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In politics for nearly 40 years, Bob Hawkesworth has served as an alderman, an MLA and a community activist. He also served as president of the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association for three years.
Currently, he is alderman for Ward 4 in Calgary. Some of his political achievements include helping to preserve Nose Hill as a public park, working with the Safe Communities program and working to make some of Enmax’s alternative energies initiatives become a reality.
Unique to Hawkesworth’s campaign was his strategy to gather information from Calgarians to help create solutions. Over 200,000 automated phone calls were made asking people to give feedback on an online survey.
 “I’ve always been a solutions-focused guy on council,” says Hawkesworth. “I don’t have a very high profile in the media because I`m not criticizing or complaining or giving trash talk about the city and about city council.
“If there’s a problem, I try to bring a solution. Solutions don’t generate the same controversy as criticism.”
He also adds: “There are people who are running who have never been on city council and are making all kinds of proposals without a clue how they’re going to implement it. So I’m the only guy who’s got the experience and knows what he’s talking about.
With dinner, do you prefer water or wine?
Wine. But I always have water too.
Favourite home-cooked meal?
I love rack of lamb.
When you have a little down time, what are some of your favourite things to do?
Watching movies and going out for dinner with friends.
Fondest memory of Calgary?
A couple of times, I’ve ridden down the Bow River in a canoe and it’s a beautiful way to experience the city.
Are you a dog or a cat person?
Dog person. I have a long-standing allergy to cats.
What album did you listen to last?
A Delhi 2 Dublin album. They just played at Folk Fest and I listened to them on the way home in the car last night.
First teenage job?
I worked at the photo shop at Zeller’s. In fact, I sold as many packs of cigarettes as film in those days. It was a photo shop, but they also sold cigarettes.
Guilty pleasure movie?
Titanic.
Favourite film of all time?
The Razor’s Edge. It was remade with Bill Murray, but I’m talking about the original.
George Clooney has had a couple of recent movies that were first-rate.
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Any challenges in the campaign?
Being competitive in a constituency of a million people is a new experience.
Challenges you feel you may face as mayor?
The first thing is the mayor and council are going to have to confront the 2011 budget, and at the moment there is a $50 million gap between expected revenue and expected expenditures. One of the challenges is getting people to understand the actual issues around this.
Also, we need to get on with the southeast LRT. There`s a funding application deadline on November 30. And building a respectful climate of problem solving in city council.
As mayor, how would you help create a more cohesive council?
Taking our diversity as a council and using it in a creative way is an important job for a mayor to do. We’ll be building a protocol on how to work together.
We’re elected to be diverse. We’re elected as politicians to have differing points of view, and that can be a very creative process if managed. We have to expect to disagree. That’s part of the democratic process, but how we use that difference creatively will be part of the job of the mayor.
What makes a city “vibrant?”
We need to create trusting places. Over the long term, it’s supporting truly complete communities, higher density developments, mixed-use buildings, attractive design, and good planning in nodes all over the city.
It means investing in infrastructure that supports pedestrians and cycling. It means people can do business and enjoy the city without depending on a car to do it. When people experience a city on their feet, walking it…that’s when it’s vibrant...when there’s lots of other people around and lots of activities.
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Dream roadtrip/weekend getaway?
For a roadtrip, it would be Victoria. It’s a gorgeous trip through the mountains. For a weekend getaway, you can’t beat Lake Louise.
Favourite Canadian band or artist?
A small Vancouver band that a friend of mine plays with called Fraser Union. I don’t know if they’re the greatest band, but I love their music and when you know one of the artists it makes a big difference. Oh, and The Good Lovelies.
Favourite sitcom to watch growing up?
The Beverly Hillbillies.
Favourite series now?
I think The Wire was without a doubt one of the greatest television shows ever. For anybody who has watched The Wire, they’d understand why a municipal politician would pick it.
Last great book you read?
Apples, Codfish and Sauerkraut. It’s an autobiography written by my dad. He also wrote The Years of the Locust.
I read them to him. He’s in a nursing home. When I go up to Edmonton to visit him, I read him his books that he’s written.
What is your most treasured possession?
The love of my family and my friends.
If you could go back in time to meet one person, who would it be?
I’d like to meet Andrew Davidson, only because so much of my work life has been tied up with city council in Calgary.
He was a very long-serving mayor and long-serving through the worst depression and economic dislocation the city has ever experienced.
If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you like to see play the lead role as you?
Who would want to watch it? Let me think. Maybe Richard Dreyfuss. He kind of looks like me and he’s a feisty character.
What is your greatest artistic talent?
Photography. I’ve taken it up again after a lapse of some years. I’m taking my camera around with me on my adventures as a candidate for mayor. You can see my albums of my travels on Facebook.
What talent would you like to have?
To be able to play the piano. I only got so far with it as a kid.
The last time you sang?
Just yesterday: the national anthem on the steps of City Hall with the Canada Business Association.
Do you have a motto in life?
Find a job you love and you’ll never have to work another day in your life.
If you were a Star Trek or Star Wars character, who would you be?
Dr. Spock, because I’m from Vulcan.
If you had three shazams with a magic wand, what would you change in Calgary?
- The culture at City Hall. The ability and willingness to take more risks is standing in the way of us getting to another level of performance. The city is so afraid of making a mistake.
- I’d future-proof Calgary so we can weather the storms that may be coming. I’d make a transition for a more sustainable future and use resources more wisely because they are going to be much more expensive in the future. Investing in transit is key for that.
- Find more diverse sources of revenue for municipalities.
- The property tax has many advantages but it also has disadvantages. It isn’t enough to help you fund growth.
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