Preston Manning is backing mayoral candidate Jeromy Farkas in Calgary’s October 18 municipal election..“My knowledge of and interest in Jeromy goes back to the four years he worked with the Manning Centre for Building Democracy on what we called our Council Tracker Project,” said Manning in a statement..“Through that project, he tracked and analyzed hundreds of municipal council decisions, including those of the Toronto and Calgary City councils, and gained much of his understanding of how city councils work, or don’t work, through that project.”.Manning, the founder of the Reform Party, noted Farkas, current councillor of Ward 11, “provided “significant opposition to much of what (the Mayor Naheed) Nehshi administration has pursued.”.“It is important, however, for someone in the position to clearly understand the difference between being in opposition and becoming the constructive leader of a civic government. Based on my recent discussions with him, I believe Jeromy clearly understands and appreciates that difference and is now ready and willing to move on to a more positive and constructive role as mayor and leader of a new team at city hall,” said Manning..Farkas became councillor of Ward 11 during the 2017 municipal election, immediately declining his council pension and transition allowance. Farkas is a well-known fiscal conservative who champions lower taxes and wiser spending..Farkas is running up against 26 other candidates for Calgary’s next mayor in the coming municipal election later this month..Melanie Risdon is a reporter with the Western Standard.,.mrisdon@westernstandardonline.com
