Friday, July 23, 2010

Barb Higgins for Mayor of Calgary?

So the new rumors are that CTV anchor Barb Higgins will run for Mayor of Calgary. That would be interesting, we are all used to seeing her and I don't recall any naughty stories being dug up about her... but as I watched a clip about this on CBC news just now, they showed a man who made what I consider a very sexist remark.

I do not know who the heck this man was, but he suddenly remarked something about Barb being a 'Sarah Palin knock-off'. I can't remember if he said she IS, or he hopes she isn't.. but he had derision in his tone.

Is that not SEXIST? A woman running for mayor among 11 men is suddenly a Sarah Palin knock-off? What the hell is that?? What about the 11 men - are they Barack Obama, George Bush, Bill Clinton knock-offs? That comment really aggravated me and of course CBC just let that story be told, perhaps popping the idea into brainless viewer's heads... not questioning the guy at all. It's totally sexist to call a woman candidate a 'Sarah Palin knock-off'. It makes it seem like Barb only decided to run after seeing the success (??? lol) of Palin. 'gee if sarah can do it, i can do it. Sarah was a mayor, now I wanna be a mayor', etc. Pathetic and uncalled for, and very disappointed in CBC for airing such sexist views without commenting on them or questioning the validity. But I guess im not exactly surprised either.

17 comments:

  1. If Ms Higgins proves she has substance, she will be a formidable contestant. There are a lot of Calgarians not overly enchanted with the current slate, and someone who could be perceived to be able to take on city hall (aka the bureaucracy) and cut the buffalo bagels would be popular.

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  2. CBC gets staffers to say stupid things but...
    The CBC is a flickering candle in the open window of common sense.
    Next election gonzo!

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  3. Oh "joy" yet another journalist wants to proceed from telling us all what to think to ORDERING us.

    No thanks.

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  4. From the comments section at CTV News many readers are offering their support WITHOUT even hearing her position on civic issues. Who is behind this? Where is the money coming from? Will she be a puppet under the control of a large fund raiser?

    I am heartened that a female is stepping forward to run in this campaign but I would rather that the "best person" equipped to handle the job win.

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  5. That is certainly a valid topic for dicussion - her ideas, her position on issues, etc. I'm all for that of course. But I'm surprised at the few reactions to the actual topic of this post - a sexist comment being aired on National tv, presented as though it is a valid debate point, with no apparent repercussions or questions asked.

    So, what? Any time a Canadian woman decides to take a political route now, she is going to be compared to Sarah Palin of the US, as a 'knock-off'?

    A knock-off is generally known as a 'cheap copy' - your fake Rolex watch sold out of the trunk of a car...That discounts the efforts of thousands of women who have been involved in various levels of politics since well before Palin became a 'household name', does it not? But people seem to let it flow in one ear and out the other, or worse yet - reiterate it in agreement. And yet we all pay to help run the CBC while it allows this stuff to be spewed.

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  6. "...the comments section ...are offering their support WITHOUT even hearing her position ... Who is behind this?"
    ----------------------
    Good question. I'd love to see the IP addresses of several of these comments.

    What do you expect tthey are all from the same place in Calgary.

    Excuse me? Ms. Higgins and all the OTHER news media bozos in Calgary? Please stop flooding the comments section with "sock puppet supporters" ok?
    ------------------------
    "Any time a Canadian woman decides to take a political route now, she is going to be compared to Sarah Palin of the US..."

    Oh yes, wwwwaaaaahhhhhh poor oppressed women in Canada. You have it so rough. Boo hoo.

    Grow up.

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  7. lmao!

    Love the way you take that one line out of context and edit it. It was posed as a question, not a statement as you tried to have it appear.

    Also love the comment about how you would love to see the IP of some of these comments, while leaving an anonymous comment on a blog, so no one knows who You are either ;) And the inference that I suggest women in Canada are oppressed ;) Nice touch. Enjoy your day :)

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  8. 13:02:38 -- 51 minutes ago
    [Canada]
    Calgary, Alberta arrived from google.ca on "Random Musings of a Tormented Mind: Barb Higgins for Mayor of Calgary?" by searching for barb higgins running for mayor?.


    12:58:38 -- 55 minutes ago
    [Canada]
    Calgary, Alberta arrived from search.hp.my.en.aol.ca on "Random Musings of a Tormented Mind: Barb Higgins for Mayor of Calgary?".
    12:57:18 -- 57 minutes ago

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  9. anyone but blinky, that's all i'm saying

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  10. Kez I am amazed that you can still be disappointed by CBC. Innuendo and letting unsubstantiated remarks go unchallenged and pass as fact are just standard procedure as far as I can see with that waste. You are such an optimist... :O)

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  11. Call her Mayor Higgins, she's got a huge foot in the door, how could she not win, the race is hers to lose. She's very well known and that's a huge advantage. Will she be any good , we'll see, but call her Mayor Barb Higgins cause she's gonna win..

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  12. She's gonna win , you can call her Mayor Barb Higgins cause she's gonna win, how could she not?

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  13. I am fully supporting Barb I have only briefly met her twice but each time I got the impression of honesty and a person who cares. Not only that why vote for one of the foxes that have been in the City Hall chicken coop for years. That seems to be our other choices.

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  14. Higgins keeps calling McIver Dr. No. Tell them Barb, just WHY he has said No. None of the Alderman had the guts he did.

    The Peace bridge will cost $25 to $50 million by the time it's finished. It was designed by someone in Spain and the glass is being ordered from Austria.

    Guess Calgarians just weren't worth their salt. Why employ Calgarians when you can employ people from other countries? Is that what you believe Barb Higgins? Would you have voted also to take jobs away from Calgarians and allot them to Europeans instead?

    Also this bridge did not go through the proper bidding process at city hall. As far as I'm concerned, that's corrupt. If Barb Higgins gets in, would she be one of those yes types we have had so much difficulty with because nobody had the guts to say no? Would she also have been so agreeable she would've pushed this bridge through without going through the proper bidding process?

    I want to vote in an honest Mayor this time. There are times when being positive can be far more destructive than being negative. Thanks Ric McIver, for always being the only one with the courage to stand for Calgarians for the past nine years. Experience does count!

    Courage isn't easy. You could've sat back just like the rest and voted yes to everything and simply collected your cheques at the end of the month but, unlike them, you stood up for all us.
    That's why they called you Dr. No!

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  15. People are saying McIver will close Enmax. Who is spreading these lies? McIver simply wants to 'question' Enmax as he has so often wanted to do before, but he was sometimes blocked.

    Calgarians think this is a bad idea? Remember, we OWN ENMAX. It belongs to us -- not Mayors, CEO's or anyone else. It belongs to ALL OF US!

    Now let me tell you just one reason he may want to question Enmax"
    _______________________________________________
    http://allpolitics.ca/
    CEO Gary Holden was paid $2.7M in 2009, and $2.4M in 2008, making him one of the highest paid public servants in the province, according to CBC.
    He also hosted rock concerts at his Calgary-area house on the company dime, the network said.
    _______________________________________________
    The money going to people like this should be going to Calgarians, not CEO's.

    Calgarians should be extremely upset the previous Mayor tolerated this.

    Again, putting up your hand and saying YES to everything just so you are well liked is not always the way to go. Thank you Ric McIver for standing up for Calgarians!

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  16. I have heard a lot about one person on City Council, who I won't name, but most of you will know who he was. He purchased a fair bit of land, ahead of time, in an area which would they would later vote on to decide whether a C-train pass by. (Nice to have inside information before the rest of the Calgarians, especially when you are one of the few people who gets a vote isn't it.)

    Ric McIver wants all Mayoral candidates to stipulate their land interests before taking office. This would be ever so fair to Calgarians as we don't want people voting on certain things just to make them profit personally. Thank you Ric McIver for standing up for Calgarians.

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  17. Mayor Barb Higgins, she's got the win in her pocket. The election is hers to lose, the polls may put them all neck and neck, but any stragglers wondering into the polls are bound to vote Barb Higgins. I still don't know her platform very well but I like the woman on a more personal level. She's honest and at this point, it's a beginning. a start to a mayoral candidate who may be good or bad for this beautiful city we all love so much. Good Luck Mayor Barb. I'm giving you a chance!

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