The next city council could be asked to return fluoride to the city’s water supply. What is your position on this?

I would not preside over a divided city or take sides.

I will be the “information mayor”, providing all necessary data and information, in order for the voters to make intelligent and informed decisions.

I am not a politician, and I am not backed by a specific donor or any special interest group. Therefore, I will work, and fight for all Calgarians – equally.

Occupation:

Management consultant, specialized in people and projects management

Political/volunteer experience:

I ran in 2017 for mayor. Very well knowledgeable of city operation and the deficiencies. Volunteered and supported the Kidney Foundation, Mental Health, Women in Politics and Calgary Police. With my degree and knowledge in civil engineering, I presented a Comprehensive Solution for Flood Mitigation and Water Conservation.

What is your motivation for seeking a seat on city council?

I came to Canada with just $200 in his pocket, escaping corruption and persecution.

By now, I have fulfilled my dreams. *There is a time to receive, and a time to give.*

I am not a politician, and I am not backed by a specific donor or any special interest group. Therefore, I will work, and fight for all Calgarians – equally.

I have more than 20 years of diverse experience in the management of people and projects.

Also, I have a degree in management from the University of Calgary, Department of Civil Engineering with a specialization in Project Management.

I have a successful management consulting practice, working with firms and managers to assist in developing their business models and improving effectiveness and efficiency.

This combination of knowledge experience and leadership has prepared me to be a good fit to lead and manage a growing city like Calgary.

Describe your leadership style:

Leadership by example:

MY COMMITMENTS:
* Term limits – two terms.
* Leadership by example – Salary rollback. I have decided to take a 35 per cent roll back to demonstrate solidarity with the struggling taxpayers.

Chairing the council: I will implement a modern management structure that will give a more active role to community associations. This system requires councillors to conduct sufficient town hall meetings and use all available technologies to inform, educate and democratically represent the prevailing wishes of their communities.

City Departments: Modernizing the function of city hall through a process of integration among departments to eliminate duplication and generate true efficiency leading to:

– Fast and strong economic recovery.
– reducing and stabilizing taxes.
– Diversifying our economy with green options and improving quality of life for everyone and protect the environment.

In return:
– No-layoff at City Hall, (re-training/re-assigning).
– Offering retirement packages to senior managers in some departments and injecting a “new blood” from within.

What do you consider the single most important issue facing Calgarians, and what should be done about it?

Based on my knowledge and my understanding of how our city hall works, and what I have been hearing from thousands of Calgarians over many years, the No.1 issue, particularly during the period before the election day, is what I call, “The 15+”, i.e., finding honest, sincere and qualified people to form the members of the city council (15).

If we can succeed in finding candidates with a sincere desire to serve (not just after a career, (+ pleasing donors or “vested interest groups)”, then, more than half of our problems would have been already solved.

For this purpose, I designed a page on my website, called: The Smart 5 principles to help voters screening candidates.

What are the three most important issues in your ward, and how would you address them?

1- I will mobilize all resources and apply innovative ideas to help out victims of the pandemic, as well as ending homelessness.

2- Working on ending the ugly division and racism. Having more peace, harmony, safety and security in our city. My plan of action regarding human issues is guided by the philosophy:
Embracing Diversity, Supporting Fairness and Equity, and Welcoming Inclusion.

3- I will be using my extensive experience in modern management, with the help of a set of skills and tools to generate significant efficiency, cut waste, boost and diversify our local economy, in order to generate new jobs and new revenue.

Do you support the city’s downtown revitalization strategy? Where should funding and programs be focused?

My master plan to revive our local economy and inelegantly allocate taxpayers’ money, has the main focus on:

– Rolling tax assessment into a three-year cycle to provide a sense of stability to business and property owners, and save time and money on appealing the assessments.

– Studying and discussing the option of using the purchase price value as a base for the assessment.

Generating more revenue

1- Focusing on helping home-based businesses, start-ups, small and medium-size businesses, by:

2- Simplifying the rules and creating efficiency at city hall through multiple actions, including departments’ consolidation to produce true efficiency,

3- Incentive: The UCP’s Bill 7, introduced in June, allows municipalities to offer tax breaks and incentives for specific classes of businesses, or an industry as a whole, for up to 15 years.

(No promise of “tax freeze” for the next four years. it’s a false promise that can be broken if circumstances changed, and there is no guarantee that enough councillors will support this idea).

What innovative project or job creation measure can you propose to aid Calgary’s post-COVID economic recovery?

I will champion the building of the high-speed train between Calgary and Edmonton linking the city centres with connections to the two international airports. It will contribute to reduced emissions, congestion, accidents and pollution. (It can be fully and privately funded). Providing many more jobs than what the current Green Line can offer.

My blueprint for the future way we live, work and travel will include:

– Firstly, enhancement of the current design of the Green Line to make it more expandable, faster and affordable, using a system like spokes on a wheel by taking advantage of our ring road. A combination of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) (a grid net) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) service.

– Secondly, allocation of strategic locations for charging stations, due to the increased popularity and move to electric vehicles.

The Arena Deal:

A new win-win deal – Taxpayers’ contribution = 0.0

There were councillors in favour of reopening this deal.

Details are on my website: Page: Emile’s position on our issues.

What should city council do to keep young adults from leaving Calgary?

One of the most important lessons I have learned working with our young generation is that the most important issues for them include:

– Affordable housing.
– Fast, affordable and efficient transportation.
– Less red tape.
– Help for well-developed startup concepts, providing: Incentives, tax credits, tax breaks, or lean leases on city lands for a period.

I believe that the student and millennial generations are our future’s most valuable assets and their needs to succeed is an urgent part of my plan.

I have the right management knowledge and experience to be able to provide the right environment for young adults to succeed and stay. See my plan for our local economy and the youth on my website.

* All candidate Q&As have been edited for clarity and brevity. 


*Original article online at https://calgaryherald.com/news/emile-gabriel-calgary-mayoral-candidate