Naheed Nenshi

Welcome to Chinook Blast! This may seem a strange year to launch a new placemaking effort, but we’ve never been conventional in Calgary. Chinook Blast will, I hope, become an integral part of our annual calendar a festival of art, culture, sport, and light, drawing Calgarians and people from around the world to show how we celebrate the winter! This year, we are giving Calgarians a taste of what is to come in future years, with a COVID-friendly outdoor exhibit of light an...d sound over three weekends in February. Starting Thursday, February 11 for Teachers’ Convention, and running weekends from 3 pm to 9 pm, come to the Chinook Blast Hub in the heart of downtown and visit some of the neighbouring communities for amazing light and art installations with music, lots of fun and even some competitions for the whole family! There will also be lasers. Be prepared for the weather and to keep moving and to be awed by all you see! We also ask that you wear a mask; even though this is an outdoor event, you may find yourself briefly in groups with others, and we should all keep one another safe. Getting outside is great for our physical and mental health regardless of the weather, and this is a great excuse to do it. Did I mention lasers? On City Hall? And share your experience! Whether you’re using Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Clubhouse, Snapchat, Twitch, WeChat, Myspace, Geocities (what? Aren’t they all back?) let’s show off our city, all lit up and embracing winter. I’m so excited for you to see what we’ve got in store. The Economist has ranked Calgary as the best city to live in the entire Western Hemisphere, with top marks in every category save for one the weather. But, even though I continue to lobby for the Calgary Weather Dome, I think we may need to face the facts: it can get a little cold here. Accepting that is Step 1. Step 2 is embracing it. And Chinook Blast is a great way to begin! http://www.chinookblast.ca

Today is the first National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack. Four years ago, I was shocked and angry. Not just as a Muslim, but as a human being and as a Canadian. Across this country, Canadians have been vocal - we can't let this happen again.... https://www.canada.ca//the-government-of-canada-intends-to

2020 was a tough year, but Calgarians came together to show they have the spirit of giving. Even without all of Calgary’s schools able to participate as in years passed, we still raised $467,984 in food and funds for those in need. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Calgary Food Bank.

January 27 is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Today, we stand together, thinking of those six million Jewish lives and millions of other lives from persecuted groups, which were stolen through hatred. Those forces can never win. Our community is too strong for that.

Yes yes yes! Even though we couldn’t do a packed Christmas reading at the Central Library this year, our friendly elves at Calgary Public Library were able to pull together not one but THREE stories for the kids this year. I hope you’ll enjoy! https://youtu.be/hSM4Cp03zgU And... as is our tradition, my nieces and I have also found links to many of the previous ones. We never did have a good recording of 2016 (we don’t discuss what happened in 2016) and a couple seem to have ...dead links (we’ll have to redo the Nutcracker and Llama Llama Holiday Drama), but here are some of our favourites! From my family to yours, Merry Christmas and all the best for 2021! 2010: How the Grinch stole Christmas (thanks to CityTV!) https://www.facebook.com/BTCalgary/videos/10150111000176515/ 2011: 'Twas the Night Before Christmas (A Visit from Saint Nick) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKhWvBt63dc 2013: Santa Comes to Calgary http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EtaBYF5YLw 2014 Double Feature (Thanks to CTV!) Bear Stays up for Christmas (by Karma Wilson with illustrations by Jane Chapman) - http://calgary.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=519128 The Christmas Orange (by Don Gillmor with illustrations by Mary-Louise Gay) - http://calgary.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=519277 2015 How the Grinch Stole Christmas (redux, since we thought we'd lost the first one!) (Thanks to Shaw!) https://youtu.be/-fTLylyx9d8 2017 A double feature of One Snowy Night by M. Christina Butler and Tina Macnaughton AND Love the World by Todd Parr https://youtu.be/Wr0BfX3ZXig And I just love Love the World; it’s like a little instruction manual for life. Elf Daorcey pulled it out separately for us to share here: https://youtu.be/lOdB8ezBCKk 2018: a giant crowd at the New Central Library helping me read Winter is Here by Kevin Henkes illustrated by Laura Dronzek and There’s a Bear in my Chair by Ross Collins. https://t.co/wE6dNnUoP7 2019: Another great session at Central Library, featuring a new version of Bear stays up for Christmas! https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=B3vXmhR9kkQ

This is a big day. I was thrilled to join Minister Ahmed Hussen this morning to announce that Calgary will be receiving $24.6 million through CMHC’s Rapid Housing Initiative. This funding will translate to 176 new affordable homes, specifically for seniors, women and children fleeing domestic violence and urban Indigenous persons. Perhaps what I’m most excited about is this is just the beginning.... Since early on in the pandemic, we have been working tirelessly as a community to use this crisis as an opportunity. The COVID-19 Community Affordable Housing Advocacy Plan (The Community Plan) is a true collaboration between the City of Calgary and over 40 organizations. We’ve set a lofty but achievable goal of creating 600 homes in our first stream of funding, and a total of 5,400 new homes over the next three years. Today’s announcement has been characterized as a down payment, which is exactly right. We share the same goal as our partners at the Federal Government to house thousands of Canadians in need. This is a great first step but we cannot take our foot of the gas. Thank you to Minster Hussen and CMHC for their support. And thank you to my incredible colleagues in the Mayor’s Office and at The City of Calgary, as well as our many community partners for their tireless work on this file. I’m so excited to see what the future holds for housing in our city.

When I made the decision to put my name forward and run for mayor, I did so with the understanding that my life was now a part of the public domain. I believe that. As elected representatives, we are and should be held to a higher standard than those we are fortunate to represent. You are owed honesty and transparency by those in office. I also believe that public servants did not sign up for that, and deserve some element of privacy in their lives. However, in the interest o...f transparency, earlier today I shared that two members of my staff - my Chief of Staff and one of the administrative assistants in our office -- travelled separately over the Christmas break. Both spent time in Hawaii, participating both in that state's travel protocols made possible by an agreement between the state and Canada's airlines as well as the Canadian Government's International Border Testing Pilot Project, I’d like to repeat some of what I said today. After the November 19 announcement on new arrangements around travel to Hawaii, the staff members analysed their options, relying on Minister Schweitzer's statement that Albertans could travel safely and responsibly to Hawaii, a place with among the "strictest travel restrictions", and James Rajotte, the Government of Alberta's Senior Representative in the United States calling Alberta to Hawaii a "safe travel corridor". Upon weighing their options, they both decided that taking the trip for their immediate households would be in accordance with provincial guidelines. I was later informed of their plans as well as the reasoning behind their decisions. I knew they had thought hard about what to do. I trusted them to make the right decisions for themselves and their families. Both felt that they were acting within the guidelines and staying safe. As such, I will take no further action. And yes, I know that many political advisors would say, Cut them loose! Save yourself! But that’s not me. I won’t ruin people’s reputations and livelihoods to save my skin. It’s not who I am. This issue has been weighing heavily on me this past week. I encouraged all my staff to relax and get some family time over the holidays and told them I was here and I would hold down the fort. I realize now that, even though they were following provincial guidelines and felt they were staying safe, I should have emphasized much more our collective responsibility to one another. I'm very sorry that I didn't. And I’m very sorry that I did not act in accordance with what the community expects and deserves. I should do better and I will strive to do better. For over 300 days now, I’ve been reminding people that getting through this means being kind. And in these times when emotions are justifiably so high, I ask that regardless of where we stand on these issues, we continue to be kind to one another.

An enormous thanks to all the businesses, organizations, charities, and individuals that helped spread the word for the #MayorsFoodDrive with Calgary Food Bank this year. The spirit of giving is alive and well. There’s still a lot of need, so donate if you can. Thank you!

Today’s announcement by the Government of Alberta was the right thing to do. We needed to take tough action to protect the vulnerable and support our health care system. We are in this together, even though we are apart. This will be tough for a lot of people. Please support local businesses through this. Reach out to isolated people. Make a video call to seniors. Have a virtual meal or games night (I recommend Codenames). Your City government is here to help. We will suppo...rt local business. We will help look after vulnerable people. We will enforce the rules. We will be here for you. Please call 211 if you need help.

This weekend, Calgary, do the right thing. Most of you already are. Take action that will make a difference. Don’t be selfish. We don’t have any time for that.

Remembrance Day is one of the most important days we observe as Canadians. I hope you can all take a moment tomorrow to honour those who serve and have served our nation, protecting the values our flag represents. Of course, in the midst of a pandemic, we can't gather as we normally would at the various events happening in Calgary tomorrow. So, my team compiled this list of virtual events happening in our city. Here's how you can continue to participate in this tradition whi...le keeping you, your families, and all Calgarians safe. Lest we forget. The Military Museums: Beginning at 10:20 a.m., the virtual event will be live-streamed on the organization's Facebook page. The Hangar Flight Museum: Beginning at 11 a.m., the virtual event will be live-streamed and broadcast through CTV Calgary. Field of Crosses: No sunrise or sunset ceremonies will be hosted this year. Instead, beginning at 10:30 a.m., the virtual event will be live-streamed and broadcast through Global Calgary.

Today, I was able to join my colleagues at the City and our community partners to provide an update on some initiatives we’ve undertaken as part of the 9 Block project. My office kicked off this one-year pilot back in January with the goal of working with our neighours to make the area around City Hall more safe and vibrant. The heart of the city should be a welcoming, inclusive and safe place for all Calgarians and I’m thrilled with what we’ve been able to accomplish as a co...mmunity. So, what did we do? In September, the City of Calgary and the Calgary Downtown Association, with support from Tourism Calgary and Alpha House Society, launched an ambassador program. Our team of ambassadors are on the ground 7 days/week and are focused on making connections and providing a welcoming presence for all Calgarians. Since launching six weeks ago, the ambassadors have had nearly 700 interactions, and made over 125 referrals to social services. Ensuring those experiencing vulnerabilities are feeling safe and connected to the community is absolutely key. We also partnered with the University of Calgary’s School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape to hire four students to work with a faculty member to design and fabricate a very cool canopy lighting installation outside of the City Building Design Lab at the corner of 7th Avenue and Macleod Trail. The City is also working with more than 20 partners in the area including Bow Valley College, Arts Commons, Calgary Public Library and many others to better coordinate our security in the area through improved communication and training. You may also notice some improvements to a particularly dark and dreary stairwell that leads from Bow Valley College down to the City Hall CTrain platform. This stairwell now has better lighting, security connections and a beautiful mural. I want to extend a huge thank you to all those who have contributed to this project, and I look forward to many of these initiatives continuing into the future as we keep working to make this neighbourhood even better. You can find more at calgary.ca/9block

Earlier today, I sent a letter, on behalf of City Council, to Minister Tracy Allard regarding Bill 45, which you can read below. Keeping big money out of municipal elections is important, and a $30,000 limit to PACs is too much.... We also believe voters deserve to know who is funding the candidates on the ballot through proactive disclosure. There is still time to make these changes and ensure fair and transparent municipal elections.

Ten years ago, with a lot more black hair, I stood up in a very hot and sweaty basement on Macleod Trail, and talked about the promise of this extraordinary place. Now, ten years later, in the midst of a pandemic, a public health crisis, an economic crisis, and a reckoning on questions of racism, it’s a bit odd to be celebrating a tenth anniversary. So rather than getting something made of tin or diamonds (which Google tells me are the traditional and modern gifts for a 10th ...anniversary), I thought I would give you a gift. A gift of stories. I’ve marked this anniversary with you by inviting a selection of Calgarians to tell the stories of their last decade. They've talked about topics from mobility to belonging, from economic resiliency to the arts, from mental health to better government. In such difficult times, it’s easy to fall into negativity and forget what a special place we have built here, the very best place in the world in which to live. I hope these stories have made you smile, or laugh, or maybe even cry, but remind you of what we have. For these past two weeks, we've showcased a different theme, told through these amazing citizens and highlighted in a beautiful video by the amazing Calgary artist Sam Hester. Please feel free to share this material with friends and family, using the hashtag #tenshi (I couldn’t resist that one!). I hope you enjoy this little gift Ten Years Together. Naheed Art by the incredible Sam Hester

Nana korobi, ya oki. That’s an ancient Japanese proverb, which is translated to English to roughly say, Get knocked down seven times, get up eight. Of course, if proverbs aren’t your thing, Thomas Wayne also put it eloquently to his young son, Bruce, after lifting him out of the well in 2005’s Batman Begins, saying: Why do we fall, Bruce? To learn to pick ourselves back up....Continue reading

We’ve been spending this tenth anniversary sharing stories about ourselves. Stories of our ten years together. And this sharing of stories is one of the things that makes us human. The way we celebrate, our traditions, our history all are woven into the way we choose to express ourselves. Whether that includes great tales or heroism, tragic events, or ways of finding humanity in unlikely places, the arts allow us to travel outside our own experiences and imagine what cha...Continue reading

I’ve got nearly 15,000 colleagues at the City of Calgary. They drive buses and clean the streets. They’re the first on the scene in an emergency and on the other side of the most difficult phone call you’ll ever make. They look after our green spaces and teach our kids to swim. They take care of our waste and recycling, and give us a gift that a billion people in the world don’t have: the gift of clean water every minute of the day. And they do it for amongst the lowest taxe...Continue reading