‘The mayor should stick to her lanes’: CTF responds to Gondek seeking to help in fight against Bill 21

After Calgary mayor Jyoti Gondek announced on Wednesday she wants to put some money into a legal fund that will push back against Quebec’s controversial Bill 21, Calgarians are criticizing the move.

The bill, which bars Quebecers in the public service from wearing religious symbols, made headlines again recently when a teacher was removed from the classroom because she wears a hijab.

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Calgary’s mayor wants to pitch in for fight against Bill 21

During a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, Gondek said Calgary could contribute up to $100,000 in the legal battle.

“The mayor should stick to her lanes and worry about the issues and problems within our own city rather than attacking the ones in Quebec,” said Kevin Lacey, the Alberta Director with the Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation.

Lacey says if Gonjdek wants to contribute in the fight across the country, she should use the money from her own salary to make a generous donation rather than using that of the working taxpayers of Calgary.

“If the City of Calgary decided to take on every issue in Eastern Canada, you’d be very broke very quickly,” he explained. “This is not the responsibility of the City of Calgary and not what taxpayers send their money for.

“They expect the mayor to work on ensuring that the streets are safe, that they have good roads and recreation facilities, not spending money to cut back on political ambitions.”

Gondek said on Wednesday a special notice of motion will come forward next week courtesy of Ward 9 Councillor Gian-Carlo Carra.

– With files from Tom Ross