Save Calgary

[longsuffering]

Saw this yesterday and thought it deserved it's own thread.

I don't like it. A anonymous group actively campaigning in the upcoming election, targeting specific candidates. Unwilling to commit to releasing the names of contributors to their campaign now or in the future. They claim not to be contributing to any candidates campaigns - again at this time - but I don't see that as being a big leap.

Seems completely undemocratic to me and not entirely different from the way groups and individuals, such as the Koch brothers, try to anonymously influence elections. I hate this type of US style electioneering.

Why operate in the dark? What they hiding from?

My guess (not an accusation) is that either the Manning Centre or Cal Wenzel's group are behind it. Perhaps both.

Who is Save Calgary, why are they soliciting donations and for what?

Who is Save Calgary, why are they soliciting donations and for what?

It's simple: ads against incumbent councillors they want to see out on their keesters.

As the civic election nears, focus on the political players is narrowing and an emerging force is getting louder. But it's not clear who is behind the website Save Calgary.com and social media accounts that have taken a stance against Couns. Diane Colley-Urquhart, Evan Woolley, Druh Farrell, Gian-Carlo Carra and current mayor Naheed Nenshi.

Lori Williams, associate professor of political science at Mount Royal University, said there's a twofold issue with the group.

First, she points out that by opposing a number of candidates, they are endorsing the rest of council, and those running, by omission.

"There are more questions about this organization and what it's trying to do and who and what it represents," said Williams. "Anyone who reads carefully, the criticism focus on spending, they're fiscal conservatives ... but that's not saying very much and it doesn't say what they stand for."

She said federally and provincially there are rules about third-party groups who aim to sway elections. They have to register just like candidates, with spending limits. In this case, she said it could be democratically unfair if this group can outspend a candidate they dislike.

CBC is also covering this.

A group called Save Calgary has been soliciting donations and running advertisements on downtown billboards in a bid to unseat five members of Calgary city council — but figuring out who's behind the campaign isn't easy.

Under Alberta's current laws, third-party groups like this one aren't subject to donation limits or required to disclose their donors.

They don't even have to disclose their own identities, if they don't want to, as Save Calgary has been reluctant to do.

It wasn't until after this story was initially published that CBC News was given contact information for a spokesperson and a name.

Hadyn Place said the group is under no obligation to say who's involved in the group and he sees no reason for releasing that information.

"I couldn't give you an exact figure, but there's certainly under a dozen," he said when asked to at least indicate how many people were in involved with the group.

Place is involved in Alberta Can't Wait, one of the groups that was pushing for the province's conservative parties to merge. The group now says its mission is to hold both the NDP government and the leadership of the United Conservative Party to account.

[Minnie]

Why does this make me think of the Morgans? (First Lady & husband)

[Amethyst]

For some reason their FB page was showed up as an ad for me (on my FB feed). I have no idea how that happened, as I looked at their page and thought just about every post was idiotic. Target ad fail, FB.

I don't like the idea of this whole thing being anonymous, although their posts are so clunky and amateurish, I don't think they are going to convince anyone who wasn't already on board with them.

[topfiverecords]

"YYCCC Failing Candidates"

The airport has some CC (City Councillor?) failing candidates?

[Dan02]

Checked out the page and the only thing I see on there that I agree is bang on is that it was a colossal mistake to remove chloride from the water supply.

[Amethyst]

Originally Posted by Dan02

Checked out the page and the only thing I see on there that I agree is bang on is that it was a colossal mistake to remove chloride from the water supply.

Haha, that's funny. I was scrolling down and when I came across the post about fluoride, I thought, well there's one thing I agree with!

[puffnstuff]

Originally Posted by Dan02

Checked out the page and the only thing I see on there that I agree is bang on is that it was a colossal mistake to remove chloride from the water supply.

Does it actually say chloride? Or is that a typo on your part or theirs?

[Mass_nerder]

Based on who they're opposing, I would say Cal Wenzel is definitely involved.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by Mass_nerder

Based on who they're opposing, I would say Cal Wenzel is definitely involved.

DCU? She's in his pocket

[Mr.Coffee]

I feel like the notion of Save Calgary is about 15-20 years too early.

[Erick Estrada]

I could get behind a remove Druh Farrell campaign. The rest is a little too much.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

I feel like the notion of Save Calgary is about 15-20 years too early.

Yes because of EV's right?

[Dan02]

Originally Posted by puffnstuff

Does it actually say chloride? Or is that a typo on your part or theirs?

I typo'd or it autocorrected or something.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I could get behind a remove Druh Farrell campaign. The rest is a little too much.

So, I need to understand this sentiment. There are few councillors who work as hard for and care as much for the community as Druh. Why do so many people have a problem with Druh? She's accurately represents a good portion of the city (particularly her ward). What's so bad about her?

[KelVarnsen]

Originally Posted by kermitology

So, I need to understand this sentiment. There are few councillors who work as hard for and care as much for the community as Druh. Why do so many people have a problem with Druh? She's accurately represents a good portion of the city (particularly her ward). What's so bad about her?

I'm curious on this one myself.

[Tinordi]

Astroturf

[Mr.Coffee]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Yes because of EV's right?

Well yeah, pretty much.

Hell, the Canadian oil patch is already a #### show.

[oldschoolcalgary]

Originally Posted by kermitology

So, I need to understand this sentiment. There are few councillors who work as hard for and care as much for the community as Druh. Why do so many people have a problem with Druh? She's accurately represents a good portion of the city (particularly her ward). What's so bad about her?

She represents the interests of her ward well enough to have been the Councillor since 2001.

I'd say her constituents think she's doing a rather good job.

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by kermitology

So, I need to understand this sentiment. There are few councillors who work as hard for and care as much for the community as Druh. Why do so many people have a problem with Druh? She's accurately represents a good portion of the city (particularly her ward). What's so bad about her?

I posted something like the below in another thread a few months ago:

Druh is a latte-sipping urbanist who tirelessly advocates for the interests of the latte-sipping urbanists who live in her inner city ward. I'm not surprised that many people who choose to live in the suburbs have different priorities and values than her and the citizens of her ward and are therefore opposed to her goals for the city. One wonders, however, why Druh seems to be targeted for so much more hate and vitriol than other members of council with similar views, like Woolley, Carra, and Pincott. Excluding Nenshi, Farrell receives more threats of violence than all other members of council combined.



http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...ncil-1.4259271

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by kermitology

So, I need to understand this sentiment. There are few councillors who work as hard for and care as much for the community as Druh. Why do so many people have a problem with Druh? She's accurately represents a good portion of the city (particularly her ward). What's so bad about her?

Angry old conservatives pretty much sums it up.