It’s not what most keen political observers would think. But in some ways, Landon Johnston is exactly what one would expect from a political neophyte with no hidden agenda other than a passion for his adopted home:Pragmatic. Principled. Passionate. Intensely idealistic — naive almost. And 110% legit.That’s because the ‘organizer’ of a petition to oust Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek isn’t some high-flying political organizer trying to mount a campaign for higher office or burnish his resume. In fact, the blue-collar HVAC technician who originally hails from Vernon, BC is just an ordinary guy who is passionate about Calgary. Johnston, who came here to start a family in 2014, turns 35 years old this weekend — when he intends to formally kick off the recall campaign at city hall at 1 pm on Saturday..In an interview with The Western Standard, Johnston said he had no other motivation to launch the recall other than a strong sense of dissatisfaction with the present city council and an even stronger belief that its misguided policies just aren’t right.In his line of work he gets to meet dozens of people from all walks of life every day — in their homes — and realized they all shared a common sense of dissatisfaction with the direction of the city and how out of touch it has become with ordinary people who are becoming increasingly squeezed.And he credits his mom.“It's just, I get very passionate about politics. My mom was very, not involved, but she always fought for what she felt was justified or went against things that she felt were important to her. It's so ingrained in my blood to always question things like always wonder if there's a better way to do it,” he said.In that regard, he has no personal axe to grind with Gondek other than it all starts at the top and even the mayor needs to be held accountable.“Ever since she's been in office, I've kept an eye on her. And the fact that she brought in the climate emergency… that initial thing really ticked my fancy. Is Calgary not the cleanest city, or one of the cleanest cities in the world? Do we not have one of the cleanest transits in the world? A lot of little things that didn't make sense to me just as a Calgarian. Why is she spending money on lawyers and stuff for a city that has nothing to do with Calgary?”.It was actually the targeted shooting of a 23-year old man in the parking lot of a Mackenzie Town Earl’s restaurant last November that really set him off..“Day after day after daily gang shootings and then saying all the public is not at risk or like the public does not have to worry about a gang shooting in the parking lot of an Earl’s. It's just like, how could the public not be worried about that? And you know what I mean, it's just like, where's the transparency? Where's the accountability?“Landon Johnston.It was a combination of issues — the arena deal, the single-use plastics, the tax hike she never ran on in the election. And even though Gondek’s personal foibles are well documented, the one issue that really hit home isn’t what one would think.It was actually the targeted shooting of a 23-year old man in the parking lot of a Mackenzie Town Earl’s restaurant last November that really set him off.And it was the growing crime situation, the junkies in the downtown streets, looking over your shoulder on the C-Train. It was that growing sense of insecurity and despair that prompted him to act.“We wouldn't be in this situation if they would just stick to keeping the roads clean, keep transit safe. It's just like they fail. Day after day after daily gang shootings and then saying all the public is not at risk or like the public does not have to worry about a gang shooting in the parking lot of an Earl’s. It's just like, how could the public not be worried about that? And you know what I mean, it's just like, where's the transparency? Where's the accountability?”“And, you know, it's simple enough to just read the duties and responsibilities of a mayor. And I feel that she's not lived up to those duties and responsibilities. It's as simple as that,” he said.Indeed. And tens of thousands of people feel the same way. Without any resources or formal organization, he’s had nearly 20,000 emails in the last 24 hours alone..“So I mean, that's, you know, that's her position. She can stay in as long as she wants. But, I mean, I'm gonna do my very best. Yeah, we might not get 500,000 signatures, but we're gonna get close. Okay? Very cool.”Landon Johnston.At first Johnston said he thought he’d be lucky to get 50,000 signatures, much less than the 500,000 he’ll need to get Gondek fired. After the response to the initial filing, now he thinks he can go all the way — or come close.“Maybe I can get 100,000 signatures on myself. Maybe I can get 50,000 signatures. My initial plan was to get 30,000. But I have gotten over 15,000 emails since yesterday. Cool. By myself, right? I had no infrastructure in place and now, man, like I've got organizations after organizations telling me like Landon, you beat us to the punch,” he said.That’s even though most ‘experts’ say he’ll be hard pressed to even come close to getting half a million hand-signed John Hancocks.“I've heard that which is fine. I mean, but I mean, she's got to live with, you know, potentially having 300,000 or 400,000 people find that you're like, that's gonna be tough for her. If I were mayor and that many people didn't like me like man it'd be pretty simple decision be like, ‘hey, I'm not what's best for the city. Let's get someone in here who can reunite or leave the city where it's gotta go." “So I mean, that's, you know, that's her position. She can stay in as long as she wants. But, I mean, I'm gonna do my very best. Yeah, we might not get 500,000 signatures, but we're gonna get close. Okay? Very cool.”Truer words have rarely been spoken, in this city or anywhere else.
