Want to read how council hopefuls in other wards responded to our dinner-themed scenarios? Click here.
You have a friend coming to Calgary who has never visited the city before. What restaurant would you take them to and why?
Alex Columbos: Do I have to pick one? Calgary is blessed to have world class dining and because this would be a special occasion I would take them to Mercato in West Springs. We need to foster and support our local businesses because if we don’t they will no longer be here and that negatively impacts our quality of life. Why Mercato? They offer a unique and special experience in which people would want to replicate in other cities. For a casual pub experience I would take them to 722 in Ward 6 also unique and which other cities would enjoy!
Esmahan Razavi: I’d take my friend to A Ladybug Bakery and Cafe in Aspen. Brunch is my favourite meal and this small cafe is intimate and provides a great atmosphere. The staff are always so pleasant and most importantly, it’s a great local business!
Jeffrey Brownridge: I think it would be The Nash as it has a nice ambiance and great food.
Sanjeev Kad: Boston Pizza! I own 2 franchises in the city and am truly proud of what my team and I have been able to accomplish.
Sean Yost: Calgary’s food scene has evolved a great deal over the last few years. There are truly a ton of new, independent restaurants that have opened. I would like to ensure that the economic climate doesn’t continue to deteriorate to force them to close.
Steve Turner: Calgary Tower for the view of the city.
You are inviting several friends to join you for dinner. Two live on the outskirts of the city and their car is out of service. They must travel 20 km to reach the restaurant and they’ve asked you for advice about the best way to get there. What would you recommend and why?
Alex Columbos: To ensure convenience and avoid drinking and driving; my group of friends would have previously arranged some form of alternative transportation. Whether that is Calgary Transit, taxi cab or ride sharing.
Esmahan Razavi: I’d recommend taking an Uber; it’s a safe and affordable way to get to your destination quickly.
Jeffrey Brownridge: I would likely pick them up or I would ask another friend who lives the closest to them if they would mind picking them up.
Sanjeev Kad: I would pick them up myself – as a Ward 6 resident I live in the SW and as a business owner I travel across the city daily. I’d be their personal tour guide.
Sean Yost: I would offer to pick them up.
Steve Turner: I would offer them a ride.
You arrive at the restaurant, and first course arrives. You notice one of your friends is double-dipping in the shared appetizer. How do you react?
Alex Columbos: A friend of mine is a friend regardless. I would just order another.
Esmahan Razavi: I would stop eating the appetizer as I am a germaphobe.
Jeffrey Brownridge: I would quietly and politely let that friend know that double dipping was not acceptable.
Sanjeev Kad: Communication is key. I would begin a discussion about whether or not it is appropriate to ‘double-dip the chip’ – I’d build consensus – and move forward.
Sean Yost: Stop eating.
Steve Turner: I would give them a hard time (tease them) about their double dipping.
The main course has arrived and the conversation has turned to politics, specifically secondary suites. Your good friend tells the table he has been fighting to convert his basement to a secondary suite but has been caught up in red tape at city hall. He then confesses he’s renting it out despite it being illegal. Will you report it? Why or why not?
Alex Columbos: I would first advise my friend to reconsider but if he declined I would report it. Illegal suites create hindrances for the neighborhoods they serve and in addition create possible safety risks for the tenants they are trying to help. A clear and transparent process needs to be established for the rapid deployment of legal secondary suites that the neighborhood would also welcome not just the applicant.
Esmahan Razavi : I would encourage my friend to self-report it, and if he refuses I would report it myself. It’s important to me to always be fair and consistent.
Jeffrey Brownridge: I would educate that friend about the risks and liabilities on renting out an illegal suite and would give them the opportunity to correct the situation first. I am confident that I can be persuasive in getting them to do the right thing.
Sanjeev Kad: I would not report it – instead I would work with him to ensure his secondary suite could be brought to legal status.
Sean Yost: Assuming that he has built the suite to code, I would offer to help him work through the bureaucracy to gain approval so that he is not in an illegal position. The approval process can be very intimidating to many people and that is why we must modify it.
Steve Turner: I would encourage him to finish seeing through the process at city hall and will advise him that if I were already a member of City Council I would have fixed this broken process already.
All responses have been edited for typos, but not for grammar and wording.