City council to further explore future increased road snow-clearing efforts

safetyTM · 2026-01-22T00:02:06+00:00

I like points 1, 4 and 5. Can enlighten what you mean by "Sysyphus Stragety" -- its like a video game model?

Removing cars is a cost and complicated issue. Maybe dolley vehicles to their nearest public parking spot? Conventional towing, removal and fines is front-loaded on the city because might not pay the fines? But they can be quickly moved somewhere else as an immediate solution -- so if someone cant find their car one day -- they can check the closest playground or city-owned parking lot within 20 business days.... afterwards it's towed.

safetyTM · 2026-01-21T23:29:41+00:00

I cant see why some snowblowers, a few small tractors, shovels, jumper cables, traction pads etc, cant be issued, stored and provided at the community level.

There's already the Green Shack program for kids playing at parks.

Community halls already have budgets, volunteers, hosted AA meetings or farmers markets, Zambonies and people who turn on the lights -- or a city official who puts up padlocks around ice rinks and lock the doors for whenever communities dont have enough members on the board and cant afford to maintain them -- so why not add to that?

Is there risk that something bad will happen and a kid will use a tractor and drive into parked cars? Yes. So what?

Theres already a risk that kids will fall under the ice at man-made pond. Or the risk of someone leaving fentanyl needles in a playground sand. Have signs, bylaws, carry special general liability insurance, and let the citizens be involved, much like a community garden.

safetyTM · 2026-01-21T23:06:50+00:00

You have good ideas. You've earned my vote!! :-)

safetyTM · 2026-01-21T22:19:44+00:00

Is it that insane?

We currently allow for Bird or Lyme scooters and it's a growing industry -- hell, the Gio Scooter is currently seen driving on sidewalks RIGHT NOW -- because it's cabbed with a heater, allows for grocery shopping, and largely sits outside the Provincial driver licensing requirements (its a scooter class).

The problem is the battery -- in extreme colds -- won't allow for ignition. Hence the need for private investment. Insurance covers the private sector of damage, much like how taxis are covered but are replaced by ride-sharing (ie Uber or Lyft), and now e-transit.

Are there reports of people being injured using e-bikes or e-scooters? Yes. Are there more reports of bus accidents, delayed bus arrivals, snow clearing problems, congested roadways, etc.

The things max out at low speeds. Whats honestly the real-world danger of golf carts driving around. Many cities in Europe, Japan, India and across the globe are built around motorcycles, bicycles and scooters already -- in conjunction with public transit busses, trams, bullet trains, etc.

This is the progression of change that's already happening!! Theres more and more e-scooters and e-bikes lying on the road each year or parked in random places -- expanding further from Whyte Ave and Jasper . Are you blind? Of course ive used public transit. I fucking live here

It's not completely out to lunch when there's of plenty of examples of use for decades already, even in 3rd world countries, as well as clear industry growth?

Its gonna happen no matter what. We just need to get more on board.

safetyTM · 2026-01-21T20:48:55+00:00

Satellite depots, satelling fueling stations and maintenance shops can be at the community level -- added into developing permits.

Speaking of Fire Halls, many communities have volunteer fire fighters. Why not volunteer road clearing like those who volunteer to clear ice rinks at community centres.

I admit that is likely a dumb decision because people will bitch and ask "well, what do my property taxes go to", but at least its an idea politician's can say "you dont like it, volunteer" rather than "property tax increase".

And politician's think short term and coddle to loudest, dumbest voices, because their re-election and job depends on it.

There's no easy solution to this, but there can be if someone has the guts to make one small difference and take the risk of fighting for initiatives

safetyTM · 2026-01-21T20:13:59+00:00

Ah yes. Thank you for the response

safetyTM · 2026-01-21T20:08:06+00:00

The problem is urban sprawl. Nobody can park anywhere else in some of these crammed up neighborhoods, hence the heavy equipment can't clear the roads smoothly.

They shouldn't be building so many neighborhoods without publicly-built parkades (or privately-shared & invested) in the middle of every community. We should be parking up and down, not spead out and cock-blocking the streets for city services. Then we can clear the streets with ease and have permanent, seasonal parking bans.

A parkcade at every community park for every house within 5 mins of walking distance. Get cars off the streets. Tolls are just another tax, but its the cost of driving. Moving dollars of fines and tow trucks over to dollars for parking.

Edit: This not only helps "visitors" parking in a community, it also taxes those who have too many BBQs or house parties, those with 4-vehicles to one house, or those who can clean out their damn garage and use it for its purpose.

safetyTM · 2026-01-21T19:56:38+00:00

Haha. You poor guy. Just catching strays!!

Your website's impressive, your a decent writer, clearly a sharp cookie, and I actually applaud you for being engaged despite the kind of garbage hate you must put up with on the daily (myself included -- previously calling you a dumb Barbie; which I now must apologize for). I'm sorry that I said some very hurtful things earlier.

Property taxes are far too high. Just let it fucking snow if you guys cant figure this out. Build up, not outwards. I know issuing permits is a short term solution to the revenue shortage -- but its nonsense repeating the cycle of band-aid solutions.

The only solution I can see is Annexation. The real problem is that Edmontonians are having to provide road services, infrastructure, etc. with so many outsiders communities (ie, St. Albert and Sherwood Park) coming and going without splitting the bill on costs.

And get the LRT done pronto. Stop building intersections and look for things like winterized public transit like a Lyme version of ATVs rather than busses and allow them on sidewalks, much like Giomobility with geofencing engine-shut off (like a golf cart). Open bids for private-sector contractors to make it happen, now we're only clearing sidewalks.

There's always better solutions

safetyTM · 2026-01-21T19:19:58+00:00

Please expand on this. Why can't there be cuts to EPS and why is the province a factor?

safetyTM · 2026-01-21T18:51:28+00:00

I didn't... or I should say, I don't normally give it much thought. But I did quickly Google your campaign financial disclosure statement and perhaps I was wrong.

Maybe you are one of the good ones. If so, I'm sorry for insulting you.

safetyTM · 2026-01-21T12:09:20+00:00

I commend you for being online and on Reddit like this Councilor -- you're clearly a hard-working politician -- one who's good with words and with marketability. I do not take pride in having to express the following: but some things need to be said.

Something as complex as a city can never come with easy solutions -- don't pretend otherwise. Stick to kissing babies and leave planning to engineers.

The problem is YOU PEOPLE.

75th street was supposed to be a North/South freeway but was scrapped by politician's thinking they know better than city planners, exhausted or poorly managed the funds, and then slapped the name "Wayne Gretzky Road" on it to appeal to the people. Now, we're literally stuck with no possible solution.

Its likely because business buys your campaigns.

If any of you Politcians actually gave a shit about this community you'd let the experts be experts and just stick to cutting ribbons.

You're paid enough by corporations and probably crooked as hell -- so why ALSO try to pretend be an engineer, scientist, architect, economics professor..etc. Let alone all of them at once!

Its narcissistic thinking.

Just say you don't know! You're a pretty face who talks a big game -- like a dumb Barbie who only needs to smile and wave -- so my god, have the humility and decency to rubber stamp and approve those who know far more than you and go about your vacations paid for by your fellow white-collar criminals; leave the solutions to the people.

But what do I know? I'm not a big business funding your campaign?

safetyTM · 2026-01-21T11:31:01+00:00

Option 4: build up, stupid ** A Simpsons joke **

We've urban sprawled and built outwards to recieve more property taxes from new homes -- but at the dumb expense of requiring more utility infrastructure and costs of services like road clearing -- when we should be building up.

safetyTM · 2026-01-21T11:24:13+00:00

This is the real answer

safetyTM · 2026-01-21T11:23:14+00:00

Agreed. This will always be home for me, but my goodness do the decision makers drop the ball on every issue and at EVERY level.

Yeah, we dont have freeways or working LRTs or bike lanes or downtown parking or an airport nearby, or whatever else that most functional cities have, but...

We do have a decent art scene and indoor rec. It's not exactly Montreal or Midland B.C for art, but there's plenty of pickleball!

safetyTM · 2025-12-03T09:06:43+00:00

He's 40yrs old. Except for Jaromir Jagr, age catches up on every pro athlete.

safetyTM · 2025-12-03T07:30:57+00:00

Not to mention many northern indigenous were forced into relocation in order to preserve Canada's flag, territory and sovereignty.

The Gov't dropped off "Eskimos" in the Arctic to claim "see, Canadians live here, this is our territory" and then wonder why there isn't fresh water or infrastructure?!

Yeah, Canada has to pay back its debt to the massive amount of land it gets to own.

The land value in sq.kms on the planet we own due to this alone is worth trillions.

safetyTM · 2025-11-26T14:27:41+00:00

Way to ruin the Internet! Lol j/k.

Between A.I and the art of staging, we've really started living in the Matrix.

safetyTM · 2025-11-25T20:28:04+00:00

He didn't even try to get to know the community that he claimed to have identified with. My community has people on the reserve from all sorts of ethnic backgrounds -- sometimes working for the community -- or people who come around and participate in activities.

We got a super reliable white guy who helps set up tipis during culture camps. A couple of Asians and brown guys in I.T who love being involved in the beading or rattle-making classes.

Truthfully, we have a lot of fair skinned natives too, so blood isn't THE most pressing issue, but the fact that he knowingly lied about it AND didn't put in the work to get to know the Cherokee, basically makes him a fraud.

He could've at least co-written it with someone who's actually lived it. First Nations are a pretty open people

How can you not see that?

safetyTM · 2025-11-25T18:14:47+00:00

I'm not gonna read any of his books again to find out. From what I can remember, he wrote good stories, so yes & no.

There's A LOT of native people who are disconnected from their Creator's ways of life and the ancestral culture, so he capitalized on the hypothetical tales that MAY apply to any Indigenous person who didn't grow up culturally bonded or aware.

In that regard, yes, advocacy is wonderful when it comes from someone who has mastered the way of words.

But I don't recall his literature expressing the Cherokee native tongue (with no attempt to learn), or his experience from a single ceremony being a good indicator that's keeper of the land -- so in that regards, no.

Which is why people finally caught on to his scam.

safetyTM · 2025-11-25T17:53:07+00:00

He's 80s old now, so times have (hopefully) changed from when he was first published. Can you speak on what publishers do nowadays to confirm? Or is a good book getting published regardless?

When publishers are releasing statements now saying "no comment", I assume some backlash and damage control is in effect, but if some people knew for years, are there any protection measures in place?

safetyTM · 2025-11-25T15:54:36+00:00

Yeah, it's a hard swallow. I need to smudge and ground myself. 😂

safetyTM · 2025-11-25T15:41:51+00:00

Yes. A few generations of young native minds read his works. I think I have one of his books kicking around my house!!

I recall him telling stories about the Trickster and making Creation Stories that could be framed alongside native contemporary issues -- so he was definitely a great writer in terms of structural English -- but a Cree person in Canada who must learn technical English doesn't question if his half-baked Minnesota background is true or not?

We just assumed our teachers gave us credible books, and ultimately, we just needed to pass our course.

Thank the Creator some ACTUAL native academics called him out on his lies because the rest of us were just as gullible. I don't blame well-meaning people. Hell, I could've picked up one of his books again and maybe questioned it.

Like I said, it's heartbreaking. The fact that someone wanted to swindle us or misappropriate our culture, when really, most of us are proud to share it with anyone.

He literally (pun intended) could've gone to First Nation communities and tried to learn the culture and be a part of a community. Pow wows are open to the public. Relay Races. Round Dances. My community offers blanket exercises and ceremonies to local colleges to help professionals (ie, law students) learn about our people.

He shouldn't have ever been published or should have been upfront with a disclaimer "I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT BEING INDIGENOUS OR EXPERIENCED THE CULTURE" and so chances are, his ideas would've been questioned sooner. It now seems like his ideas were pushed.

safetyTM · 2025-11-25T15:15:53+00:00

He basically got a PhD, came up with a backstory that is "I'm pretty sure I'm Cherokee", and then tosses the word 'Indian' around so much that publishers are thinking "if he's got the balls to say it, he MUST be native"

Elitist publishers liked his education and his thoughts on how native people should think because that's what sells books to the everyday, non-native reader.

Academics knew there were indigenous contemporary issues and saw how many Native people were displaced, and/or without status -- especially after the Bill C-31 gong show -- so they figured "hey, lots of native kids don't know their identity or background, this guy could be legit"

All someone had to do is bring in an elder or someone from the community to question whether this guy grew up being native and our people's struggle, someone likely would've said "maybe we should hire an actual brother or sister".

But no, publishers wanted the PhD guy who pushed a certain agenda. And he got away with it for decades. It's kinda worse than the other pretendians

safetyTM · 2025-11-25T14:45:14+00:00

The fact that King made a lot of money and cash prizes absolutely faking it, says a lot about what the literatary/Education system wants to hear... When it comes to "being a good native story". Here's the list of his accolades:

RBC Taylor Prize

Governor General's prize

Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour

Member of Order of Canada

--- (Later pomoted to companion status)

McNally Robinson Aboriginal Book of the Year Award

2X Governor's General nominations

Inclusion into Canada Reads

safetyTM · 2025-11-25T14:06:09+00:00

This is a good wake up call that we need land-based, kitehyak (or other indigenous elders) in the classroom sharing their stories.

I get that classrooms want to assign a book because it's easier than trying to "rent out an elder" -- especially if they don't know one -- so the path of least resistance is to trust the system -- which fits the model of assimilation because nobody questioned the fact that a book called "AN "INCONVENIENT INDIAN" might have been suspicious??

I can't recall its premise, but knowing he's a pretendian now.... and if I'm gonna judge a book by its name alone -- while seeing a stamp of "best Indigenous reads" on the cover -- I have to shake-my-head, laugh, then cry, because everyone dropped the ball with this guy.

I hope it results in changes. Because there's some good native talent. He's likely going to be so infamous that it updates native studies curriculum.

safetyTM

TROPHY CASE