It is not without sarcasm I have to say, I am overwhelmed by the opportunities I am being given by news outlets. CBC TV graciously offered me the opportunity for me to give them a one minute statement. I was video recorded live in one minute with one take. Not only that The Edmonton Journal offered me the opportune to submit a 650 word op-ed.
Being serious about communicating with all eligible voters I have taken both opportunities. The Journal op-ed was published today and so since my work has not been paid for (I am not complaining about that) I feel I should be free to publish my own writing. I do though have to thank and credit the Edmonton Journal with inspiring to respond by submitting this —
I like to have fun and joke around but I am serious. I want to be Edmonton’s first Rock and Roll Mayor. We have had many Business Mayors and again in this 2021 race we have several candidates coming from the business community to work in politics. They like to say we should run government like a business. I disagree. I think we should run government like a Rock and Roll Band. “Taking care of Business” is very important but what is most important is that everyone is happy and having a good time.
Look at the evidence. Everyone is not having a good time. We are caught up in a way of life that embraces an economy that is mean and cruel. The cruel economy is based on cheap labour and low taxes.
I want to put and end to the notion that Edmonton should have a competitive tax regime. I want to work to have cooperation between the City and surrounding regions so we end the tax rate competition that is a race to the bottom. I want to work to steadily raise taxes back up to the levels we enjoyed 40 years ago. The trickle down theory of cutting taxes has only severely widened the wealth gap and resulted in cutting the capacity of society to cope with unforeseen challenges like the pandemic and the climate emergency.
Investing now in high quality social services for all and especially the children, will save us having to support people that could have supported themselves through mid-life but can’t because they were denied opportunity when they were young and hampered by living in poverty.
Let’s embrace reality. Not all regulations are red tape. We live in a world that runs on partial socialism. Free enterprise is the bad business person’s fairy tale used to justify exploiting people and the environment for profit instead of profiting from an innovative business plan. The fairness of tax law and how we choose to budget revenue are separate issues.
Of all the candidates I am the oldest but the youngest at heart. I am a fixer; a solutions expert. I pay attention and observe, to build understandings that help me choose the best path both for the moment and the long run.
I am so fortunate that the love from my family and many circles of friends over the past 71 years has given me the opportunity to take time to think deeply and to use common sense as I choose a path through life. I understand that loving yourself and your closest family, so that basic needs are met with the least effort, is essential for our survival.
After myself and my family, I have to first pledge my allegiance to mother earth, all her children of now, and to those who are to be in the future. Next I pledge allegiance to our human family of many nations and then our own nation, province and city. Let us not forget the Mayors job is a servant’s job. A job to serve all the people.
In this spirit I am running for mayor to demonstrate the joy of using both common sense and deep thinking to guide our performance.
We know laziness is a double edged sword. It is what drives innovation but when it limits the will to think deeply we become blind to the insights that can truly make life a breeze.
Please check out our platform. www.briangregg.com
We want to get big money out of our politics, make housing affordable, make transit and WiFi free, have higher pay, shorter hours, and at the same time build local industries to provide the products and services needed locally.
I want to lead council in transitioning to a caring economy with love and respect for everyone and our planet.