The City of Calgary has confirmed what was previously reported by The Western Standard on Friday — the ubiquitous ‘Recall Gondek’ signs sprouting up on local streets like crocuses in spring are being dug up for what it says are bylaw infractions.Late Friday, the city invoked the Temporary Signs on Highways Bylaw, 29M97, citing their size and locations as justification. Further violations will result in fines and possible charges, it added.“We are aware of a number of signs placed by Project YYC that are not in compliance with the bylaw due to size or location and have either been removed or will be scheduled for removal as they are reported as part of our standard processes,” the statement read.The signs — some of which have been vandalized — were paid for by a hitherto unknown group called Project YYC..“I never put them out myself. So I mean, if they are in the wrong spot, they should be moved,”Landon Johnston.On Friday, it put out a statement admonishing city bureaucrats and the Mayor’s Office for using bullying tactics to stifle dissent.“It’s disappointing but not surprising that Mayor Gondek is now using the strong arm of city authority to intimidate petition gatherers and now, just twelve days before the end of the campaign, to order the removal of the campaign signs lawfully erected across Calgary,” stated John Williams, a self-described Project YYC director — who is also the campaign funding chair for the UCP and Conservative Party of Canada outreach, as per disclosure documents.In an interview, Williams said the signs would be perfectly legal under the Elections Act in a typical municipal campaign. Instead, they’re alleging it’s illegal ‘advertising’.“That’s what this is, a campaign,” he said. “There's a lot of ambiguity whether these are legally placed or not signs and we stand on the ground firmly that we're in the middle of a campaign to recall Mayor Gondek right now.”It caps off a flurry of developments late Friday afternoon that saw campaign organizer Landon Johnston meet with Gondek in her offices at City Hall. Although the meeting went well, in an impromptu media scrum afterwards, Johnston said he was “disappointed” she didn’t resign.Although Johnston has been accused of providing a front for various politically motivated groups looking to establish a party system at the municipal level — including unknown, anonymous UCP infiltrators — Johnston denied any formal affiliation with any number of groups including Project YYC collecting signatures on his behalf.That includes the prolific signage in question.“I never put them out myself. So I mean, if they are in the wrong spot, they should be moved,” he said. “The mayor, I told her I wasn’t involved in that.”.“While she and I may not agree on policies, I think we share a desire to do good things for Calgary. And that’s why I agreed to sit down with him today.”Mayor Jyoti Gondek .The mayor put out a statement afterwards saying that she believed Johnston when he says he isn’t a partisan operative. “Let me start by saying I understand many people who signed the petition are real people, not involved in a larger political play, just regular people concerned for the future of our city. I believe Landon Johnston is one of those people,” she said. “While he and I may not agree on policies, I think we share a desire to do good things for Calgary. And that’s why I agreed to sit down with him today.”The theory — or conspiracy — being floated by Gondek supporters is that Johnston is a front for anonymous activists looking to form a potential municipal party after Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she supports legislation allowing them.Under their narrative, groups such as Project YYC are looking to mine data gained from the petition — which is reportedly nearing 100,000 signatures — to form potential future membership lists and candidates to run in the 2025 civic elections.According to the CBC, various members are allegedly paid, full-time staff working 50 to 60 hours per week on the campaign.Johnston said the theory is a non-starter, because the only ones who will have access to the names once it is submitted is Elections Alberta and Municipal Affairs Minister Rick McIver.“The only disclosure of the signatures is to the chief administrative officer and their agents. No one else is going to see who voted for this. It says right on the form when you sign it, nothing will be disclosed to anybody other than the chief administrator, including myself. When I count these, I'm counting the witness I'm not counting who signed it. Project YYC is not having any look at who signed the any of the signatures.”
The City of Calgary has confirmed what was previously reported by The Western Standard on Friday — the ubiquitous ‘Recall Gondek’ signs sprouting up on local streets like crocuses in spring are being dug up for what it says are bylaw infractions.Late Friday, the city invoked the Temporary Signs on Highways Bylaw, 29M97, citing their size and locations as justification. Further violations will result in fines and possible charges, it added.“We are aware of a number of signs placed by Project YYC that are not in compliance with the bylaw due to size or location and have either been removed or will be scheduled for removal as they are reported as part of our standard processes,” the statement read.The signs — some of which have been vandalized — were paid for by a hitherto unknown group called Project YYC..“I never put them out myself. So I mean, if they are in the wrong spot, they should be moved,”Landon Johnston.On Friday, it put out a statement admonishing city bureaucrats and the Mayor’s Office for using bullying tactics to stifle dissent.“It’s disappointing but not surprising that Mayor Gondek is now using the strong arm of city authority to intimidate petition gatherers and now, just twelve days before the end of the campaign, to order the removal of the campaign signs lawfully erected across Calgary,” stated John Williams, a self-described Project YYC director — who is also the campaign funding chair for the UCP and Conservative Party of Canada outreach, as per disclosure documents.In an interview, Williams said the signs would be perfectly legal under the Elections Act in a typical municipal campaign. Instead, they’re alleging it’s illegal ‘advertising’.“That’s what this is, a campaign,” he said. “There's a lot of ambiguity whether these are legally placed or not signs and we stand on the ground firmly that we're in the middle of a campaign to recall Mayor Gondek right now.”It caps off a flurry of developments late Friday afternoon that saw campaign organizer Landon Johnston meet with Gondek in her offices at City Hall. Although the meeting went well, in an impromptu media scrum afterwards, Johnston said he was “disappointed” she didn’t resign.Although Johnston has been accused of providing a front for various politically motivated groups looking to establish a party system at the municipal level — including unknown, anonymous UCP infiltrators — Johnston denied any formal affiliation with any number of groups including Project YYC collecting signatures on his behalf.That includes the prolific signage in question.“I never put them out myself. So I mean, if they are in the wrong spot, they should be moved,” he said. “The mayor, I told her I wasn’t involved in that.”.“While she and I may not agree on policies, I think we share a desire to do good things for Calgary. And that’s why I agreed to sit down with him today.”Mayor Jyoti Gondek .The mayor put out a statement afterwards saying that she believed Johnston when he says he isn’t a partisan operative. “Let me start by saying I understand many people who signed the petition are real people, not involved in a larger political play, just regular people concerned for the future of our city. I believe Landon Johnston is one of those people,” she said. “While he and I may not agree on policies, I think we share a desire to do good things for Calgary. And that’s why I agreed to sit down with him today.”The theory — or conspiracy — being floated by Gondek supporters is that Johnston is a front for anonymous activists looking to form a potential municipal party after Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she supports legislation allowing them.Under their narrative, groups such as Project YYC are looking to mine data gained from the petition — which is reportedly nearing 100,000 signatures — to form potential future membership lists and candidates to run in the 2025 civic elections.According to the CBC, various members are allegedly paid, full-time staff working 50 to 60 hours per week on the campaign.Johnston said the theory is a non-starter, because the only ones who will have access to the names once it is submitted is Elections Alberta and Municipal Affairs Minister Rick McIver.“The only disclosure of the signatures is to the chief administrative officer and their agents. No one else is going to see who voted for this. It says right on the form when you sign it, nothing will be disclosed to anybody other than the chief administrator, including myself. When I count these, I'm counting the witness I'm not counting who signed it. Project YYC is not having any look at who signed the any of the signatures.”
