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Re: Councillors intention to take rezoning plan to plebiscite; March 8
I’ve a 1980 Municipal Handbook containing Calgary plebiscite statistics from 1912 to 1980. There have been quite a few life-style plebiscites equivalent to daylight time and fluoridation.
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What caught my consideration, nonetheless, have been all of the capital, upkeep and enchancment applications that have been voted on. Some as little as $20,000 (river safety), and going as much as $4 million (metropolis corridor). These days, taxpayers get blasted with multibillion-dollar venture proposals and lifestyle-changing bylaws with out getting an opportunity to affect selections.
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A plebiscite represents the ideas of direct democracy, which displays the needs of the folks. Sadly, our consultant democracy is run by elected candidates who comply with their very own agendas as soon as voted into workplace.
Reflecting on days passed by, our previous mayors, aldermen and politicians have been homegrown, mature Canadians who held the town, nation and fellow residents near their hearts.
Hans Firla, Calgary
Ongoing creep of metropolis infringement
Coun. Terry Wong speaks to the tree safety movement as if the town owned our non-public lot timber, which is much from the case.
If a property proprietor decides to take away a tree, that’s the proper of the proprietor with out metropolis permits or paperwork of utility. In the course of the previous six months, I had three 50-year-old timber eliminated — one as a result of the trunk was rotten and about to keel over onto the roof of our neighbour, the opposite two as a result of their roots have been repeatedly clogging our sewer traces.
Think about having to finish a allow utility and wait months to be taught whether or not I’m allowed to resolve alone timber.
Lately, there was a sequence of metropolis council motions attempting to creep into non-public property rights. This roller-coaster of infringement has to cease. I strongly recommend council take spring and autumn breaks to spend time consulting with ward residents.
Midday Information Roundup
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That approach, there could be much less probability of petty bylaws and extra vital bylaws assembly the collective needs of Calgarians.
Kurt J. Hansen, Calgary
Neighbourhood’s historic standing a factor of the previous
I additionally grew up in Rideau-Roxboro, although my dad and mom purchased the home within the Nineties. Considered one of my reminiscences as a toddler was Halloween, when lots of of children and fogeys who lived within the neighbourhood could be out trick-or-treating.
Final yr, my dad and mom had solely 4 kids come to their door on Halloween. Households have been squeezed out. The neighbourhood is a ghost city, with homes left unoccupied because the retiree house owners spend most of their time in Phoenix or Florida.
The concept Rideau-Roxboro is a “historic neighbourhood” is ridiculous — if it ever was, this standing left with the households.
Joe Calnan, Calgary
Inexperienced Line prices should be identified
How is it attainable the town has dedicated to constructing the most important infrastructure venture in its historical past with out figuring out how a lot it is going to truly value? Inexperienced Line CEO Darshpreet Bhatti is now telling us that having already spent $400 million on the brand new line, it’s too quickly to report an up to date value for a venture with a funds of $5.5 billion to assemble solely its first section.
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Bhatti goes on to say that the Inexperienced Line’s value standing has shifted from “amber” to “crimson.” In different phrases, the town has no concept how a lot this complete venture will value to finish.
In attempting to keep up assist for this venture, Bhatti states that just about 90 per cent of two,245 Calgarians surveyed final fall mentioned they agree the Inexperienced Line is a needed venture.
Actually? That very same survey, out there on-line, additionally indicated solely one-half of Calgarians felt they obtain “good” worth for his or her tax {dollars}, and fewer than one-half had belief within the metropolis.
Taxpayers must be involved with this lack of transparency on the a part of metropolis council and administration. Reasonably than constructing a brand new CTrain line, evidently council has dedicated to funding a bottomless cash pit.
Jim Williams, Calgary
Metropolis ought to take care of personal timber
It’s actually time to guard Calgary’s city forest, together with timber on non-public property. However what about all these unhappy timber on public property? Take a drive alongside Crowchild Path and you may virtually hear the lifeless and dying timber weeping in ache and gasping for care.
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Mayor Jyoti Gondek declared a local weather emergency when she took workplace.
Wouldn’t you suppose that additionally saving timber on public land would high quality as one in every of her prime priorities?
Nancy Marley-Clarke, Calgary
Albertans don’t perceive socialism
It mystifies me why Albertans can not inform the distinction between communism and socialism.
Communism is an autocratic, tyrannical system the place the ruling social gathering is omnipotent and society is uncared for. Socialism is a system the place everyone seems to be offered for with a minimal of social safety. There isn’t a tax dodge — the wealthy pay extra taxes than the poor however every pay in keeping with capabilities.
One of the vital socialized international locations on the earth — Sweden — can also be probably the most capitalistic. In case you are on the backside of the social scale there, you don’t dwell in luxurious however you’ll not be left on a road nook with a paper cup saying “Please give me 1 / 4 so I can eat.”
It’s baffling to listen to Albertans request the federal government pay for this, enhance funding for that, present extra funds for the opposite factor, however don’t enhance taxes.
The principle income for governments is taxes. Albertans need a socialistic system and not using a socialist authorities.
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Gilles Danis, Drumheller
Canada proper to face as much as Iran
Re: Canada sanctions Iranians accused of repressing ladies, March 9
Large kudos to the Canadian authorities for imposing new sanctions on Tehran metro govt Masoud Dorosti and the conservative politician Zohreh Elahian for his or her continued repression of ladies and ladies in Iran.
I can not imagine that within the yr 2024 there are nonetheless these misogynistic, abusive and life-threatening situations that ladies and ladies are subjected to. There must be much more outcry, protests and assist for all ladies all over the world who’re nonetheless victims of sexual violence, genital mutilation and even demise only for being a lady.
We have to demand justice and put an finish to a few of these horrible practices which can be acceptable in some components of the world.
Jill Bates, Calgary
Championing equitable immunization for Indigenous communities
Immunization charges amongst Canada’s Indigenous inhabitants stay alarmingly low regardless of efforts to enhance health-care entry. This development not solely heightens the danger of preventable illnesses but additionally perpetuates well being disparities.
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Limitations to immunization embody logistical challenges and historic distrust of health-care programs. Addressing these requires culturally delicate methods that interact Indigenous communities and prioritize their views. Collaboration between policymakers, health-care suppliers and Indigenous leaders is essential to boost accessibility and construct belief. Funding in training and outreach applications is crucial to fight misinformation and empower Indigenous people with correct data.
Reaching equitable immunization charges calls for a unified effort to prioritize Indigenous well being outcomes and guarantee equal entry to life-saving vaccines for all.
Manroop Minhas, provincial chief, Outcomes Canada
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