Jeromy Farkas addresses Calgary at Old City Hall
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Words per Minute
151.92651
Summary
Learn English with Jason Kenney. Mayor-elect Shana Gray delivers a victory speech on the traditional lands of the Blackfoot Confederacy, the Siksika, Kainai, and Pikani Nations, along with the Satina, the Stoney Nakoda Nations, and the Nettis people of Districts 5 and 6.
Transcript
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Well, good afternoon Calgary. It is so great to be here with you. I see a lot of folks
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who are in our HQ last night as we were seeing the returns come in real late. I hope that a
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good amount of you got a good chunk of sleep. Before we begin, I want to acknowledge that we
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gather today on the traditional lands of the Blackfoot Confederacy, the Siksika, Kainai,
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and Pikani, along with the Satina, the Stoney Nakoda Nations, and the Nétis people of Districts
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5 and 6. This place, Malkinstas, has always been a home for community and connection and today
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we proudly continue that tradition. So last night was so unexpected that with the results not coming
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back, I didn't get the chance to share the speech that I'd hoped to be able to deliver. So if all of
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you here today wouldn't mind indulging me in that, I'd like to be able to share that now as Calgary's
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mayor-elect. Well, we did it Calgary. We did this together. This victory doesn't belong to me. It
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belongs to every volunteer, every donor, every Calgarian who believed that politics could be
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about service, hope, and ideas that unite. To my incredible team and so many others, thank you. I look
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forward to thanking you in the days and weeks ahead. To your families and to mine, thank you for your
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patience, your love, and your strength. And to every candidate who stepped forward, thank you for caring
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enough to put your ideas into action. Calgary is better because of your courage. A short while ago,
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I was able to speak with Mayor Gondek to thank her for her years of service to our city.
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She's given so much to Calgary and I look forward to building on that work. And at the end of the day,
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we all love this city and that's what unites us. Today, I'm so proud to be here because I'm so proud
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of what we've accomplished together. Together, we shared a positive, optimistic vision for our city,
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one where welcoming our two Marriott residents isn't a burden, but instead Calgary's greatest
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opportunity. A vision where Calgary is the safest, most affordable, most welcoming city in Canada.
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And we did this thoughtfully, authentically, and together, listening to Calgarians from every walk
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of life to make sure that what we put forward reflected their vision too. This is the kind of
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city that we want, and this is the kind of city that we will be. Yesterday, Calgarians spoke loud and
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clear. You've chosen safe streets for our kids. You've chosen jobs that we can count on. You've chosen
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housing that we can afford. You've chosen optimism over cynicism. You've chosen community over division.
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And you've voted to reject party politics at City Hall. You've said to us that it's time to work together,
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not as adversaries, but as neighbours. You've chosen a city ready to lead, not just the heart of Alberta,
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but at the centre of a strong and united Team Canada. Because when Calgary thrives, Alberta thrives.
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Canada thrives. When Calgary builds, when Calgary innovates, when Calgary leads, our whole province
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and our whole country grows stronger. That's the Calgary spirit. Bold, generous, and always forward-looking.
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Ten years from now, I see a Calgary that has grown in our impact, in our leadership, and in our confidence.
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I see neighbourhoods where families can afford to live, where young people can buy or rent their
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first homes without leaving the city, and where seniors can age in place with dignity. I see a city
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where taxpayer money is respected, where every tax dollar is treated as hard-earned, where budgets are
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transparent, and where spending is focused on the essentials that matter most to Calgarians. I see
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a city where safe streets and thriving public spaces make it easier to come together, where the energy of
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markets, festivals, and neighbourhood gatherings is part of daily life. I see transportation that works,
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efficient, reliable, and built with future growth in mind, so that no matter where you live,
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you can get to school, work, or play without the stress of congestion. I see a city where leadership
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has rebuilt trust, where decisions are transparent, where city councillors and the mayor work as a team,
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and where City Hall serves the people, not the other way around. I see Calgary as a jobs hub for the
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country in the next decade, where energy fuels innovation, where tech and creative industries are
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thriving, and their small businesses frame the backbone of a resilient economy. And above all, above all,
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I see a Calgary that has not lost its heart. A city that is generous, welcoming, and proud. A city where
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mentorship, community, and hard work ensure every Calgarian has a path forward. That's the Calgary we will
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build together. Starting today. Starting today, I'll begin the work of bringing this new City Council
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together. United, focused, and ready to serve. Because we all want the same things. Safety, affordability,
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opportunity. Those aren't left-wing ideas or right-wing ideas. They're Calgary ideas. At City Hall, there's no
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left, no left, no right, only forward, only together. So to every single Calgarian, my promise to you is
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simple. I will listen first, I will lead with integrity, and I will never forget who I work for.
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You, the people of Calgary. There's one person that I didn't have the opportunity to thank.
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My Granny Liz. She was the first one who first got me into public service, volunteering with our local
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community association. She taught me that when you serve, you belong to something bigger than yourself.
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And she'd be so proud of us today. Not just of me, but all of all of us. Because together, we've built
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something stronger. A movement for a better Calgary. And now to every Calgarian, whether you voted for me or
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not, I will be your Mayor. I will work alongside you, listen to you, and stand up for you every single day.
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This is our moment, Calgary. Our city is growing, our people are ready, and our future is bright.
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So thank you for your trust, your belief, and your hard work. To all of our neighbours celebrating,
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I wish you a happy Duvali and Bandar Chor Divas. From Dover to downtown, from Shaughnessy to Saddle Ridge,
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from Crescent Heights East to Mackenzie Town, from Tuscany to Pembroke Meadows, from every single corner
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of our great city. Thank you, Calgary. Thank you, Mayor Gondek, for your service. And I look forward to the
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Mayor-elect Jeremy Farkas addressed the media today for the first time following the civic election on
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Monday night. In his speech, he talked about repealing blankets, rezoning, the need and necessity of
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working very closely with council, as well as developing clear lines of communication between
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the provincial and the federal governments. One thing that came up that is very, very important at
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this point in time, is there still could be a recount. Calgary's CAO David Duckworth is working on the
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details on that. It could be for all of the city or certain areas of the city, according to Jeremy.
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So that's what we're waiting for. That's the big news that will seal all of this. But as it is,
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Jeremy Farkas is certainly acting like the mayor. Mike Thomas, Western Standard.