Brian Gregg
Brian Gregg
Candidate for Mayor
Contact Information:
Biography:
Breezy is a radically different candidate, who commits to building a caring economy in the city of Edmonton and to getting the influence of big money out of politics. His campaign is committed to zero-waste environmental impact and zero-advertising policies.
As a life-time Edmonton resident, he has several challenges for other candidates:
First he challenges all candidates in the Alberta Municipal Elections to disclose their financial information in real time. Breezy’s Real Time Disclosure is available now online.
Second he challenges all candidates in the Alberta Municipal Elections to disclose which political party they support Federally and in Alberta, and disclose who they support to be their next Premier and Prime Minister. Breezy is proud to say that he supports the NDP as the best choice for these times. Breezy hopes Rachel Notley is Alberta’s next Premier and that Jagmeet Singh becomes the next Prime Minister of Canada.
Breezy’s pledge to the voters — “If I am elected Mayor of Edmonton I will push City Council to bring in a voter incentive program Voter turnout in Edmonton’s 2017 Municipal Election was 32%. In Australia people are fined if they don’t vote. I want us to reward people for voting!
We encourage folks to be voting with love in their hearts.
Survey Results:
Question 1: What work experience do you have that’s relevant to the role of Mayor and how do you feel the skills and perspective you have gained will help you in your role as Mayor?
Sports: Breezy was a competitive athlete in grade school. From age ten until seventeen no one in his grade could run as fast as Breezy. He did track and field, hockey, basket ball and football but was injured in football and left competitive sports. He learned team work and the importance of practice. Breezy learned to love winning fairly. Media: Breezy’s first job was in media. He worked as a paper boy for the Edmonton Journal. Retail Business: Next he worked in the food services industry for Ravine Tomboy where he eventually did almost every job; delivering groceries, taking phone orders, order picking, cashier, shelf stocking, and placing orders with the wholesaler. Manufacturing: For his first summer job he was a metal fabricator at Edmonton Iron and Wire. Entertainment Arts: He joined the Edmonton Musician’s Association in 1967 and began working in bands. He performed with his first pro-band (Angus Park blues Band) to open for Led Zeppelin at the Edmonton Gardens in 1969. We hear politicians say that we should run government like a business. Breezy disagrees. Why are 20% of Edmontonians living below the poverty line? He thinks we should run government like a Rock Band. In a Rock Band taking care of business is important but most important is that we are all having a good time. Are we going to take care of everyone so we can all have a good time? Yes! Vote Brian (Breezy) Gregg for Mayor October 18, 2021 Precarious Gig Work: Edmonton’s live music industry has been boom and bust for a variety of reasons so although live performance was his preferred vocation he diversified out of necessity during the bust times. Cab driver, high school teaching assistant, book shop clerk, guitar teacher, busker and janitor. Technology: Breezy has worked in the civil service. For seven years on and off he worked as an Engineering Technician for the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Alberta. There he became skilled in carpentry, TIG welding, plumbing and pipefitting. His main work there was to build and run custom equipment for student labs and Professor’s research. He advanced into being the Department Chairman’s research technician, and as such managed and conducted contract research for STELCO Canada. Small Business: For fifteen years he led The Big Dreamer Band. During this time he negotiated thousands of contracts and created jobs for three and often four other musicians. In this time he promoted the sale of several small lakes full of beer to live music fans in the bars and clubs of Edmonton. Property Owner and Landlord: Breezy owns a 1906 duplex and rents out one half while living in the other half. Childcare: Traditionally the unpaid and unaccounted for essential work of home care and childcare is done by Mothers but Breezy chose to be a stay at home Dad, seeing his two sons through their infancy and early years. Recording Artist: World class guitarist, song writer and recording artist credited with producing four albums of original songs and collaborating with many other Edmonton Artists on their recording projects. Volunteer work: For almost 20 years Breezy Brian Gregg was the volunteer host and organizer of a weekly musical open stage in Rossdale: Little Flower Open Stage. For the past six years he has volunteered for the Alberta NDP and the Federal NDP. He nominated David Shepherd and volunteered for both of David’s Campaigns. Federally he volunteered for both Reakash Walters and Gil McGowan in 2015 . He is now past president but as president of Edmonton Centre Federal NDP Breezy helped nominate Katherine Swampy and volunteered on her 2019 Campaign. Approach to Politics: Independent but partisan: It should be noted that although he volunteers and Cheerleads for the NDP he does in no way take direction from the NDP nor does he have any special power or influence in the Party. Open to suggestions: He likes to consider advice from everyone and is especially interested in why those with ideas he opposes, refuse to talk about the reality that we live in a society that runs on partial socialism. Not afraid to ask a seemingly dumb or difficult question: He wants to hear why those he opposes in this race like to use terms like red tape, taxpayer dollars, hard working taxpayer, and the bad businessmen’s favorite neoliberal fairy tale that is so often so lovingly referred to: Free Enterprise. All these terms should be exposed as weaponized rhetoric serving to shut down public conversation about income and wealth inequality. Breezy wonders why so many people in politics are reluctant to speak about love. Self Employed Self Care Specialist: Breezy works hard at taking care of himself, making sure he pays attention to the basic things he needs to keep himself balanced. Besides going forward with this Quest at this time he has managed to avoid in the last 23 years being arrested by the Edmonton Police Service on a mental heath warrant. Yes Breezy while running for Mayor of Edmonton in 1998 was arrested and held for 30 days. He had to finish his race talking daily to an Edmonton Sun Reporter from a payphone on a locked ward at Alberta Hospital, where he was (probably correctly) diagnosed with Bi-Polar Disorder. Not that he would wish it on anyone but it is his opinion that elected officials who manage and direct police services could gain perspective on how it feels if they had the opportunity to temporary lose almost all of their privilege by being arrested and confined.
Question 2: What do you think are the biggest issues affecting Edmonton are, and how would you approach these issues as Mayor?
Building a Caring Economy with love and respect for everyone and our planet How can every one have a good life when we have an economy that depends on cheap labour and low taxes? Getting big money out of politics read how Affordable Housing Free Transit read why Free WiFi Development of a Commercial Green House District to ring the City Promote the development of local businesses and industries to serve local needs for goods and services Promote the unionization of all essential workers Strengthening Public Library Services Enhanced public services to help lift people out of poverty Freeze the Police Budget and invest in alternate strategies to reduce crime and deal with problems arising from addictions and mental health Closing the door on infrastructure P3s : Public Private Partnerships Speaking up for being granted more revenue from provincial and federal transfers Speaking up against the provincial government plebiscites being piggy backed on our civic election Love and Respect for everyone
Question 3: What do you think is the role of a municipal government? Do you think the City does too many things, not enough, or just the right amount?
The city has to provide public social services and stop leaving social service up to private charities which obviously do not have the resources to property care for those who cannot care for themselves. To do this the city needs to begin slowly but steadily raising taxes and push the provincial and federal governments slowly raise taxes too. The new taxation has to be highly progressive. We have to see that the rich pay more tax.
Question 4: Do you think property taxes are too high, too low, or just about right?
To low but the tax raises must increase slowly to allow people who have over spent and are caring too much debt, to prepare for a heavier tax load. There should be protection from big tax raises on a persons primary residence.
Question 5: Over the next four years, should the City spend less in absolute terms, increase spending but by less than the rate of inflation and population growth, increase by the rate of inflation and population growth, or increase faster than the rate of inflation and population growth?
Increase faster
Question 6: During the introduction of City Charters a few years ago there was a lot of debate about new taxation powers for the big cities. Would you support the City being given any additional taxation powers by the Province? If so, what taxation powers should the City have?
We can live with the way it is as long as we have decent provincial governments that understand their responsibility to support cities financially.
Question 7: The City often claims that they’ve found savings in various budgets, but instead of actually cutting spending, they just put the savings into a reserve account and then spend that money on other things. If there’s money left over at the end of a financial year, do you think that money should be saved up by the City to spend in future years? Or should it be returned automatically to taxpayers the following year through some kind of rebate?
Saved
Question 8: Everyone says they support affordable housing, but what does that term mean for you? Do you think the City should be subsidizing housing for lower-income residents? Or focused on keeping the cost of all housing from getting out of control? Or perhaps some combination of the two? If so, how?
I want to make sure we have affordable housing for everyone right across the financial spectrum. This means that in the short term we need housing first for people who have no financial means, housing for people with low income and some luxury housing. In the long term we want to do away with low income jobs and therefore the need for low income housing. Businesses that employ people at a low income level are problem. That kind of enterprise is predatory and leaves the work of caring for the needy up to charity which in turn leaves that financial burden up to others in society. My view is that with higher labour standards and higher taxes on the rich we can have public social services that house, feed, educate and provide medical care for all who cannot provided that for themselves. Only a lucky few of us can provided amply for ourselves and only in the middle years of our lives.
Question 9: The new Edmonton City Plan focuses on urban development, promoting more density, more transit, and 15-minute communities, but it also restricts new housing development in the outskirts of the City. Are you concerned that this could affect housing affordability in the long-run?
o considering what I have said above.
Question 10: What do you think should be the split between greenfield and established community growth for new housing? Should the City have a specific target? Should this be determined by market demand?
I am not sure.
Question 11: Oil and gas has been a core part of Edmonton’s economy for a long time, indeed Leduc No. 1 is just a few minutes away, but Council is now actively promoting alternative energy sources. Do you think Council should be working to diversify the economy away from oil and gas and what would that look like?
We have to develop food production and become mostly self sufficient by building a greenhouse district ringing the city. We have to develop a repair industry. We have to work to locally produce everything we need
Question 12: The Valley Line SE LRT has suffered multiple significant delays during its construction. What is your understanding of the reason for these delays, and what would you have done differently to avoid them?
We can’t look back. Looking forward we should be a world leader in transitioning to 15 minute neighbourhoods thus reducing the amount of travelling and consequently the amount of burning. Secondly we should be a world leader in transiting to a free public AI controlled autonomous vehicle on-demand transportation system.
Question 13: The City has big plans to build multiple future LRT extensions, including the Valley Line West, the Metro Line Northwest, and the Capital Line South. Do you support further LRT expansion in the City or are there better ways to support transportation in the city? If, as Mayor, you find out that - despite all the previous assurances from the City - there has in fact been another delay or cost overrun for a future LRT line, or for some other major capital project, what would you do?
The system mentioned above is the way of the future. As soon as we can we should be moving in that direction and stop building expensive inefficient systems that are going to be obsolete.
Question 14: What do you think is the best approach to attract businesses to Edmonton? Direct incentives to specific businesses, paid for by slightly higher taxes, or lower tax rates for all businesses?
Business is for big boys and girls and two spirited people. Professional Successful Business People take care of themselves and often many others. They do not need to be babied with low taxes and the opportunity to exploit cheap labour. We should run our City Like a Rock and Roll Band. A band is a team. Together we can do this. In a Rock and Roll Band "Taking Care of Business" is very important but what is most important that everyone is having a good time. Let's Build a caring economy with love and respect for everyone and our planet.
Question 15: Should the City be in the business of operating golf courses, or should they privatize or sell them off? How about garbage collection - half of which is already private - or other services?
Let’s deal with golf course politics later for now. I am against privatization. It is a little late to speak up against it .. so much is invested in the new private garbage system we have to live with that too for now
Question 16: Should we defund the police? If yes, what exactly does defunding the police mean to you? If not, what should the City do to address both historical and ongoing injustices?
We should freeze for now. Talking about defunding splits our community into two groups who will will fight over this issue. People who are victims of crime and people who have been abused by police need to work together to make our city safe for everyone. We need to invest in services for mental health and addictions which is a mental health issue. We need the federal government to decriminalize drugs.
Question 17: Do you support the City’s mandatory vaccination policy for City employees?
Yes and I also think people should stop at red lights.
Question 18: Council recently dropped residential speed limits to 40km/h, do you agree with that decision, and what do you think about the proposal by some to go further and drop it to 30km/h in the future?
I will let others argue about that. I am focused on building an AI controlled transportation service that automatically controls speed limits. It is not smart to leave the control up to humans who naturally want the thrill of speeding.
Question 19: Serving as Mayor you are elected by and responsible to all Edmontonians, but some policies and government actions inherently benefit one part of the City at the expense of another. How would you deal with a situation where you feel that the best interests of some Edmontonians conflict with the best interests of Edmontonians in other parts of the City?
The councillors can argue about that and if they are tied on decisions I will look into their issues and break the tie.
Question 20: While the concept of a secret ballot is essential, many of our supporters have told us that they’d like to know the political alignment of their candidates. So, if - and only if - you feel comfortable saying so, who are you voting for in your local ward race and why, and if you are affiliated with any provincial or federal political parties, which ones and why?
NDP for now. I would also appreciate it if the other candidates would be honest and tell us their partisan preferences.