Jyoti Gondek elected as Calgary's first female mayor
Jyoti Gondek has been declared as Calgary's next mayor, making her the first female to be elected to the office.
"My heart is full at the thought of how much love and support I have received, not only from the day I announced, but all the way up to today," she said in her victory speech. Gondek thanked her 1,200 volunteers, as well as her family.
"Please know all of your sacrifices did not go unnoticed, thank you for taking this journey with me, for caring about me and believing in me," she said.
"This election is also about my dad, who left us far too early. It was actually his unfinished community service that I picked up in 2003 that has brought me to this point in my life."
She served one terms as the Ward 3 councillor before running for mayor. Prior to her time on city council, Gondek volunteered with the Northern Hills Community Association and served as a citizen member on several municipal committees.
She holds a PhD in urban sociology and, before entering politics, worked at the Westman Centre for Real Estate Studies at the University of Calgary’s Haskayne School of Business.
Gondek said she looks forward to working with the newly elected council and other levels of government.
"Now we turn to that focus on the mission of service, to build a stronger city," she said.
"I'm very excited about this prospect of creating a new team, one that prioritizes the well-being of Calgarians, through ensuring that we understand our collective strength. Your new council will pull together around a common vision that makes us more resilient as a city. We will set the bar high to deliver on your expectation and we will remain accountable to all of you."
In his concession speech just after 9 p.m., Gondek's main rival, Jeromy Farkas said she had earned the trust of Calgarians.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Israel gave U.S. last-minute warning about drone attack on Iran, Italian foreign minister says at G7
The United States told the Group of Seven foreign ministers on Friday that it received 'last minute' information from Israel about a drone action in Iran, but didn't participate in the apparent attack, officials said.
NEW After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
BREAKING Iran fires at apparent Israeli attack drones near Isfahan air base and nuclear site
An apparent Israeli drone attack on Iran saw troops fire air defences at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan, an assault coming in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
Ottawa to force banks to call carbon rebate a carbon rebate in direct deposits
Canadian banks that refuse to identify the carbon rebate by name when doing direct deposits are forcing the government to change the law to make them do it, says Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.