Dear Brentwoodians,
Municipal Elections
The recent municipal elections have resulted in a very new-looking city council – congratulations to Mayor Jeromy Farkas and Ward 4 Councillor DJ Kelly. We look forward to a productive, collaborative, and attentive council session!
Unfortunately, voting day was marked by long delays, as officials completed additional paperwork in compliance with new provincial rules – supposedly intended to avert voter fraud even though there is zero evidence that this has been a problem anywhere in Alberta. Let’s hope the provincial government hears the frustrations of Calgarians and other Albertans and acts to make voting more convenient and accessible.
The delays were compounded by Elections Calgary’s bizarre decision to open polls at 10:00 am on election day, thus making it impossible for people to vote on their way to work. These people instead added to the evening queues, and some may not have been able to make it to a polling station at all. The result of these two factors was a 7% drop in voter turnout, down to a disappointing 39% of eligible voters. Hopefully this will be addressed by the next election, because the more people that participate in our democratic processes, the stronger we are as a city, province, and country.
Holidays
For many Brentwoodians, December is a time of religious and/or cultural celebrations. We seek cheer, music, and light at the darkest time of year in order to brighten our spirits and get us through the cold winter. But for many people in our community, holidays can be a time of sadness and isolation, a reminder of economic struggles or of loved ones lost. The BCA and Brentwood Cares do so much work to help people in our neighbourhood and beyond, so please consider supporting the Little Free Food Library and their other initiatives to support and build community. If you do not already receive their newsletter, please contact Cam Howey at [email protected] to sign up and see how you can participate.
Click here to the Brentwood Community News home page for the latest Brentwood community updates.
