Ric McIver - Did I really agree completely with your column?

On September 1st, former Alderman Ric McIver, penned another Calgary Herald supported critique of everything to which he laments with the new order in Calgary's City Council titled "Searching for shepherds among the sheep", referring to both the civic and provincial governments..

Plugged on Facebook and Twitter, the former mayoral candidate promoted his article and engaged in conversation.

It is no secret that I am not a huge fan of the themes of the former Ward 12 Alderman's musings in the Calgary Herald, for no other reason than that they only seem to serve the glorification of negativity, not progress (I invite you to read the archives of Mr. McIver's Calgary Herald articles and take a drink every time you read something positive; you won't even get a buzz on). I digress.

I did make a few comments, via social media, on the latest article themed on how there are no leaders in Council or in the current PC Leadership race, only followers.

My comments on twitter to Mr. McIver served to clarify why he feels that the only way for governments to function properly, and to serve the interest of the public, is to argue and bicker (see below).

Now, I will also include the link to the Calgary Herald article (http://www.calgaryherald.com/opinion/Searching+shepherds+among+sheep/5337898/story.html) to allow everyone a chance to read it. I could be completely out in left field with how I interpreted the piece.

What I took from the roughly 676 word essay on how cordial-to-a-fault Calgary's elected council is was that, unless there is distension, or the presence of a 'Dr. No" in chambers, the interests of voters aren't being met. That is until, as Mr. McIver presumes,  the current crop of future incumbents begin gearing up for election 2013.
 
My whole line of thought and questioning, to the 'Dr. No' article is that, last October, the people of Calgary put a new face on Council. A face that is made of of forty percent new experiences, new personalities; and forty percent less of what was there one year ago.

The current field of elected officials may not have stood up to cause open revolt on all council decisions, but if you take a moment to look at what this current crop of the press's patsies in Council have discussed and voted on, you may find that the City of Calgary has gone beyond the hickster status that we had decades ago and have become a modern municipal leader all without the verbal bloodshed you seem to be waiting for.

• The Airport Tunnel - a decision that could have been decided on by those Councillor who sat in Chambers prior to the recent election but was deferred onto the new council who voted favor of the tunnel.
• Green Trip - Another deferral that was saddled on the shoulders of a fresh council to accept horrific recommendations from the previous administrative direction. If I remember correctly, it was the rookie who succeeded Mr. Mciver that kept the interests of Southeast Calgary in mind to rework the proposal.
• Fluoride - Yup, if you recall this was a slam dunk decision. A decision that involved much 'distension' and discussion. Without pandering to lobby groups, Council voted to remove Fluoride from the water system.

There is a reason that Nenshi, Pootmans, MacLeod, Keating, Carra, Demong are sitting in Council Chambers and Hawksworth, Fox-Mellway, Connelly, Ceci, and McIver are not.

Progress does not always come at the expense of dissent.