The long awaited entry of municipal parties to Calgary’s political scene is a reality — starting today.Describing itself as a “big tent, membership-driven organization,” A Better Calgary will be kicking off its unveiling with a series of events and a membership drive starting Wednesday.It all gets started with a formal unveiling at the Blackfoot Inn in Calgary tonight, Wednesday, followed by a bigger push at the Stampede on July 12. It’s the first time a formal political party has been formed at the municipal level.“Calgarians deserve the best leadership and we believe a party system will attract and encourage people with a call for public service to come forward,” says Jon Horsman, one of the party spokespeople, a Ward 4 resident and married father of four.“A party is an opportunity for the people of Calgary to get involved in the municipal political process. A Better Calgary Party is welcoming a broad coalition of members, volunteers, and candidates to build a better Calgary.”“This is a party for the people, by the people,” adds fellow spokesperson Cheryl Munson, a Ward 7 resident and mother of two. “I love this city. I was born and raised here and I wanted to get involved with a group of like-minded people who want to put their communities first and are looking for a support network to help them get started. It’s time for City Hall to get back to basics and to remember it is the taxpayers they work for — and not the other way around.”It comes after the UCP government passed legislation in April under Bill 20 to allow political parties in municipal politics, starting in Edmonton and Calgary.Calgary mayor Jyoti Gondek has said she’s opposed to the idea. .In an interview, Munson said the party idea was formed to prevent vote splitting among candidates, noting there were 27 challengers for the mayor’s chair in the last municipal vote.Rather than run a slate of candidates and appoint a leader, members in individual wards will out forth their own representatives when the next vote comes around.Though she is reluctant to call it a “conservative” movement, she admits she’s a suburban mom with two kids, a dog and a picket fence — precisely the kind of people that have felt left out of the political dialogue at city hall.“We want to attract members to our organization who align with our values and principles, and we're hoping many people step forward,” she said. “We don't like the labels in Calgary. Municipal politics is a little different. So we don't really want to label ourselves. We have a set of principles and values based on common sense, core municipal priorities and essential services. Getting back to what city hall is supposed to be, taking care of fiscal responsibility, prioritizing the interests of Calgarians, transparency, accountability, accessibility... as opposed to whatever you call it, pie in the sky causes, ideologically driven, as opposed to what actually serves the citizens, right?“
