In a different twist on the usual campaign strategy of selling T-Shirts with your slogan on them, Mayor Bruce Banman this week unveiled his strategy of making fun of himself with a ‘Stop Banman’ jersey.
Banman wore the jersey to the announcement Wednesday, at Abbotsford Centre, of changes at the top and a series of plans to increase usage at the empty arena.
Banman devoted a major part of his first two years in office to cheering on the money-losing Abbotsford Heat and joining the chorus of high-placed people who got Abbotsford into the Plan A/Abbotsford Heat mess. He did so by threatening taxpayers with cutting programs unless they bought Heat tickets and prodding the Chamber of Commerce to buy tickets.
When councillor Henry Braun first suggested the City would have to pay of the Calgary Flames to stop the flow of red ink, Banman preferred to put on a happy face and support the out-of-town company.
When the pressure mounted high enough he abruptly switched course and took credit for giving the Flames $50 million to stop losing taxpayer money. He has gone on to claim in his political platform that paying of the Flames was all his idea.