Campaign to recall Calgary mayor reaches halfway mark, organizer remains motivated
Posted Mar 11, 2024 10:09 am.
Last Updated Mar 11, 2024 2:51 pm.
The people behind a petition to recall Mayor Jyoti Gondek are getting louder and louder, as the deadline to collect more than 500,000 signatures approaches.
Over the weekend, volunteers set up shop at various locations around the city, like restaurants, grocery stories, and dog parks, and have since scheduled a rally outside Calgary City Hall for 3 p.m. Tuesday.
In an email to CityNews, local business owner and creator of the ‘Recall Mayor Gondek’ campaign, Landon Johnston, says they’re past the halfway point of the campaign and are committed to submitting 100,000 signatures.
Johnston, like many others, says he’s disappointed in the city’s policies, which pushed him to file the notice of recall on Jan. 30.
“There’s been an overwhelming response from everybody and just the lack of my knowledge and the lack of basic framework for what we’re trying to do has basically been the best way to show we’re not backed by anybody,” he said in a video posted to the group’s website. “This entire process has been a learning experience for myself and all my team members and we’re working really hard to stay in compliance with the Recall Act.”
Under the Municipal Government Act (MGA) 514,284 valid signatures must be collected for the petition to be successful — about 40 per cent of the city’s population.
Calgary had just a 46.38 per cent voter turnout in the 2021 municipal election, according to city data — 393,090 voters. The total number of enumerated electors in Calgary is 847,556.
An online map on the group’s website shows five locations where people can sign up.
Pundits and politicians alike have said the initiative won’t succeed, but Johnston says his team is still motivated.
Various reports indicate Gondek has agreed to meet with Johnston on March 22.
