Interested?
A study has been completed to plan the extension of the LRT from Lewis Estates (87 Avenue and 199 Street) to the University of Alberta. As part of the study, open houses will be held to share information and details about the project and the study before it is presented to City Council.
(h/t to the always great Councillor Don Iveson‘s office for passing this along)
With Edmonton’s mainstream media bubbling in praise of the report supporting the construction a new arena in downtown Edmonton, I can’t help but be put a back at the lack of objectivity in the reporting. Judging by the amount of support in today’s papers, you’d think that Colin Powell had just made an irrefutable case to the United Nations Security Council…
Here’s a quick look at a couple of things that immediately caught my suspicion…
1) The committee that wrote the report was handpicked by someone who had already voiced support for the downtown arena – Mayor Stephen Mandel. Self-fulfilling prophecy, anyone?
2) The comparisons are reaching. Of course I want Edmonton’s downtown to become vibrant, but building a giant hockey rink won’t automatically put Edmonton in a position to rival downtown Montreal or New York (like some of the article’s have alluded). I’m still not convinced that spending upwards of $450 million (plus land costs) on an arena that will draw the suburbs downtown for a couple hours 2-3 nights a week is what will revitalize downtown. As someone who has lived in the Whyte Avenue area for 4 years, I can tell you that bringing loads of hockey hooligans into an area doesn’t revitalize much for the people who are actually living in the neighbourhood.
3) No one seems to be talking about… “Northlands, the non-profit group that runs Rexall Place, released a study in February that said the arena could be rebuilt for $250 million. That report has been shelved while the mayor’s committee does its work.” (The Battle of Alberta had a good post on this back in October 2007).
4) I think that Journal City Hall columnist Scott McKeen might be getting a little too comfy in his City Hall Office as he spent the majority of his pro-arena article taking aim at those who would rather the public funds be spent on other things, like say, fighting homelessness or fixing infrastructure. McKeen also tried to solidify his case by arguing that the amount of reporters who showed up at yesterday’s media conference means Edmontonians should be convinced of the recommendations. Sorry, Scott, but still I remain skeptical.
Through all the frenzy and praise, I’m glad to see that there is still some sensibility on City Council as Councillors Don Iveson, Amarjeet Sohi, Ben Henderson, and Tony Caterina have all publicly stated their skepticism of the report.
Yesterday afternoon, I crashed the swearing-in ceremony of the 2007-2010 Edmonton City Council. Here is the documentation.
The crowded hall.
Newly elected Ward 4 City Councillor Ben Henderson is sworn-in.
The first meeting of Edmonton City Council following the swearing-in ceremony.
Newly elected Ward 5 City Councillor Don Iveson in his new digs.
Don Iveson and myself on the temple-like steps of City Hall.I also took some video footage of Don Iveson’s being sworn-in as one of Ward 5’s City Councillors.
In trying to justify Don Iveson‘s stunning defeat of Mike Nickel in Ward 5 in the Monday, October 15, 2007 municipal elections, Edmonton Sun columnist Kerry Diotte has a new theory.
Instead of giving the much deserved credit to 16,848 Ward 5 voters who cast their ballots for Don Iveson, a strong candidate with a solid platform and very well-organized and dedicated volunteer campaign team, Diotte has declared that Mike Nickel was “short-changed by a vast left-wing conspiracy that was really behind his defeat.
It’s pretty clear that Diotte is short-changing the voters of Ward 5 with his Drudge-style internet conspiracy theories.
And after listening to Nickel’s only election night media comment before kicking the media out of his campaign office, it’s not hard to believe that he rubbed Ward 5 voters in the wrong way:
“At the end of the day, I’m going to go make some money, which I should’ve been doing for three years anyway.”
If there’s a support group for people like Diotte, I suggest he look for one, and invite Mike Nickel too.
From today’s Edmonton Journal…
Iveson’s name recognition campaign planned by skilled volunteers
Gordon Kent, With files from Francois Marchand, The Edmonton Journal
Published: 7:45 am
EDMONTON – The biggest upset in Edmonton ward politics this decade began at a February meeting where Don Iveson and five advisers began to map out his strategy for winning a seat on city council.Iveson, 28, had never sought public office and was running in Ward 5, where the seats were filled by high-profile incumbents Bryan Anderson and Mike Nickel.
But over the following few months, he and his informal communications team worked out the details about what material to put into the hands of voters, whether lawn signs were needed and the best ways to use the Internet.
As many of you who came out to the Blackdog to celebrate Don Iveson‘s campaign and victory in Ward 5 will attest, it was a rocking party. Now some of it is preserved on YouTube…
Don Iveson gives an interview following his election…
Don Iveson’s victory speech…
I’m live from the Don Iveson Campaign Party at the Underdog on Whyte Avenue!
8:15 p.m. – The Underdog is filled with Don Iveson supporters. A photographer from the Edmonton Journal is taking picture of me live-blogging as I write.
8:17 p.m. – The Edmonton Journal has a story with me taking on U of A Political Science Professor Jim Lightbody on incumbency re-election.
8:25 p.m. – Live results will soon be posted at Edmonton Election. U of A Students’ Union President Michael Janz is arguing about provincial lobbying with fellow students.
8:29 pm – First results rolling in: Ward 5: Don is in second place with 5 polls reporting…
COUNCILLOR – WARD 5 5 / 44 Polls Reported
Candidate Name # of Votes % of Votes
Bryan Kent Anderson 1264 33.19%
Don Iveson 1192 31.30%
Mike Nickel 1103 28.97%
Brent Michalyk 249 6.54%
There is cautious optimisim in the room as the mood is excited!
8:42 pm – After some computer difficulties, the Underdog is rocking as 17 polls are released in Ward 5:
COUNCILLOR – WARD 5 17 / 44 Polls Reported
Candidate Name # of Votes % of Votes
Bryan Kent Anderson 6540 33.61%
Don Iveson 6487 33.33%
Mike Nickel 5090 26.15%
Brent Michalyk 1344 6.91%
Don Iveson is in a solid second. Still a lot of polls to come in, but volunteers are pumped!
8:44 pm = Beers are flowing as the excitement fills the room. Cautious optimism, but major excitement. The room is now packed. Don Iveson and his wife Sarah Chan are milling with the campaign volunteers in the room.
8:45 pm – DON IVESON IS IN FIRST IN WARD 5!
COUNCILLOR – WARD 5 23 / 44 Polls Reported
Candidate Name # of Votes % of Votes
Don Iveson 9007 33.78%
Bryan Kent Anderson 8940 33.53%
Mike Nickel 6859 25.72%
Brent Michalyk 1860 6.98%
Half the polls reporting! The room continues to bounce. I’m taking another drink! Reporters cameras are going off in every direction. Half of the polls to come in, but this is exciting!
Mandel is cleaning house in the Mayors race. Eugene Plawiuk is here joining the fun!
8:51pm – Tight races in Ward 3, 4, and 6. Still tight in Ward 5, but there is something going on here. The room is now packed. A young excited crowd is filling the room.
8:53 pm – 29 polls reporting in Ward 5!
COUNCILLOR – WARD 5 29 / 44 Polls Reported
Candidate Name # of Votes % of Votes
Bryan Kent Anderson 11716 33.55%
Don Iveson 11563 33.11%
Mike Nickel 9238 26.46%
Brent Michalyk 2402 6.88%
Don is now in second to Anderson and Nickel is still trailing in Ward 5!
8:55 pm – Tight race between Chinwe Okelu, Chuck McKenna, and Amarjeet Sohi in Ward 6. Jane Batty, Ben Henderson, and Lewis Cardinal tight in Ward 4.
My good friend Anonymotron is talking on the phone with the wife next to me about Tony Caterina‘s strong placing in Ward 3.
Still close in Ward 5. The tension in the room is unbearable!
9:01pm – Campaign Manager Chris Henderson, Deputy CM Leanne Brown, and U of A SU VP External Steven Dollansky are closely watching the results. It’s exciting, but still some more polls to come in. It’s very hot in here.
I think Stephen Mandel might win.
Live-blogging is fun.
9:05 pm – It’s been a really long time since the last poll update. The room is booming. I just got another beer. Campaign partiers are crowded around the three or four laptops in the room. thank god for wireless.
9:07pm – The sweat is pouring off the roof of the Underdog. If you’re not busy tonight, come on down to the rocking Don Iveson party. Cautious optimism. Cautious optimism.
9:12 pm – New results – 41 out of 44 in Ward 5 – Bryan Anderson and Don Iveson in the lead. Nickel 1200 votes behind Iveson!
COUNCILLOR – WARD 5 41 / 44 Polls Reported
Candidate Name # of Votes % of Votes
Bryan Kent Anderson 16782 33.73%
Don Iveson 15821 31.80%
Mike Nickel 13773 27.68%
Brent Michalyk 3380 6.79%
The house is errupting. But still 3 polls left. It’s almost done! Can three polls make a big enough of a difference? We shall see. Reporters are crowding in the room. My good friend Don Iveson is doing very well. It’s up to those three last polls!!!
9:16 pm – I just spoke with a campaign volunteer from the Ben Hendsonson campaign in Ward 4, it’s a dog fight in Ward 4. Still waiting for the last three polls in Ward 5!
9:17pm – Councillor Bryan Anderson just called to congradulate Don Iveson. We’re moving to the Blackdog upstairs!
Liberal Leader Kevin Taft has joined the party! So has Tory candidate Raj Sherman!
9:23 pm – Where are those three polls!?!?!?
9:29 DON DON DON DON DON DONDONDONDONDON! It’s DONE Ward 5 has demanded better than their Nickel’s worth! Don Iveson is elected!
COUNCILLOR – WARD 5 44 / 44 Polls Reported
Candidate Name # of Votes % of Votes
Bryan Kent Anderson 17867 33.76%
Don Iveson 16848 31.84%
Mike Nickel 14597 27.58%
Brent Michalyk 3610 6.82%
Don Iveson has been elected. Brilliant. Congrats to all for their hard work.
I’m getting another beer.
Volunteers are pouring in and out of Don Iveson‘s campaign headquarters in Edmonton’s Ward 5.
Phones are ringing off the hook. The website is buzzing. Campaign volunteers are working hard to get the vote out. With an episode of the West Wing playing in the background, the Edmonton Journal has released a new story about voter turnout in Ward 5:
The biggest voter turnout today has been in Ward 5, where two incumbent councillors, Bryan Anderson and Mike Nickel, are facing a challenge from 28-year-old Don Iveson and one other candidate. Ward 5, in southwest Edmonton, traditionally has a high voter turnout; its population tends to be higher income and better educated.
Once the polls close at 8:00 p.m. tonight, updated results can be found at Elections Edmonton and CBC Edmonton.
And of course, I will be providing live commentary from the Don Iveson for Ward 5 Election Night Party at The Underdog.
Today is Election Day in Edmonton and it’s important that you get out and vote!
See my previous post for more information on what you need to do in order to and where you need to go to vote!
Also, I encourage voters in Ward 5 to join me in supporting Don Iveson to become one of Ward 5’s two City Councillors.
Don’s ideas for Edmonton and Ward 5 will bring a much needed new perspective to Edmonton’s City Council.
Don has run a substance-based campaign focused around the three principles of Efficiency, Environmental Responsibility, and Vibrant Communities – and more on his campaign website.
Don has also released a number of YouTube videos focusing on Smarter Urban Planning, Public Transit, Affordable Housing, and Community Consultation.
Edmonton’s Jam Union has also released a great podcast interview with Don.
As mentioned previously, I will be live-blogging commentary and election results from the Don Iveson campaign party at the Underdog on Whyte Avenue after the polls close at 8:00 p.m.
UPDATE: I’ve voted!
On Thursday, October 11, I joined Ward 5 City Council candidate Don Iveson and volunteers for an afternoon and evening of campaigning. Here’s my story of the day:
12:30 p.m. Don Iveson and his Deputy Campaign Manager Leanne Brown pop by my house to pick me up.
12:45 p.m. We start doorknocking in the Belgravia neighbourhood. As a first time candidate, I was surprised at the amount of positive support Don got at the doors. The big issues I heard of at the doors with Don were transportation, and the sorry state of our roads and planning in Edmonton.
It also wasn’t uncommon to hear complaints about the demon dialing ways of another Ward 5 candidate.
We also got eight lawn sign requests in less than an hour in Belgravia. Go team!
1:50 p.m. Don, Leanne, and I head off to the Queen Alexandra Seniors Lodge in the Queen Alexandra neighbourhood.
Don spoke to a group of about 40 seniors and covered a wide range of issues. Following Don’s introductions, the residents had a chance to ask Don questions about his platform and what his stances as a City Councillor for Ward 5 would be.
Questions ranged from snow removal, the labour shortage, the difficulty of keeping up with Alberta’s and Edmonton’s growth, roads and potholes, sidewalk maintenance, and the state of infrastructure in Edmonton’s mature neighbourhoods (such as Queen Alexandra).
Don’s was also able to cover issues spanning from smarter planning, public transit, road maintenance, education, and fair taxation.
As we were leaving the Seniors Lodge, one of the residents leaned over to Don, thanked him for speaking to the residents, and told Don that he “had learned more about Edmonton in the one hour talking with Don than he had in the past 10 years.” Touching and powerful.
3:10 p.m. Leave the Queen Alexandra Seniors Lodge and hard off towards Riverbend!
3:30 p.m. – We stop to have a quick lunch at the Fresh Start Cafe in Riverbend neighbourhood. I had a great roast beef sandwich with a tomato soup (not really relavent to this story, but good none the less).
While at Fresh Start, we meet up with Dr. Rob Agostinis, President of the Terwilliger-Riverbend Advisory Council, who joins us for some doorknocking in Riverbend.
3:45 p.m. After a quick lunch, Don, Leanne, Dr. Agostinis, and I head off to Riverbend to do some doorknocking!
Some big issues at the doors in Riverbend include transportation, I hear something at the doors that sticks in my head:
“there is a great willingness to take public transit, if service was improved and made more convenient for the residents in Riverbend.“
I also canvass a surprising amount of families who will be voting for Don Iveson and Mike Nickel. An interesting mix. There seems to be quite a bit of hostility towards Ward Five’s other City Councillor, Bryan Anderson, in this neighbourhood.
I also sense some strong support for Edmonton Public School Board candidate Catherine Ripley in this area.
7:10 p.m. Now that the sun has set, I join Don and his team as we depart Riverbend, pick up another volunteer, and head to downtown Edmonton to listen to an urban development lecture at the Citadel Theatre. The lecture was part of the Edmonton 2007 Cultural Capital of Canada program delivered by Dr. Roberta Brandes-Gratz.
Dr. Brandes-Gratz is an award-winning journalist and urban critic, lecturer and author of The Living City: Thinking Small in a Big Way, and Cities Back from the Edge: New Life for Downtown. She is an international lecturer on urban development issues and former reporter for the New York Post.
It was a very interesting lecture (and really makes me wish I studied Urban Planning, rather than Political Science). Dr. Brandes-Gratz had some great quotes, here are some I remember:
“Urbanism cannout exist with out the layers of history.”
“Density is not a problem, overcrowding is.”
“Urbanism does not exist with out denisity, density breeds diversity, diversity defines a city.”
“Lively diverse cities contain the seeds of their own rejuvination.”
As much of Don’s campaign has centered around vibrant communities and efficiency, this lecture was particularly fitting.
While filing out after the talk, we bumped into former City Councillor Gene Dub who wished Don good luck in the final days of his campaign (Dub has also endorsed Don).
9:00 p.m. After Dr. Brandes-Gratz’s lecture, we joined fellow audience members and delegates of a national urban planning conference at a reception hosted by the Edmonton Arts Council
While at the reception (and enjoying the complementary wine and brilliant goat cheese), we were joined by retiring Ward 3 City Councillor Janice Melnychuk. Though the conversation began as a review of the talk, it soon turned to discussion about the final days of campaign.
9:45 p.m. Leaving the Citadel Theatre reception, I continue to tag along with Don and team as we head back to headquarters (not headquaters) in the Malmo Plains neighbourhood, but not before we pick up some pizza, and drive through Belgravia to put up some of those lawn signs that were requested earlier that day.
10:30 p.m. We arrive back at the campaign headquarters after a long and hard day of campaigning. We open up and the pizza and start the daily debrief and small talk.
It was a good day, but with only a hand full of days left in the 2007 Edmonton Municipal campaign, the final push over the weekend is what will make the difference on Monday, October 15, 2007.
In what should have been an easy re-election of two incumbents, the 2007 election in Ward 5 has ended up as a three-way race.
The main challenger to the two incumbents is Don Iveson (who I am proud to call a friend).
Running on the message of Smart Sustainable Growth for Ward 5, Don Iveson is easily the strongest and most energetic candidate running in in this Ward. As the underdog of the race, Don Iveson’s team has relied on volunteer power rather than the expensive American-style demon dialing of one of the incumbents.
With a solid platform centered around the principles of efficiency, environmental responsibility, and vibrant communities, the residents of Ward 5 and the City of Edmonton would be well-served by the fresh voice and ideas that Don Iveson would bring to the next City Council.
Since the beginning of the campaign, Don Iveson has gained the support of some of Edmonton’s strongest advocates including retiring City Councillors Michael Phair and Janice Melnychuk, former MLA Don Massey, Edmonton-Strathcona MLA Raj Pannu, and former City Councillors Larry Langley and Gene Dub.
Incumbent Councillor Bryan Anderson, whom I consider an “inoffensive” candidate has served on City Council since 1995 and though he has been a lower profile Councillor, has been a strong constituency worker. Much like Dave Theile in Ward 6, Anderson should beware of voters starting to think that he’s been around for too long.
Incumbent Mike Nickel (aka Mr. Demon Dialer), who was first elected in 2004 after failing to be elected Mayor in 1998 and 2001, is widely believed to be running re-election in order to set himself up for a 2010 Mayoral campaign. Part of Nickel ’10 includes the Nickel campaign’s fronting of pro-Nickel candidates in other Wards (Tony Caterina in Ward 3, Debbie Yeung in Ward 4, and Chuck McKenna in Ward 6).
Nickel, who, along with Mayoral candidate Bill Whatcott, is a fan of Ted Morton, proudly supported Morton in the 2006 Tory leadership selection over local-boy and moderate conservative, Edmonton-Whitemud MLA Dave Hancock.
Though Nickel has a reputation as an opponent towards any City involvement that does not include bare bones core services (such as his strident opposition to the Universal Bus Pass for University of Alberta and Grant MacEwan College students) he should be respected for standing firm and actually believing in his Ronald Reaganesq-vaules. That said, it’s 2007 and the Reagan-era ended in 1988.
With serious transportation and urban sprawl issues facing Ward 5 now and in the immediate future, it’s important that Edmontonians in Ward 5 look carefully at these candidates and support the candidates who will fight for smart growth in Ward 5.
2007 Candidates
Bryan Anderson
Don Iveson
Mike Nickel
Brent Michalyk
2004 Election Results
Bryan Anderson – 19,650
Mike Nickel – 16,803
Donna Finucane – 15,123
Al Slemko – 6,576
Ian Crawford – 5,307
Jung-Suk Ryu – 3,817
Katie Oppen – 2,029
Adil Pirbhai – 533
Facebook Race
Don Iveson for Ward 5 City Councillor – 366 members
Don Iveson has received another round of endorsements in his campaign to represent Ward 5 on Edmonton City Council.
Recent endorsements include:
– Larry Langley (Ward 5 Councillor, 1995-2004)
– Janice Melnychuk (Ward 3 Councillor 2001-2007)
– Dr. Gary McPherson (Former PC leadership candidate)
– Gene Dub (Architect, Ward 2 Councillor 1977-1980)
Earlier endorsements included:
– Michael Phair (Ward 4 Councillor, 1992-2007)
– Dr. Don Massey (Alberta Liberal MLA Edmonton-Mill Woods, 1993-2004)
– Dr. Raj Pannu (New Democrat MLA Edmonton-Strathcona, 1997-present)
– Ellen Shoeck (Author of I was there, an alumni history of the University of Alberta)
– Alex Khan (President, Malmo Plains Community League)
– Dr. Don Carmichael (University of Alberta Political Science Professor)
In the spirit of my last post, here are four youtube videos that Ward 5 City Council candidate Don Iveson has released. In them, Don Iveson talks about some of the key issues facing Ward 5.
Some thoughts for Monday morning…
– CBC Edmonton has launched an Edmonton Votes 2007 website. I will have the pleasure of blogging for the CBC site starting tomorrow, so make sure to check it out.
– Connect2Edmonton is getting a bit of media attention which is good for the forum. Post your questions to municipal candidates in the forums – some candidates are responding.
– The Edmonton Journal’s Scott McKeen has a fun column today about the ‘Door knocking-Diet.’
– The St. Albert Gazette has some interesting stories on the Mayoral and Aldermanic races going on in the city just north of Edmonton.
– I spent a good chunk of my weekend campaigning for Don Iveson in Ward 5. I feel good about the positive response we received while we were out on Saturday doorknocking with Edmonton-Rutherford MLA Rick Miller.
