City Saddles Up for the Stampede

Cowboys, cops, and corporate parties took over much of the city last week for the 98th annual Calgary Stampede. The Rogers Chomp and Stomp party was the first of the large-scale private events, taking place on June 30 at the Girletz Ranch. A few hundred people gathered to raise money for the Kids Cancer Care Foundation of Alberta. There were plenty of host bars available, as well as one donkey carrying buckets of tequila, a hot meal of roast beef and baked potatoes, and of course, rodeo. An enthusiastic round of bull riding was followed by some skillful trick riding, where agile equestrians rode red-spangled ponies with one hand or draped head-first inches above the ground. Corporate bigwigs at the affair included Ken Coffey, president of Micro-Watt Controls, Terry Hughes, CEO of Redwood Technologies, Steve Roberts, vice-president of Rogers Communications for Alberta, Holly Wood of Right Mind Media, and Derek Larsen of London Drugs.

Newly minted US Consul General Laura Lochman welcomed guests to her private residence a few days later for an Independence Day celebration. The US Consulate in Calgary is the only one in the world to celebrate the Fourth of July on the 2nd of July, out of deference to the stampede. Among the guests for the garden party were former Premier Ralph Klein, acting Premier Ed Stelmach, Federal Minister of the Environment Jim Prentice, Alberta Minister of Culture and Community Spirit Lindsay Blackett, Alberta Minister of Sustainable Resource Development Ted Morton, publisher of The Calgary Herald Malcolm Kirk, president of Calgary Economic Development Bruce Graham, president of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Ann Lewis-Luppino, president of the Glenbow Museum Kirsten Evenden, director of WordFest Anne Green, and philanthropists Pat and Sherrold Moore.

The Calgary Stampede officially began the following day with an early morning parade and a city-wide celebration. Between the hay bales and wooden corrals, which appeared with sudden force on every major street in the downtown course, corporate hootenannies were in full force. President of Encorp David Neill played host on the rooftop of the Alberta Hotel Building. Among those in attendance were Olympic gold medalist Mark Tewksbury, owner of Axis Gallery Rob Mabee, Karen Ball of Calgary Arts Development, Kristin Richard of Kaviar South Sea Pearls Inc, and designers Dee Fontans and Charles Lewton-Brain.

The first Saturday of the stampede arrived with a staggering number of complimentary pancake breakfasts. (Those in the know point to www.flapjackfinder.com for a comprehensive list.) Mayor Dave Bronconnier, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, leader of the opposition Michael Ignatieff, and even Jack Layton rolled up their sleeves to dole out the morning staple.

On the stampede grounds, a midway, circus tent, several rodeo events, an agriculture barn, beer gardens, four concert stages, and an Indian Village vied for the attention of close to one million visitors. Events continue until Sunday with the chuckwagon races, barrel racing, cattle penning as the hot tickets. The prize for each rodeo event is $10,000. Musical performances include George Straight, Matt Mays, Joel Plaskett, Aaron Pritchett, Serena Ryder, and Reba McEntire.

Published in National Post, July 11 2009

Iggy Pops Into Calgary Cocktail; Griffiths' Book Launched

As if summoned by a city-wide nerd alert, pundits, politicos, and others interested in weighty discussions of Canada’s ongoing identity crises gathered in Calgary’s downtown core last week. First at Pages bookstore in Kensington where Rudyard Griffiths, host of the Salon Speaker Series and founder of the Dominion Institute, launched his latest book “Who We Are: A Citizens Manifesto”, then a few days later at The Grand where Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff was the guest of honour at a well attended cocktail fundraiser.

Late afternoon sun streamed through the upper-floor windows of a charming old book shop while Griffiths held court last week. A fair sized audience stood in a semi-circle around him, nibbling on fine cheeses and sipping local wine. After briefly introducing his thesis, the author invited questions. “How can we engage young voters?” asked one guest. “How role does new media play in democratic society?” asked another. “What does it mean to be Canadian in a globalized world?” En masse, they tilted forward, eager for a drop of certainty amid the ongoing Canadian identity-crises. And he delivered.

Succinct, poised and enthusiastic, Griffiths answered each question with a smile, leaving a happy crowd to mingle and discuss. Despite his somewhat contentious assessment of Canadian life -and what we need to make it better, such as mandatory voting, re-imagined media, and denying Quebec the rights of nationhood - there was little debate.

“There’s one nation - Canada,” he concluded, “We’re diluting this nation by thinking we can have multiple sub-nations that have all the benefits and power that we associate with the country writ large. I think that devalues Canadian citizenship.”

Guests included: Randy Pettipas and Lorraine Royer of Global Public Affairs, Cathy Cram of ConocoPhillips, Marcus Gurske of Play It By Ear Productions, author Judy Johnson, Frances Wright, founder of the Famous 5 Foundation, Ian Griffin, honourary chairman of Research Capital, and Shannon Palmer.

A grander affair took place on the other side of the river later that week. Michael Ignatieff hosted a few hundred of his closest friends for a cocktail fundraiser. He made pointed comments on Alberta’s energy capital and cultural cache, made fun of his own eyebrows, and basked in the rare melee of Western Liberal revelry. Between sampling delicate h’ors d’oeuvre and a variety of beverages, guests pondered the future of the opposition.

“Jesus Christ could run as a Liberal in Alberta and lose,” said one guest, laughing.

“This is the tipping point,” said another, “We’ve been waiting for a leader we could support, and now we have him.”

Guests included: Senator Joyce Fairbairn, Senator Grant Mitchell, John Cordeau Q.C. of Bennett Jones LLP, Christine Silverberg of Wolch Hursh deWit Silverberg & Watts LLP, Matthew Mitschke of Schofield Law Office, Howard Shikaze of RSM Richter Chartered Accountants, Daryl Fridhandler of Burnet Duckworth & Palmer LLP, George Gosbee of Alberta Investment Management Corporation, Dr. Nallai Nallainayagam of Mount Royal College, and George Hodgson, president of the Liberal Party of Canada-Alberta.

Published in National Post, April 18 2009