Public office is a commitment, not a pit stop. But somehow, Ward 13 councillor Dan McLean missed the memo.
Eight months into his re-election as a city councillor, he no longer wants the job voters elected him to do, and he now expects the same voters to make him a provincial MLA.
Calgarians should be asking some difficult questions of McLean.
The barely second-term councillor is vying for the UCP nomination in Calgary-Shaw, running against businessman and Ward 13 resident Mike Derry. Membership sales have already closed and those who live in the riding with a valid membership get to cast their ballot on June 24 at the Cardel Rec Room between 3 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
Nobody is saying politicians shouldn’t have ambition. I understand what it takes to serve on council, to run and win, and the humbling experience of running and losing.
The question is whether it’s right to ask voters for their trust, win an election, and then walk away from the job eight months later.
The cost alone should concern every taxpayer. A byelection is expected to cost approximately $1.1 million. That’s $1.1 million that could be spent on roads, public safety, recreation facilities, community programs, or keeping taxes down.
That isn’t leadership; it demonstrates a lack thereof.
But the bigger issue isn’t the money. It’s the opportunity cost.
How many qualified, passionate people considered running for Ward 13 in the last municipal election and decided not to because there was already an incumbent in the race? How many community leaders, business owners, volunteers, and advocates stepped aside because they believed the councillor seeking re-election intended to serve a full term?
We’ll never know. What we do know is that voters had every reason to believe they were electing someone who planned to do the job.
It would be fascinating (while depressing) to look back at his promises during the last election. What did he commit to doing in his next four-year term as a councillor?
How often are we going to reward this sort of behaviour?
As conservatives, we often talk about personal responsibility, accountability, and respecting taxpayers. Those principles shouldn’t disappear when they become inconvenient.
Far too often, people cast ballots based on a label. If someone calls themselves a conservative, some voters automatically assume that candidate is the right choice. If someone calls themselves progressive, others do the same. That’s a mistake. Political branding is not a substitute for character, and actions speak louder than stump speeches and empty promises.
Voters need to do their homework. They need to ask whether a candidate has a track record of seeing things through, whether they’re committed to the role they’re seeking and most importantly, whether they even stand for anything.
What matters is integrity, commitment, competence, and whether the person is prepared to honour the trust placed in them by voters.
