Edmonton Minute: Fireworks Canceled, Dang Resigns and a Year End Wrap up

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

This Week In Edmonton:

• It’s the final week of 2021. Much like 2020, we weren’t sure we were ever going to see the end of this bizarre year, but here we are. Thank you to all of those who’ve taken time to read our emails! This year was our first full year, and we accomplished a lot. Whether it was building our candidate database to help voters get informed, shining light on terribly run City departments (looking at you snow removal), or just having a rare in-person get together, we’ve had a great time and have so much more to do! Happy New Year!
  
  
• The City Council and all associated committees are on holiday until January 4th, when the Agenda Review Committee will meet at 9:00 am.
  
  
• Sadly, the New Year's Eve fireworks traditionally held in Edmonton have been cancelled this year. Just another unnecessary victim of the pandemic. Fireworks seem the perfect event you could watch outside from a multitude of places, but don't let common sense get in the way! The City claims this is stemming from an "abundance of caution". Did anyone consider that maybe an "abundance" of caution is too much caution?

Last Week In Edmonton:

• Council announced that residential roads will be cleared down to bare pavement, following the approval of a pilot program that will see residential streets bladed after "major snowfalls". This will require further parking bans to be enforced. Although the funding for this project will be included in the snow clearing budget for this year, future funding will be required, should the project continue.
  
  
• Thomas Dang, MLA for Edmonton-South, announced a sudden resignation from the NDP caucus, after the RCMP executed a search warrant on his house. According to Dang, this is related to vulnerabilities on the AHS vaccine portal website. No charges have been laid. The RCMP indicated it may be a while before charges are brought forth, citing the "very complex" nature of the case.
  
  
• Joey Moss, the iconic Oilers locker room attendant, will have a park named after him in Southwest Edmonton. Moss passed away in 2020, at the age of 57. Moss became the locker room attendant back in 1984 when Wayne Gretzky recommended him for the job. Moss was born with Down syndrome and was an inspiration to many in the developmentally disabled community, indeed, to many throughout Edmonton.

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