'No worship needed': Gondek asks to be referred to simply as mayor
Calgary's mayor is asking members of the public, administration and her fellow councillors to no longer refer to her as 'your worship.'
Mayor Jyoti Gondek made the request at the start of Tuesday morning's council session.
"It has traditionally been practised to refer to the mayor as 'your worship, his worship, her worship,'" said Gondek during her opening remarks. "I find that to be clunky and colonial, quite frankly, and so in my efforts to practise some personal responsibility when it comes to reconciliation, I would greatly appreciate if members of council, members of administration and members of the public if, for me, you were just comfortable using Mayor Gondek.
"The worship title, at this point, is not something that I need from any of you. If it a formality that needs to be used, I understand that. It is a practise that has been brought down by the federal government. It's something that we've traditionally used. I'm not breaking any customs or traditions by asking that we not use it."
Gondek acknowledged Mayor Sandra Masters of Regina, Sask., who made a similar request to end the use of 'your worship' back in 2020 during one of her first council meetings.
"Call me Mayor Gondek. No worship needed. I know there's going to be a little bit of a time to get past that but thank you very much."
Gondek was elected as mayor in October 2021, replacing Naheed Nenshi who did not seek a fourth term as mayor. She previously served as Ward 3 councillor.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.