Mayor Nenshi apologizes for bashing Uber in candid video
Posted Apr 24, 2016 9:31 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Mayor Naheed Nenshi is saying sorry for remarks he made about Uber, while catching a ride with another ride-sharing service in Boston.
In the lengthy statement, Nenshi said he was having a ‘free-flowing, casual conversation’ with the Lyft driver in Boston, and he was not aware the driver was broadcasting their conversation on Periscope.
“I told him the story, repeating what I have said many times publicly: that Calgary’s rideshare regulations are not unreasonable, and that Uber, in particular has been very difficult to deal with. I’ve called them “jerks” publicly in the past, but this time I used a more colourful term. As a guy who very rarely swears, this is probably as rude as I get, but it still wasn’t very nice or civil of me. I apologize to Travis Kalanick, CEO of Uber, and his employees for my being, well, a jerk.”
In the video which emerged Friday, Nenshi talks about how the city found sex offenders and people with convictions for violent crimes to test Uber’s driver screening process. He claims many of them made it through. He’s also captured calling the CEO of Uber a ”dick.”
”It’s disappointing to see Mayor Nenshi stoop to name calling and questionable tactics,” said Uber in an emailed statement to 660 NEWS. “We hope this can give way to a more constructive conversation that benefits the riders and drivers of Calgary.”
In Nenshi’s statement, the mayor noted he announced earlier this year the city learned at least one driver passed through the background check used by Uber despite having an active assault charge against him or her.
As for the issue of getting someone to beat the background check, Nenshi wrote that the city became aware of at least one driver who passed their check despite having an active assault charge, and that this is the extent of his knowledge on this matter.
While many pointed out to the mayor Massachusetts law doesn’t allow someone to record someone else without their consent, Nenshi said that’s not the point.
“One should be the same person in private as in public and I take full responsibility for my interaction with others.”
During a Calgary Public Library event on Saturday, Ward 8 Coun. Evan Woolley fielded questions about the video. He said he hasn’t had a problem with Uber and has been working with the company quite closely.
“You’re sometimes candid when you shouldn’t be, but my in my opinion we need to move forward with companies like Lyft and Uber to operate in Calgary,” said Woolley.
Woolley added he never heard about Uber’s flawed screening process that Nenshi referred to in the video.
