|
City of Calgary A politically incorrect view of Calgary - and new directions. General Synopsis Positive Aspects Spiritual Health New Ideas For Calgary Green Space East Village Indian Village Wholesale Facility Free Enterprise Zone Roads Smoking Restrictions Transit City Counsel The Red Mile and Policing
Political correctness is basically dishonest. It is not honest to sweep the truth under the rug just to appease, or submit to others politically. This assessment of Calgary is an honest view by a native Albertan (who has lived all of his life in Alberta except for about four years) and has come from personal experience. Have lived in Calgary since the spring of 1989. Calgary is much changed from years back. There has been a tremendous influx of people from out of Province, and also very much immigration. A little over 20 % of Calgary's population consists of immigrants. The U.S. Consulate believes southern Alberta has one of the largest concentrations of U.S. citizens living outside their country in the world. There are roughly about 400,000 USA expatriates living in Canada in 2004. Betty Rice, a spokesperson for Calgary’s U.S. consulate, has said there are no firm statistics on the number of American citizens in Calgary. However, she says the figure is in the "tens of thousands." The Calgary chapter of Democrats Abroad estimates that eight per cent, or 80,000 Calgarians, are American. Americans tend to blend in and are hardly noticed, but we also have many visible minorities and immigrants from practically every corner of the world. We also have a large part of our population from other parts of Canada who were not born and raised in Alberta - particularly from Saskatchewan. An honest view of the City of Calgary, Alberta (January, 2008) from a native son of Alberta. 1. Very cold and unfriendly, because most people's main reason for coming here is to make money. It seems like most people here in Calgary (aside from the very young, and some others of course) are selfishly pushing themselves to make more money - and that is it. There is nothing more to Calgary than that. Calgary is basically a city and society that is given over to the pursuit of money and materialism - most of its people worship before the great god of money. Know a young lady who moved here from Toronto. She said she was here for one reason - to work so she could pay off her student loan. Nothing wrong with that. We all need to pay our bills. If people want to come here to work and earn money to buy stuff and pay their bills - fine. It is your life. If someone wants to work I will not stop them. We need money and business, but man does not live by bread alone. The problem is that the balance has been lost. What about family ? What about recreation ? What about the spiritual ? What about culture ? We need money and jobs. However, we also need to have a life outside of work. 2. It has become boring, because most people are just selfishly pursuing their own interests and pursuing money - and selfishness is boring. It often seems like " the city that fun forgot. " Yes there are a lot of things to do, and a lot of cultural things. However, the mad pursuit of more and more money by more and more people has caused more and more people to just focus on their narrow little personal and selfish interests. It is very, very hard to have much fun with the work crazed, the shopaholics and the social climbers. Too many of them are too busy working , spending money and pursuing their selfish interests to even give you the time of day. 3. It appears that most people just see Calgary as a place to work in - not as a place to live in. Others are often just seen as stepping stones to their careers. Stepping on each other to get ahead. 4. Calgary is designed around the automobile - not around human beings. 5. Calgary is politically correct and over regulated - it is a hopeless government and corporate bureaucratic quagmire. It is ruled by big government and big business, which are both very bureaucratic. 6. If everyone in the world lived like your typical Calgarian it has been speculated we would probably need about seven worlds like our own to support them all. The environmental impact of the typical Calgarian is enormous. I do not consider myself a typical Calgarian, and certainly am not rich - for quite a few years due to economics we did not even own a working vehicle, but in the spring of 2007 I did buy a car, since I felt the family really were in need of one, and we could afford it. Very, very little has been done in Calgary to protect the environment from the ubiquitous automobile. Many, many streets and back alleys are unnecessarily wide. In many cases too many back alleys are needlessly paved, which once again is harmful to the environment. The following three pictures taken here in Calgary show you how little the City of Calgary cares for the environment. The back alleys in the pictures are unnecessary wide, and park space has been needlessly paved over to accommodate vehicles. As well the back alley has been paved right up to fence of the home owners in these pictures. Therefore the home owner cannot even plant flowers, or anything right behind their back yard fence. This paved over land on both sides of the alley has been taken out of the ecosystem for generations. A good ten to twelve feet at least of land (and maybe more) has been needlessly paved over. You do not need back alleys as wide as rural highways. And many of them do not need paving at all.
7. Calgary is basically a government and corporate dictatorship - bullying flourishes in Calgary especially among management in business. It seems to run right through the fabric of the society here. It seems engrained within the social fabric, particularly within the corporate structure. There are strong fascist and dictatorial tendencies here - and we should be doing all we can to greatly reduce this and understand it. The former Premier of Alberta Ralph Klein lives in Calgary, and he was well known for his bullying style, and for his bashing and bullying of the poor. The basic management style in Calgary is backward. It looks to me from personal experience that most managers in Calgary do not know how to get the best out of people. It seems like most of them are mainly concerned with control, dominance and bullying, which is backwards. Yes there are some really excellent managers here, but certainly not enough of them. There is little room for initiative, innovation and freedom within the schools, businesses and governments of Calgary. 8. The poor are despised in Calgary, because they don't have enough of the almighty god of money. The former Premier of Alberta (Ralph Klein) encouraged poor bashing, and he was very popular and he lives here and the voters kept re-electing him. Former Alderman Madeleine King of Calgary recently made some astounding statements regarding the homeless in Calgary. Basically she said that the city needs to reconsider how the homeless are cared for and housed in Calgary. She wants the homeless to be less visible. Apparently some folks in Calgary are afraid of venturing into areas where downtown vagrants congregate. To quote former Alderman King, " They (the homeless) need dignity and they need space, but not public space - if you need to be outside, rather than open space, make it private space. " Are we looking at some sort of modern day, socialist, nanny-state internment and concentration camps for the poor and homeless ???
9. About the only thing that keeps Calgary going is the tremendous natural resources of Alberta - otherwise it would certainly not be as rich as it is, and may even be a poor area of the country, like Alberta used to be a have not Province until oil was struck. The tremendous natural resources and blessings of Alberta are and were created by God - not by Albertans. 10. Calgary in general is a very proud city - there is a serious shortage of genuine humility here. This writer try's to be humble (and has many reasons to be), but humble folks here in Calgary are generally regarded as weaklings, due to the fascist nature and makeup of the place. 11. The City of Calgary claims to be such a good place for business, yet it is home to one of the greatest corporate frauds in business history - the BRE-X Scandal. There is simply too much corporate corruption here. 12. There is this Pollyanna, phoney positive attitude and boosterism that is promoted, which is disconnected with reality. This is part of the corporate culture of Calgary - where they want to project a phoney positive image of the city. It is designed to create a positive perception, and thus make people feel confident about investing and living here. It is designed to promote a positive business climate. Those who are honest, and who have honest negative feelings about Calgary and its working and living environment - are suppressed and often labelled as having bad attitudes. Political correctness once again. Promotion of Calgary in fine. Calgary has a lot to offer. However, the promotion should be honest. The problem is that political correctness is preventing many smug Calgarians from seeing some very uncomfortable truths about their city and their fellow Calgarians. Positive Aspects 1. Crime is lower here than in a lot of other major cities. 2. There is a stronger religious Christian influence here than in a lot of other cities. Southern Alberta and Calgary is home to a large population of Mormons. There is a strong connection between the American State of Utah with its major city Salt Lake City - and Southern Alberta. Quite a few Albertans go to Salt Lake for their higher education. 3. The employment situation is very positive. There are a lot of jobs here. 4. Calgary is a large urban centre with a population of a little over 1,000,000 souls as of January 2008. You can meet and mix with people from almost every corner of the world. You can see the people of the world by just going out and about the city, because there are people here from practically everywhere. 5. On paper we still all have the basic freedoms here in Calgary, Alberta, like freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion, and so on. The problem comes when you want to, or try, or need to exercise these freedoms. What is on paper and what is the reality in the real world here - just don't mesh, especially on the job. But it sure looks like we have a lot of freedoms on paper at least. 6. There are a lot of large and excellent parks here. Some areas have a shortage of parks, like the east side, but generally speaking we do have a good number of excellent parks within city limits. 7. Calgary is still a fairly good place to do business. 8. City infrastructure is basically well maintained. 9. We do have many very good schools - with committed and dedicated educators. 10. We have a highly skilled and educated workforce. Products are made here that are shipped all around the world.
The Spiritual Health of Calgarians - in General Terms is Poor 1. God's true servants are persecuted here. 2. The great false god of money rules - the pursuit of money and materialism is the preoccupation of most Calgarians. Therefore this is a society that generally speaking is immersed in idolatry. 3. There is this tremendous all pervasive false pride. God gets little credit for anything much here in idolatrous Calgary. 4. Foreigners are treated better than our own people, particularly better than native bred and born Albertans. This is a spiritual disease. 5. Calgary is basically a professing Christian society (there are Christian church buildings in practically every neighbourhood), yet so much wickedness is tolerated. We have abortion-on-demand, strip clubs, prostitution (city counsel even licenses it and supports it - by granting licenses to escort agencies - and so many of these businesses are just fronts for prostitution) , gambling casinos, gay rights - they can even marry now, and drug running and drugs. As well undisciplined kids are a serious problem, divorce and family breakdown is very high, and there are too many who are uncouth with poor public manners. 6. There is way too much bullying and abuse in the workplaces of Calgary by corrupt management. And even by workers abusing other workers, which is shameful. However, most of the bullying comes from management. 7. It is a wonderful place for the rich, but for the average Joe there is no Alberta advantage.
Some New Ideas For the City of Calgary Innovation and creativity are in severe shortage here. This is because we are living within a dictatorship in Alberta, and so many of our freedoms are suppressed within the corporate prisons so many of us must work within every working day. The stifling fascist mentality suppresses free speech and free thought. Many of our workplaces resemble prisons. Many workers are so thoroughly dominated and humiliated within the government and corporate prison we live under that they cannot even hope to muster up the weakest of straightforward resistance to the oppressive social environment. They are too vulnerable, and therefore too frightened to speak up. Bullies flourish within the workshops of Calgary. This is the Alberta of today. This is the Calgary of 2008. It is not a pretty picture. However, one positive aspect is the recent dramatic shortage of labour due to the overheated economy. This has served to lessen the degree of bullying and intimidation by management. This has helped labour make some gains and decreased their level of vulnerability, but there is still a long way to go for labour here in Alberta. There are still some of us (like me) who have not been defeated. We still speak up. We still resist. Although humiliated and bullied within the corporate world of Calgary, we endure and we resist. We need the money, and so must patiently endure abuse, but we speak up. Here are some new and innovative ideas for the city of Calgary. More Green Space Needed We need a new park. The whole city needs to be declared a park, naturally this doesn't include private property.
East Village Development The City of Calgary, as of 2008 is moving ahead with its commercial, boring, same old, same old development idea for the East Village area. Just more of the same - so the following idea I had for the area naturally won't ever be. I realized my idea had virtually no chance of ever happening, but that did not stop me from suggesting it. I will leave the idea up here on my site for awhile yet - just to show you what could have been, if City Hall had some imagination. We moved to Calgary back in 1989, and were really impressed by the jewel of a park right downtown - Princess Island. There was open space all around the park to the South. It was a beautiful place to go. Well what happened is that City Hall ruined and destroyed Princess Island Park. Instead of spending some money and preserving a large green area around the park downtown - City Hall choose the route of greed and development. They lost a golden opportunity to preserve some green space, and to enlarge the park downtown. The result now is that we no longer go there, because the park has been ruined by the excessive development that has encroached upon Princess Island, and crowded right up to it. I expect the same old deal will happen in the East Village. Money and greed won over nature and the natural human need for open space and green space. For our mental well being we need the tonic of nature and open space to regenerate and to relax. I guess City Hall and developers are more interested in money then in the well being of Calgarians - especially those Calgarians who live downtown. The current plan by City Counsel to develop this downtown area needs to be scrapped. They have no imagination. It will just look like the rest of the very boring downtown. Put in a new park and construct facilities that will fit in with the park atmosphere.
Create an Indian Village in Calgary. A permanent Indian Village. Use it to promote and sell native art work and native crafts. We have so very many very talented native artists. Start from the base of the Indian Village at the Stampede in summer - this land is on the stampede grounds. Expand this area, but keep it on the stampede grounds. This would be a tourist attraction, and naturally a place to do business for natives. It needs to be structured and designed by the natives themselves, and run by the natives. It will be a place to sell and promote their art work. And a sort of gathering place too. Now we are talking culture here folks. Wouldn't all this stuff bring more life to Calgary ?
A Public Wholesale Marketplace Build a publicly funded wholesale market establishment, owned and run by the City of Calgary, and run on a non-profit basis. Where Alberta producers can rent out a stall at a very minimal cost. Where Alberta producers can sell their products straight to the consumer at or very near the wholesale level. This is not to be another retailer. It will be designed to give producers an opportunity to have their products, so they are available to the public at or very near the wholesale level - with only marginal mark-ups permitted. A city owned cooperative.
Zoning Laws - A Free Enterprise Zone Set up a free enterprise zone within Calgary. An area of the city where people would still have to follow the basic zoning laws, but where they would be freed up in most ways. Where would it be ?
There would be very few zoning restrictions in this area. It would be the innovative, free enterprise zone.
Road Construction Existing road construction plans as of 2008 are fine the way they are.
All businesses regarded as non-smoking. Smoking rooms permitted, but at the discretion of the business. Businesses can ban smoking on their premises if they want to. If people want to smoke they can do so outside on public property, on the property of the business outside - if allowed, or they can smoke at home.
Transit fares must be reasonable - which they are not in 2008. Back in the spring of 2007 the transit union and transit management were involved in a labour dispute regarding the renewing of the contract. Basically what happened is that the union was in a legal position to walk out, but they were threatening to engage in rotating walk outs - that is they would target a certain area for a temporary stoppage of work, and then move to a different area, but still provide service for the rest of the city. Management countered by threatening to lock the transit union, and transit workers out, if the union chose to engage in any rotating walk outs. I was dependent upon transit to get back, and forth to work - as were and still are many other Calgarians. And here these goons and clowns are playing games with my livelihood, and the health and well being and livelihoods of many other Calgarians. I realized right then and there that basically these people (certainly not all of them, but too many of them) didn't give a damn about me, and how I had to take transit for five years - and with my round trip to and back to work taking me roughly 3 ˝ hours each day. It was a big disappointment for me, because I had met so many pleasant and friendly people while taking the bus and train to work. I had also gotten to know quite a few bus drivers personally, and had a lot of very enjoyable and pleasant conversations with a lot of bus drivers. There were some drivers that I really admired. One especially was a really special driver, who made riders just feel good while riding on his bus. Anyways I feel the lions share of the blame for the labour dispute was with management, but the union had to share some of the blame too. So I went ahead and bought a car, and have almost never taken the bus or train since. I really miss some of the people I got to know, and some of the drivers. But I found out that basically for these people - these transit people - they really didn't give a damn about me.
Counsel meetings must be usually in session, when most Calgarians could attend. So this doesn't mean sneaking through controversial matters in some 11th hour secretive meeting when most folks are unaware of what is happening. We don't need anymore of these 11th hour counsel meetings. Counsel needs to be much more open to the public, and much more accountable.
The Red Mile and Policing Issues For those unfamiliar with the Red Mile. This is a strip of 17th Avenue S.W. in Calgary that is not too far from the Saddledome. This is where fans of the NHL Calgary Flames congregated to celebrate the hockey teams wins in the playoffs. It started in 2004, and continued in 2006, but naturally stopped when the Flames lost to Anaheim in the first playoff round in 2006. I never had anything to do with this matter in 2004, but decided to get involved in 2006. A person hears all kinds of things about this, but the only way to really find out the true story is for a person to experience it yourself. So to get a proper perspective on the matter for my article I went down there. I had wanted to write something about it, so I went down to Schanks Athletic Club on Saturday night on April 29th, 2006 to watch the game (which Calgary won 3-2). Before going to Schanks I walked through the Red Mile to check it out. The Police presence was considerable even before the celebrations began.
The Sports Bar was full of young people. Almost no older people in the place. It was okay and there were lots and lots of pretty young women there. I have downed my fair share of beer in my younger baseball playing days - and the crowd was pretty tame and well behaved in my opinion. I went down to the Red Mile right after the game. What struck me was how the crowd was almost totally made up of young people. I never saw anyone there who was older than me, and I am still not that old. And I never saw anything wrong going on - just a whole lot of young people out to have some fun, and to blow off some steam. Some had a little bit too much to drink, but so what.
I never saw anything that bothered me, except for the excessive Police presence, and the absence of washroom facilities. The Police presence was awesome, and complete overkill in my judgment. They had basically little to do. There was also the Police Helicopter buzzing overhead, which in my judgment was not needed, but was being used to intimidate the crowd. Basically what it showed me was the face of the Police state we live in here in Calgary. I have no argument with the officers on the beat - they are just doing their jobs. The problem is with those who are giving the orders. It also showed to me the negative attitude of the authorities. I am increasingly struck by the kill joy, and negative approach to things here in Calgary, particularly by the leadership, and the authorities. Instead of fighting and trying to repress and dampen this spontaneous celebration- why don't the authorities just leave people alone to have a good time ? Sure there needs to be some police presence to take care of the few odd trouble makers, but keep it to a minimal level. And why not put in some portable toilets ? This would have been something useful for the Police to do. Why not look at this celebration in a positive light ? Use it for our advantage. If the authorities in Canada can't control it, and can't tax it - they don't like it.
Gang Relates Activity in Calgary in 2008 Gangs have become a real problem in Calgary recently, and there have been a good number of murders, and shootings between gangs, and gang members. No doubt drugs are behind much of this. Just a few days back here in September 2008, a young male student from Brazil was the innocent victim of a gun battle between gangs. A stray bullet blinded the student in both eyes, and he has had surgery to remove both eyes. Mayor Bronconnier and the Police Chief want more Police. There has been a war of words between the Mayor and some of the top brass in the Stelmach government. This gang activity is a worrisome trend, since Calgary has traditionally been a fairly safe city to live in, compared to other larger centres. There have been all kinds of ideas as to how to tackle this problem - like with more Police presence, stiffer penalties for offenders, stopping the revolving door policy regarding crooks, etc. I would just like to talk directly to all Calgarians about this matter, and ask some questions. How many of you have taken illegal drugs - including marijuana ? Don't you realize these drugs like marijuana and ecstasy are illegal ? Don't you realize that your involvement here helps support gang activity ? I have never taken any of these illegal substances, because they are illegal. Isn't it time that those Calgarians who participate in these illegal activities took some responsibility upon themselves to stop supporting these gangs, by simply stopping to use and buy illegal products ? Freedom brings with it responsibilities.
There will be a lot more innovative ideas for the direction of Calgary in the future. Keep in touch, and spread the news. Spread the news that freedom, and free thinking is still alive. Yes sir folks there are still some freedom loving free thinkers alive in these here parts. There are still some people who will not be bought, and who resist. They have not all died. This is the west of the west. We must never allow freedom to die out here.
Telephone (403) 274-5253
E-mail
02/01/2010
Mailing Address: Ray Wegner P.O. Box 475 Stn. Main Calgary, Alberta T2P-2J1 Guarantee of Rights and Freedoms and Fundamental Freedoms (from the Canadian Constitution) The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the rights and freedoms set out in it subject only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society. Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms: (a) freedom of conscience and religion; (b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication; (c) freedom of peaceful assembly; and (d) freedom of association. This web site built, designed, and owned by Ray Wegner
|
