In a scene reminiscent of a modern-day political showdown, Recall Gondek organizer Landon Johnston confronted Calgary’s embattled mayor at City Hall on Friday, setting the stage for what is sure to be a passionate, emotional — and controversial — final two weeks of the petition campaign.Although it wasn’t exactly ‘high noon’ — more like 2:30 p.m. to be exact — the stage was set for an old-fashioned duel between Mayor Jyoti Gondek and Johnston.The latter arrived first, in his best ball cap and work clothes — he’s an ordinary, average HVAC contractor after all and dressed the part — followed by the mayor in her own work duds.Neither spoke to gathered media on the way into the mayor’s chambers. About 15 minutes later, Gondek strode out escorted by aides without saying a word. .“She was receptive and polite, so I appreciate her doing that. It's not easy for elected officials to make it easier for them to not be empowered. So I appreciate the mayor for at least giving me that hand. But outside of that I'm not happy with the job performance and so many other Calgarians deserve better than what we've had in this council chambers.”Afterwards, Gondek issued a statement of her own acknowledging Jonston as a “real person” and not an “operative.” She also acknowledged that the petition has — to her detriment — generated a genuine upswell of grassroots support against her.Built she didn’t resign. Instead, she said she wanted to work to take the “polarization” out of public discourse.“I believe Landon Johnston is one of those people. While he and I may not agree on policies, I think we share a desire to do good things for Calgary. And that's why I agreed to sit down with him today. Good things can be achieved through collaboration and civil discourse, as opposed to polarizing rhetoric,” she said.“Given this, I'm directing my focus away from those attempting to manipulate processes, and recommitting towards listening to the voices of Calgarians. It's clear that this petition has resonated with some. It's a difficult time for many. The cost of groceries, gas and going out has skyrocketed, and what used to be our savings accounts are now paying for heat, housing and electricity.”Following the meeting, Johnston said the mayor failed to address his main concerns of accountability and transparency. He noted she supports the carbon tax but refuses to ride the C-Train to work every morning.“If she really believed in climate emergency, every single person who signed off on the climate emergency should be taking that C-Train every single day,” he began.Johnston admitted he realizes now there was never any real chance of unseating the mayor and he’s not even trying to. He’s personally counted abut 45,000 signatures and has at least as many more to count — by hand..But with only two weeks to go he’s determined to see it to the finish line. And it’s starting to get ugly, with counter-allegations of political interference and of police intimidation and suppression tactics coming directly from third-party campaign organizers as well as the mayor’s office.Now two previously undisclosed groups have waded into the ring.Shortly after noon, a press release was emailed to The Western Standard alleging strong arm tactics from city hall.“It’s disappointing but not surprising that Mayor Gondek is now using the strong arm of city authority to intimidate petition gatherers and now, just 12 days before the end of the campaign, to order the removal of the campaign signs lawfully erected across Calgary,” said John Williams, a Director of Project YYC — an unknown group which described itself as “active in the campaign” although Johnston insisted he’s not directly affiliated with them.The comments were in response to a plethora of seemingly inexplicable campaign signs that have popped up around the city in recent days — and vandalized — prompting speculation from the Mayor’s Office that the group is being funded by undisclosed backers with deep pockets.Roy Beyer, Campaign Manager of RecallGondekYYC.ca — another unknown group — noted: “The 50 or so 4-foot by 8-foot signs were placed across the City of Calgary in strict accordance with campaign signage guidelines, which are the guidelines most applicable to a Recall Campaign that has been officially registered and approved by Elections Calgary.”They claim they ought to be allowed to post ‘temporary’ signs in accordance with bylaws surrounding municipal elections..“I'm the only person that has authority to do anything and if I hear any nefarious action going on under my name, I'm going to do everything in my power to stop it.“Landon Johnston.But Johnston says they’re not his and he has nothing to do with them. He called it a flaw in the law that third parties are allowed to campaign — and raise money — without telling him. He further said their actions threaten to discredit the integrity of the campaign.“I'm the only person that has authority to do anything and if I hear any nefarious action going on under my name, I'm going to do everything in my power to stop it. But this is the loophole in this legislation that any single person can use it for their own personal gain,” he said.“All I can say is that I'm not gonna use it for my personal gain. I have nothing to gain from this other than get my voice heard. And finally it's been heard — it just took 50 days and thousands of man hours of volunteers, blood, sweat and tears out there getting signatures.”
In a scene reminiscent of a modern-day political showdown, Recall Gondek organizer Landon Johnston confronted Calgary’s embattled mayor at City Hall on Friday, setting the stage for what is sure to be a passionate, emotional — and controversial — final two weeks of the petition campaign.Although it wasn’t exactly ‘high noon’ — more like 2:30 p.m. to be exact — the stage was set for an old-fashioned duel between Mayor Jyoti Gondek and Johnston.The latter arrived first, in his best ball cap and work clothes — he’s an ordinary, average HVAC contractor after all and dressed the part — followed by the mayor in her own work duds.Neither spoke to gathered media on the way into the mayor’s chambers. About 15 minutes later, Gondek strode out escorted by aides without saying a word. .“She was receptive and polite, so I appreciate her doing that. It's not easy for elected officials to make it easier for them to not be empowered. So I appreciate the mayor for at least giving me that hand. But outside of that I'm not happy with the job performance and so many other Calgarians deserve better than what we've had in this council chambers.”Afterwards, Gondek issued a statement of her own acknowledging Jonston as a “real person” and not an “operative.” She also acknowledged that the petition has — to her detriment — generated a genuine upswell of grassroots support against her.Built she didn’t resign. Instead, she said she wanted to work to take the “polarization” out of public discourse.“I believe Landon Johnston is one of those people. While he and I may not agree on policies, I think we share a desire to do good things for Calgary. And that's why I agreed to sit down with him today. Good things can be achieved through collaboration and civil discourse, as opposed to polarizing rhetoric,” she said.“Given this, I'm directing my focus away from those attempting to manipulate processes, and recommitting towards listening to the voices of Calgarians. It's clear that this petition has resonated with some. It's a difficult time for many. The cost of groceries, gas and going out has skyrocketed, and what used to be our savings accounts are now paying for heat, housing and electricity.”Following the meeting, Johnston said the mayor failed to address his main concerns of accountability and transparency. He noted she supports the carbon tax but refuses to ride the C-Train to work every morning.“If she really believed in climate emergency, every single person who signed off on the climate emergency should be taking that C-Train every single day,” he began.Johnston admitted he realizes now there was never any real chance of unseating the mayor and he’s not even trying to. He’s personally counted abut 45,000 signatures and has at least as many more to count — by hand..But with only two weeks to go he’s determined to see it to the finish line. And it’s starting to get ugly, with counter-allegations of political interference and of police intimidation and suppression tactics coming directly from third-party campaign organizers as well as the mayor’s office.Now two previously undisclosed groups have waded into the ring.Shortly after noon, a press release was emailed to The Western Standard alleging strong arm tactics from city hall.“It’s disappointing but not surprising that Mayor Gondek is now using the strong arm of city authority to intimidate petition gatherers and now, just 12 days before the end of the campaign, to order the removal of the campaign signs lawfully erected across Calgary,” said John Williams, a Director of Project YYC — an unknown group which described itself as “active in the campaign” although Johnston insisted he’s not directly affiliated with them.The comments were in response to a plethora of seemingly inexplicable campaign signs that have popped up around the city in recent days — and vandalized — prompting speculation from the Mayor’s Office that the group is being funded by undisclosed backers with deep pockets.Roy Beyer, Campaign Manager of RecallGondekYYC.ca — another unknown group — noted: “The 50 or so 4-foot by 8-foot signs were placed across the City of Calgary in strict accordance with campaign signage guidelines, which are the guidelines most applicable to a Recall Campaign that has been officially registered and approved by Elections Calgary.”They claim they ought to be allowed to post ‘temporary’ signs in accordance with bylaws surrounding municipal elections..“I'm the only person that has authority to do anything and if I hear any nefarious action going on under my name, I'm going to do everything in my power to stop it.“Landon Johnston.But Johnston says they’re not his and he has nothing to do with them. He called it a flaw in the law that third parties are allowed to campaign — and raise money — without telling him. He further said their actions threaten to discredit the integrity of the campaign.“I'm the only person that has authority to do anything and if I hear any nefarious action going on under my name, I'm going to do everything in my power to stop it. But this is the loophole in this legislation that any single person can use it for their own personal gain,” he said.“All I can say is that I'm not gonna use it for my personal gain. I have nothing to gain from this other than get my voice heard. And finally it's been heard — it just took 50 days and thousands of man hours of volunteers, blood, sweat and tears out there getting signatures.”
