THOMAS: Calgary’s ‘sign-gate’ apology rings completely hollow

A City of Calgary employee was caught on video removing pro-independence signs with “Let Alberta Decide” on them but leaving anti-independence signs standing on September 29. Two days later, the City of Calgary issued a statement saying the staff member unlawfully removed the signage, an admission that followed public backlash on social media. "The city can confirm that some signs were removed in error and later returned to the original owner," read the statement. This was followed by a statement from Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas, who said, “I looked into reports of the city workers removing some referendum signs. They made a mistake. While I don't direct staff and was not personally involved, I am genuinely sorry that our team got it wrong.” “They were returned. I strongly oppose separation. But the rules must apply equally to everyone, including people I disagree with.” The apology rings alarm bells, raising questions about how things work inside the municipal building. Are Calgarians to believe a city worker just happened to be driving along in a city vehicle (which we assume would need to be signed out) and decided to take it upon himself to take down the signs? There is a very set pecking order inside the municipal building about who answers to whom and who would have the power to make the decision to take down the sign. .It raises the question of whether the employee had that power or, more likely, whether the decision was made at a higher level. And, if not the employee, then who? Whoever it was, the city, in its statement, said the employee acted unlawfully; thus, they need to be identified and disciplined, even to the extent of being fired for removing the sign and charged with breaking the law. And, not just a sign, but a sign supporting a vote in favour of choosing option 2 of question 10 in the forthcoming referendum, which is a vote in favour of a vote on independence, with which the mayor says he doesn’t agree. No other signs were removed. This further clouds the issue. The mayor has every right to speak his mind in terms of supporting independence or not. In that regard, he is a common citizen. But in his position as mayor, perceived by many as the ‘leader’ of the city, could his opinion have influenced the city employee, who may have thought he was doing the ‘leader’s’ bidding? Calling it a ‘mistake’ doesn’t cut it. A mistake would be taking down all the signs. Taking down just one sign is targeting. The referendum is unlike any other election ever conducted in Alberta. It is the most important and crucial one since Alberta became a province in 1905, and it must receive the greatest possible scrutiny. .Emotions are raw; great animosity exists between those in favour and those opposed. There are also too many people who don’t fully understand the referendum’s purpose. It is not to approve independence; it is to determine if Albertans want a referendum focusing on independence, but that is only one of ten questions. The other nine relate to Alberta taking more control of legislation in the province, including questions on immigration, healthcare, education, election procedures, and more. For the mayor, or any other official, to focus only on question 10 is disingenuous and misleading, and it is incumbent on them to acknowledge all 10 questions and express their opinions on all of them if they are expressing opinions on question 10. The referendum is too important and too sensitive for the city and the mayor to think an apology for signs being moved around is enough. It isn’t. If the mayor feels a need to apologize, then he should apologize for ignoring the other nine questions and misleading Calgarians into thinking that independence is the only issue.

THOMAS: Calgary’s ‘sign-gate’ apology rings completely hollow

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