Opinion: Can Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek overcome her terrible election?

A recall petition to Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek features a chinook snowball. More than 500,000 signatures are needed from Calgary voters to reduce his term. It is doubtful that the applicant, businessman Landon Johnston, will meet the deadline by April 4.

But the rare recall petition is testament to Ms. Gondek's plight. A little more than two years after making history as Calgary's first female mayor, her approval numbers have fallen to record lows.

“It's terrifying,” said Mark Henry, founder of ThinkHQ Public Affairs, who served as chief of staff to former Mayor Dave Bronconnier for a decade. In December, Mr. Henry released a poll that found Ms. Gondek had a 30 per cent approval rating and 61 per cent of Calgarians disapproved of her leadership. “Every municipal election in Calgary, we've never seen such a low turnout for mayor,” he said.

Ms. Gondek is facing many Calgary-specific protests, including a 7.8 per cent housing tax hike. He said people were upset about the price of everything and that anger was carried over to the polls. But it's also part of a broader push against progressive or left-of-center politicians as the public views climate initiatives through their cost burden. This sentiment is both real and accepted, and of course, it is fueled by conservatives.

In an interview with The Globe, Ms. Gondek would not say whether she would seek a second term. He says focusing on campaigning now is hurting voters, and he wants to focus on public safety, transit and housing in one of Canada's fastest-growing big cities. But with the next municipal election less than two years away, questions are rife about his ability to retain power.

The survey conducted in early December is very difficult. But Mr. Henry noted that he did not fully understand the response to these recent developments, such as Ms. Gondek's decision to publicly refuse to attend the city's annual menorah lighting ceremony, explaining that the event had been “repositioned as an event. Support Israel.”

He said the hardest choice he's made as mayor has been described by the Jewish Federation of Calgary and Chabad Lubavitch of Alberta as difficult. “I acknowledge that I caused pain by making the decision I made,” he said this week. But what will happen to our collective commitment to a multi-faith society if every major city mayor rejects such measures?

Earlier this month, a new single-use law came into effect aimed at reducing waste. With housing and food costs rising, as well as municipal taxes, the 15-cent fee for paper bags was too much for some people. Last week, the City Council voted to begin the repeal process. Prime Minister Daniel Smith has voiced his political opposition to the law (“I've heard of revolts at some restaurants on wing night because you have to ask if people want napkins,” he said), helping Steamroll board members. annulment, including Mrs. Gondek.

There are also serious issues with housing, including planned high-rise development near an affluent enclave and the elimination of single-family zoning to increase housing stock.

“The mayor and council are already very unpopular in the designated areas,” added Mr. Henry, whose polls give a tougher rating to Ms. Gondek among men, as well as among voters over 55 and households earning more than $125,000 a year.

It was not an easy term for Ms. Gondek. He was subjected to the worst kind of threats and warnings. People came to his house, and one – in a real link Navel father – he left the horse's head on his way. There are also sexist themes: she recently had someone tell her that climate activists were able to get into her underwear.

He puts this negative attitude bluntly: “They feel you're an object, not a person, and that you're somehow their property because you're an elected official.”

Mrs. Gondek steps back. He said that he was inspired by the problems of his city and province. He has joined protesters against the province's new policy on trans youth and athletes, which he says is the worst form of overreach and abuse, not the policy he is pursuing.

“You look at a small portion of the population and think no one cares,” the mayor said.

For his part, the Alberta premier believes public opinion is on his side. Whether Ms. Gondek has the support to pursue politics as she sees fit is an open question.