Achi news desk-
Exactly 60 days after he launched a campaign to recall Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek, Landon Johnston rolled a stack of six boxes into the Calgary Elections office before the petition deadline.
“The mayor should be afraid of the people. All elected officials should be afraid of us, because we have the power,” said Johnston on Thursday afternoon, moments after the petition was presented.
The unofficial total of signatures submitted was 72,271, Johnston said.
For the petition to be considered sufficient, it needed to exceed 514,284 signatures. The requirement is set out in provincial legislation and the number is based on 40 per cent of the city’s 2019 population of 1,285,711.
“It’s been a battle from every angle: Weather, legislation, people back stabbing people. It’s been a whirlwind,” Johnston added.
The petition is now in the hands of the city for an official account. The city clerk will lead a team of up to 10 members of staff to count the numbers over the next 45 days.
The petition is now in the hands of the city for an official count. The city clerk will lead a team of up to ten members of staff to calculate the numbers over the next 45 days.
Because the threshold will not be met, the city will not need to verify the signatures.
“We will release the number of signatures collected as part of the recall petition, and that tally will be provided during a special council meeting,” city clerk Kate Martin said.
Gondek, who met with Johnston last month, said the past 60 days have been no different than any other time during her term.
“You can’t be distracted by something happening on the sidelines,” Gondek told reporters Thursday morning.
“You have to stay committed to why you ran and I ran to make sure Calgary would have a prosperous future for everyone.”
Although it’s well below the official threshold, Johnston said he hopes all elected officials take notice.
He also talked about future efforts and campaigns against municipal politicians.
“The fight has just begun,” he said. “We’re going to keep pushing for (Gondek) to resign.
“She can resign at any time.”
According to provincial legislation, a municipal politician may face only one recall effort per term.
