

Getting up before 6am this morning was tough but I was told to arrive at the CityTV Breakfast TV (BT) studio by 6:45am. Yes, I was nervous but also a bit excited to be on BT this morning, just one day after the now unfortunate Barb Higgins vs. Mike McCourt on BT.
Before I showed up this morning to ask my question, as any responsible Calgarians would have done in my position, I did my best to read up on the views and news of the candidates. I even attended my first mayoral forum at Southcentre (speech & debate videos) to see and meet the candidates in person.
Pre-show
It was nice to mingle and chat with Mr. Ric McIver a little before the show started. During a free moment, Ric and I picked up today’s newspapers to read. Not surprisingly, Ric was reading Calgary Sun‘s unflattering frontpage photo of and headline story about Barb Higgins. And I ended up reading the more balanced, in my opinion, Calgary Herald.
The CityTV Breakfast TV show
BT started at 7am with the hosts chatting with Ric. And a few minutes later, we were ushered into the live recording studio. The show co-host Zain and crew were really nice in explaining to us where we should stand, when we ask our questions, and where should we stand after we ask our questions, etc.
I was a bit nervous as my question to Ric was the first one this morning. I thought carefully of what concerns me most and asked the following question. I don’t know if I captured my concerns fully but I did my best.
Mr. McIver, with your reputation as “Dr. No“ and your declaration that you can work with “HALF of the council”, how do you convince me and other undecided voters, you are not a “bull in a china shop” and can work with every aldermen for ALL Calgarians?
To me, whether Mr. McIver has the abilities to lead (not dictate) and work cooperatively with the full council is very important. Tactically getting the required seven votes plus his vote to pass motions and consistently ignoring other aldermen’s (and people in their wards) concerns are totally unacceptable to me.
Here is a video of Ric‘s respond to my question and other Q&As.
Mike McCourt
Mike McCourt, as expected, asked Ric some tough questions this morning (video). But most important to me, Mike did not cross the line this morning. The line that Mike has crossed in Barb Higgins vs. Mike McCourt.
Asking tough and insightful questions about policies, voting records, etc are fine and are marks of good journalists. Attacking someone in his/her face can be tough to decide its ill/good but at least the person is in the room to defend himself/herself. But attacking and insulting a volunteer NOT in the room as “screwup” and repeating the insult again today are unacceptable and actions unbecoming of someone calling himself/herself “journalist”.
Sitting at the anchor/interviewer desk, Mike needs to know the difference between attacking policies/issues and personal attack and insult.
I hope I’ve demonstrated what I demand from a good journalist in the above critique of Mike’s action yesterday. My critique is with respect to what Mike did, and not meant to insult Mike as a person. To Mike’s close friends and relatives, he may be a very nice person as I don’t have the pleasure to get to know Mike yet.
Call me old school, I like the “old days” when advocates from opposing sides can debate and argue to their best abilities but are able to go out for a beer/coffee/tea after the heated exchange. These kind of “gentlemanly” conduct seems to be sadly missing these days.
My thoughts and the democratic process
Sure, getting up before 6am to go downtown isn’t that fun but I feel it is very important to do my part to participate in the democratic process by asking Mr. Ric McIver a question that concerns me as an undecided voter in this tight mayoral election of 2010.
I hope my fellow Calgarians will take time to to read up on the candidates’ views, policies, and even watch their election ads (warning: these are ads after all (smile)) to get to know them better. In this tight three-way election, it may not be easy to find the “best” candidate, but
after using our heads to think and weight the policies, views, facts, etc.
and consulting our hearts and trusting our own intuitions of who is best suited to lead our city,
lets cast our sacred votes and select a mayor on Monday Oct 18th.
P.S. This morning was cool but not cold. As I finish this article, the city is now covered in snow. I hope with the arrival of this dump of snow, Calgary voters will have cooler heads when we go to vote on Monday Oct 18th. If the recent polls are any good, we will have a tight mayoral race. (Watch BT mayoral candidates segments online)
After the election, I hope the supporters of all the candidates can work together to make Calgary a better city that we can all be proud of. Remember to hold our politicians accountable. Call them up. Write letters. Tweet. Facebook. Just hold them accountable.
P.P.S. I want to thank all mayoral and alderman candidates who run in this election. It is not easy to be under constant scrutiny, questions, and challenges. To me, having multiple candidates running and competing with their ideas, policies, and solutions in an election is the only way to ensure the functioning of our democratic process, otherwise the process will fail miserably.
May whoever become mayor on Monday Oct 18th has the wisdom and abilities to work hard for all Calgarians, not just the people who supported them in this tight election.
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