Rally to recall Mayor Gondek held at City Hall

Recall petition organizer Landon Johnston at Calgary City Hall collecting signatures to recall Mayor Gondek.

A rally calling for the recall of Mayor Jyoti Gondek was held Saturday afternoon outside Calgary City Hall, drawing over a hundred people who lined up to sign petitions.

Among the crowd was Landon Johnston, the Calgary resident who launched the recall petition Jan.30.

Johnson has 55 more days to collect signatures from 40 per cent of Calgary’s population, or 514, 284 people, providing they meet the legislated requirements.

In an interview, Johnston said he had collected about a thousand signatures on his own, although they haven’t been verified yet.

He said he guessed that the campaign has managed to gather “a couple thousand at least” to date.

He said he’s received positive reactions door-knocking across the city.

“People that were informed were very enthusiastic,” he said. “I don’t know how else to describe it

“Very few people have shut their door on me.”

Gondek said in an interview earlier this week that the recall “stings a little bit.”

Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek is speaking out for the first time since a recall petition was launched to end her more than two-year term in office.

Johnston is upset about the city’s spending and tax increases while many struggle with affordability.

“Hopefully we can get the mayor out,” he said, “because I think someone else could do a better job than she’s doing and I have a legal right to do that.

 “So far people have supported that.”

PLEASE NOTE: You cannot sign the recall petition online, and must do so in person. For more information, contact Landon Johnston at [e-mail].

With files from Nicole Di Donato