Although Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek championed the notice of motion to declare a climate emergency in Calgary, it was Coun. Raj Dhaliwal who brought the motion forward in Tuesday’s Executive Committee meeting..Councillors voted unanimously 11-0 in favour of the motion, although Coun. Sonya Sharp said she has an issue with the word “emergency” being used.. Climate-Emergency-MotionGondek screengrab .“I feel like the word emergency in a municipal context means something very specific to our citizens,” she said..Gondek said the wording would be debated by council at Monday’s meeting..If the motion is passed and a climate emergency is declared in the city, Calgary will join other Canadian cities — including Vancouver, Halifax and Hamilton — that have made similar moves. .Gondek campaigned for environmental change for the city leading up to the October municipal election and said she plans to focus on “economic, social and environmental resilience” for Calgary..Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has been critical of Gondek’s plans to table the climate emergency motion and called it a “peculiar” focus adding the mayor should make reducing the “double-digit unemployment” in the city her priority..Melanie Risdon is a reporter with the Western Standard.,.mrisdon@westernstandardonline.com
Although Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek championed the notice of motion to declare a climate emergency in Calgary, it was Coun. Raj Dhaliwal who brought the motion forward in Tuesday’s Executive Committee meeting..Councillors voted unanimously 11-0 in favour of the motion, although Coun. Sonya Sharp said she has an issue with the word “emergency” being used.. Climate-Emergency-MotionGondek screengrab .“I feel like the word emergency in a municipal context means something very specific to our citizens,” she said..Gondek said the wording would be debated by council at Monday’s meeting..If the motion is passed and a climate emergency is declared in the city, Calgary will join other Canadian cities — including Vancouver, Halifax and Hamilton — that have made similar moves. .Gondek campaigned for environmental change for the city leading up to the October municipal election and said she plans to focus on “economic, social and environmental resilience” for Calgary..Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has been critical of Gondek’s plans to table the climate emergency motion and called it a “peculiar” focus adding the mayor should make reducing the “double-digit unemployment” in the city her priority..Melanie Risdon is a reporter with the Western Standard.,.mrisdon@westernstandardonline.com
