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Bell: Calgary crime and grime in our faces and we get more city hall baloney

Bell: Calgary crime and grime in our faces and we get more city hall baloney

Calgary Herald5 days ago
More political manure is shovelled our way this day.
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When will Calgary city hall wake the hell up? Only the votes of Calgarians will pierce through their privileged cocoon.
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Dan McLean is a Calgary city councillor known for pitching puzzlers to the city hall establishment — a group of handsomely-paid seat warmers who often appear either clueless or look like they just don't give a damn.
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McLean kicks off the Tuesday city council meeting asking a city bigshot about what's up with all this crime and social disorder where even Calgary city hall's propaganda machine can't make us believe the city is on its way to Disneyland.
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'It was a long-winded answer and I can't even tell you what it was about.'
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Well, what was it all about? Talking points patting the heads of Calgarians. Now, now.
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When people are 'unwell' that can 'increase people's sense of discomfort,' says the bigshot, taking a page out of the latest hug-a-thug pop psychology book.
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But people are feeling better.
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Yep, that's Calgary city hall. Dismissing the verdict of the court of public opinion. The worst it's ever been.
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You can't really blame McLean.
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McLean's truck was one of several vehicles stomped on by some jerk in East Village. The episode even made it on Instagram.
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During Stampede, someone tried to steal his truck.
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Ah, the East Village.
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Back in the day, it was called urban blight when you could see streetwalkers in the same part of town as a legendary gym, a well-known fish market, the firefighters union office, the Golden Age Club offering up music and bingo, the old-school King Eddy missed by many and the St. Louis.
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Now there are new shiny apartment blocks and lovely shops mixed in with a three-ring circus of crime and grime and daily disorder too numerous to count, with the Calgary Drop-In Centre providing its own sad and often dangerous spectacle.
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McLean knows the area. It's right out back from city hall.
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'I've seen people die. They pulled the bodies away,' says McLean.
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Bell: Calgary crime and grime in our faces and we get more city hall baloney
Bell: Calgary crime and grime in our faces and we get more city hall baloney

Calgary Herald

time5 days ago

  • Calgary Herald

Bell: Calgary crime and grime in our faces and we get more city hall baloney

More political manure is shovelled our way this day. Article content When will Calgary city hall wake the hell up? Only the votes of Calgarians will pierce through their privileged cocoon. Article content Article content Dan McLean is a Calgary city councillor known for pitching puzzlers to the city hall establishment — a group of handsomely-paid seat warmers who often appear either clueless or look like they just don't give a damn. Article content Article content McLean kicks off the Tuesday city council meeting asking a city bigshot about what's up with all this crime and social disorder where even Calgary city hall's propaganda machine can't make us believe the city is on its way to Disneyland. Article content Article content 'It was a long-winded answer and I can't even tell you what it was about.' Article content Well, what was it all about? Talking points patting the heads of Calgarians. Now, now. Article content When people are 'unwell' that can 'increase people's sense of discomfort,' says the bigshot, taking a page out of the latest hug-a-thug pop psychology book. Article content But people are feeling better. Article content Yep, that's Calgary city hall. Dismissing the verdict of the court of public opinion. The worst it's ever been. Article content You can't really blame McLean. Article content McLean's truck was one of several vehicles stomped on by some jerk in East Village. The episode even made it on Instagram. Article content Article content During Stampede, someone tried to steal his truck. Article content Ah, the East Village. Article content Article content Back in the day, it was called urban blight when you could see streetwalkers in the same part of town as a legendary gym, a well-known fish market, the firefighters union office, the Golden Age Club offering up music and bingo, the old-school King Eddy missed by many and the St. Louis. Article content Now there are new shiny apartment blocks and lovely shops mixed in with a three-ring circus of crime and grime and daily disorder too numerous to count, with the Calgary Drop-In Centre providing its own sad and often dangerous spectacle. Article content McLean knows the area. It's right out back from city hall. Article content 'I've seen people die. They pulled the bodies away,' says McLean.

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