Calgary Minute: Merger Review, Arena Committee, and the Red Mile Revival

Calgary Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Calgary politics

This Week In Calgary:

• The Emergency Management Committee will meet on Tuesday at 9:30 am. The Committee will receive a report entitled “Status of Emergency Preparedness Focus on Risk – Flooding”. The 2013 flood in Calgary resulted in $6 billion in total economic losses across southern Alberta - here’s hoping there are plans in place to mitigate any issues the rainy season might bring.
  
  
• The Event Centre Committee will meet on Wednesday at 1:00 pm. This is the second meeting of the current iteration of the Committee, and the agenda doesn’t provide much information as to what is going to be discussed. Do you think the Flames recent playoff success will push Council closer to supporting taxpayer funds being used for a new arena, or do you think it’s proof that we don’t need to break the bank?
  
  
• Speaking of the Flames and their playoff run, a post-season Battle of Alberta is taking place for the first time since 1991. Game 4 will take place on Tuesday at 7:30 pm with the Oilers at home in Edmonton. Even if you’re not a hockey fan, it’s hard to deny that Calgary bars and restaurants are seeing the benefits of the Red Mile’s revival.

Last Week In Calgary:

• Calgary-based WestJet's plans to acquire Sunwing Airlines and Sunwing Vacations have hit a delay, with the merger now facing a public interest review by the federal government. The review includes input from the federal competition commissioner, airline industry representatives, other levels of government, and the public, and will assess economic benefits and challenges. We understand the theory behind this, but does anyone seriously think a bunch of governments bureaucrats are in the best place to decide whether a deal makes sense? You can have your say online.
  
  
• Calgary Reads, a non-profit organization devoted to early literacy, announced an end to its operations coming this fall. Their annual Big Book Sale wrapped up with its most successful fundraising efforts to date - just under $475,000 was raised. Calgary Reads’ community initiatives will be spread out to partner organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters of Calgary and Area in the future.
  
  
• The City of Calgary expressed a desire to work with Treaty 7 nations to memorialize the St. Dunstan's residential school site and potentially place a public art project there. Councillors want to ensure the project is funded properly and comes together according to the wishes of Indigenous nations with connections to the site, which is located between Deerfoot Trail and the Bow River, south of the Calf Robe Bridge.

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