly just looking for a candidate that isn't such a "politician" (if that makes any sense). Every election we get a horde of candidates that just spew rhetoric and empy promises. A lot of them don't have a clue how they're going to acheive anything, they just pander to get votes. I'm willing to give someone like Nenshi a try to see where it goes. It can't be worse than the alternatives IMO.

Indeed, here's a good article from yesterday in the Herald about empty rhetoric and jargon:

http://www.calgaryherald.com/opinion...737/story.html

[kermitology]

Nenshi's Airport Tunnel Plan:

http://www.nenshi.ca/new/wp-content/...to-Airport.pdf

[zuluking]

It's really close. There's only a Kent Hehr between Ric McIver and Naheed Nenshi right now!

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Shazam

I have no idea how Nenshi wants to do what he wants to do, other than by subsidizing the cost of housing in so-called inner city neighbourhoods.

We've got a long way to go before we're subsidizing the inner city. Don't confuse stopping subsidies for suburban development with subsidizing the inner city.

[Swayze11]

I really hope Nenshi wins. He gave me the worst mark I have ever got in University but the guy is a smart guy.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by zuluking

It's really close. There's only a Kent Hehr between Ric McIver and Naheed Nenshi right now!

thats a funny line!

I think that spread is also around 20-25% at this point as well.

[Bunk]

Nenshi's Transit platform

http://www.nenshi.ca/new/2010/141

http://www.nenshi.ca/new/wp-content/...-for-Mayor.pdf

Excellent Ideas - particularly with regard to the North-Central LRT, cross-town routes and a Transit Rider Advisory Committee. Very innovative.

http://www.nenshi.ca/new/wp-content/...-for-Mayor.pdf

Here's the detail. Lots of excellent stuff in there.

Personal Favourites from his platform:

Making sure the voices of riders are heard. Naheed would immediately create a Calgary Transit Riders Advisory Committee, which would have the ability to review transit decisions and make suggestions on improving service. He will also consider a change in governance to Calgary Transit to make it more accountable to customers.

Using technology to improve the lives of passengers. This could include quick implementation of technologies that are already in broad use in other places, like GPS next bus/train signs at stations, smart phone apps, and the use of payment cards and cell phone accounts for payment. Also, Transit might consider catching up with 1970’s technology and providing change at ticket machines!

Creating a new long-term plan for C-Train and bus networks. The most recent plan on Calgary Transit’s website is just a series of C-Train maps with no budgets, timelines, or priorities. It does not include, for example, better service to Forest Lawn, although this has been passed by Council. We need to figure out how to build the Calgary Transportation Plan, with a real work plan and budgets for the future. Ad Hocplanning must end, and we must create a Calgary Transit City Plan.

North-Central LRT. In particular, the current planned alignment for the future North Central LRT is deeply flawed. While the Nose Creek Valley alignment (adjacent to Deerfoot Trail) would be cheaper, no one actually lives there. It continues the old thinking of the LRT as merely being a way to get people from the suburbs to downtown, rather than as a tool of economic development and sustainable growth along its length. We should reinvestigate a North-Central Line serving the 100,000 people who live in communities.
surrounding Centre Street North as well as those north of Beddington.

Is it me, or is Nenshi the only mayoral candidate that has bothered to actually discuss issues in depth or put out fullsome platforms on issues?

[kermitology]

So far he seems the most vocal in social media realms. The more I read from him, the more I'm convinced in him as mayor.

[Bigtime]

Wayne Stewart got caught on twitter, last week he tweeted that council better approve the police budget, and now today is complaining about the budget process being flawed.

Unbelievable, I'm glad media like Twitter exists so we can catch some of these people COMPLETELY contradicting themselves. If he can't even keep his head straight for 7 days in a row what would he do to a city?

[chalms04]

Got a phone survey from Hawkesworth... similar style to the CP one, haha.