The need for an Indigenous gathering place in Calgary.

On Thursday, Calgary's public spaces were flooded with orange as people observed the country's first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

The orange may have receded from parks and plazas for now, but the need for a permanent Indigenous gathering place in the city remains.

This has been identified as a need for years—and this municipal election campaign, numerous candidates have been pledging to support the work for its creation. It's one of the recommendations in the White Goose Flying report, which was presented to Calgary city council in 2016 in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's calls to action.

"It's highly important to see ourselves in the urban landscape," John Fischer, co-chair of the Indigenous Gathering Place Society of Calgary, told me. "We are part of the urban landscape, and the only time we see ourselves, at least in the past, has been during Stampede."

"And then that's temporary and it's taken down."

I spoke with Fischer to find out more about the Indigenous gathering place project—how it's Indigenous-led, and why it’s needed. You can listen to our conversation (or read the transcript, if you prefer) in the new Sprawlcast.

Also this week, Ximena González debunks some myths regarding property taxes. There's no getting around it: Living in a sprawling city is costly, and cutting taxes isn't as easy as it sounds.

This has been one of the toughest issues that the current council has wrestled with. And as Ximena suggests, we should consider the nuances of the issue before voting on October 18. 

Thanks as always for listening and reading. Have a lovely October weekend!

Take care,

Jeremy Klaszus
Editor-in-Chief
THE SPRAWL

Just cut taxes? If only it was that simple.

Every election, populist candidates pledge to cut taxes while boosting citizens' quality of life. But instead of being enticed by reductionist policies, writes Ximena González, we should consider why we pay taxes in the first place—and consider ways to reduce costs in the long run.

Your one-stop shop for municipal election coverage.

Want a primer on every candidate in your ward? Looking to watch a debate that you missed? Or maybe you just need to be brought up to speed on the issues to watch out for this election season? Look no further: We'll be keeping track of all this and more until Election Day on October 18. These are living documents, so we'll continue to add to them as new information emerges. 

Notice an error or something missing from one of these lists? Let us know at hello@sprawlalberta.com (you can also just reply to this email). 

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