Pages

Wednesday 2 September 2009

Things that make you go 'Hmmm?"

First I must thank the receptionist at Diane Colley-Urquhart's office; because you really can't buy coverage like this;

CTV News tried to talk to PC candidate Diane Colley-Urquhart about Alberta's current financial situation and whether the growing deficit was having an impact on her campaign. We were told she was too busy to speak to us.
Priceless.

That leads us to what makes you go "Hmmm?" At the 1:47 minute mark of the video we get a very clear shot of the front of Diane Colley-Urquharts campaign headquarters. The windows are completely covered; that is 100% covered.

At the same time we have this in the news;

Last fall, Swinton commissioned a replica of a Michelangelo Sistine Chapel scene, using the same material applied to bus windows so that people can see out of the store. He says the company that did the work didn't tell him it would require a permit from the city.

Acting on a complaint, planning development and building approvals staff visited the site and told Swinton he would have to either remove the art or apply for a development permit.

John Purdy, the city's chief development control planner, said the permit was rejected because the sign takes up 100 per cent of the window. The land use bylaw allows for 30 per cent of the window to be covered.

Clearly we have two individuals who have violated the bylaw, yet only one has to answer to City Hall.

Editted to add:

Thanks to all who sent me photos of Diane Colley-Urquharts campaign office.

From the outside, screen shot from video:




From the inside:

Photo removed at the request of the Facebook owner.
(Editted: Sept 5. 13:52)


5 comments:

  1. Maybe a complaint to the city is in order, No?

    ReplyDelete
  2. You really think any bylaw officer would touch this with a 10 foot pole? Not if they value their position; it is looking more and more like she will still be an alderman on Sept 15.

    ReplyDelete
  3. You can call 311 to complain and they will forward you to the appropriate department. I did, it takes about 15 minutes. They will want to know your name and phone number. They keep a log of previous complaints and it sounds like the more complaints registered, the more likely you will get a bylaw officer out. If you feel, as I do, that this is wrong, phone and register a complaint. All citizens have to comply with the bylaws, not just the art store owners.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Its a great test to see whether the bylaw officer knows who their boss is or not.. And its not Council, its us.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I don't think they'd come out to police an election sign, as they are considered "Class A" under the city's land use bylaw and do not seem to even require a development permit.

    Besides, the city's bylaw enforcement folks will likely avoid acting on calls about it. I'm entirely certain that they're not particularly interested in being a tool of a political squabble at election time; I doubt many of the complainers to city hall are PC members.

    If they do come out based on complaints, though, they may issue a warning telling the owner of the premises that they can only display those signs for 30 days: In less than 30 days, the byelection will be over and that office will probably be vacant. For the city, that'll be "problem solved."

    ReplyDelete