First municipal political party launches in Calgary

It was standing room only at the Holiday Inn & Suites on Blackfoot Trail Wednesday night during the launch of Calgary’s first municipal political party.

A Better Calgary (ABC) Party says it wants to bring City Hall “back to basics,” focus on essential services and common sense, champion accountability, transparency, and accessibility at City Hall for everyone, and empower Calgarians to get involved in their communities and actively participate in democracy.

The group says formal principles will be proposed and ratified at an annual general meeting. One of the organizers says they are a “right-of-centre” party.

Cheryl Munson, a former public school trustee candidate,, was a guest on Now You Know with Rob Snow and discussed the party’s principals and values.

“Focusing on core municipal priorities and essential services in the city, fiscal responsibility combined with compassion,” she said. “Prioritizing the interests of Calgarians, transparency, accountability and accessibility to all.”

She says their goal is to run a candidate for mayor and every ward in the next municipal election.

Munson previously volunteered with Project YYC, a group that garnered attention during a campaign aimed at recalling Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek earlier this year, showing support for the cause launched by local businessman Landon Johnston.

She says ABC has no formal links with any provincial or federal political party, though one of the other organizers, Jon Horsman, is a former UCP leadership candidate.

ABC came to be thanks to Bill 20, which the United Conservative government says will improve local governance and transparency.

The bill, which also seeks to ban vote counting machines in provincial elections and give the province authority over local bylaws, has been the subject of criticism since it was first announced in April.

Alberta Municipalities, which represents the province’s cities, towns, and villages, has been vocal in its opposition to Bill 20, saying it wasn’t consulted and sets a “dangerous precedent.”

No current council members have signed on to join the ABC, but Coun. Dan McLean believes this will be the first of many ahead of next October’s municipal election.

-With files from Phil Wood