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Ric McIver has served as alderman for Ward 12 on city council for nine years. Before entering the political world, he worked in the food business.
He was the national sales manager for a major food company and then went out on his own in the food distribution and marketing business in the early 1990s.
As far as what sets him apart from other candidates, McIver says it’s his experience, his demonstrated willingness to stand up for what he believes in, and his track record of listening to Calgarians.
 “The number one thing is there are a lot of similar things on the platforms, but I’ve been talking about these things for a long time, not just a few months,” he says.
“I’ve been talking publicly for a few years, as opposed to having them drafted for me by somebody else.”
With dinner, do you prefer water or wine?
Both.
Favourite home-cooked meal?
Boy, anything cooked at home is good. I don’t get to eat at home enough. My wife does an unbelievably awesome salmon.
When you have a little down time, what are some of your favourite things to do?
I love to get out on my motorcycle. I like to watch sports. I golf badly, but enthusiastically. And reading a book for pleasure is a mega-luxury for me.
Fondest memory of Calgary?
Well, I was here for the Olympics and took part in that. Boy, there are so many good memories. The Flames run in 2004, and then also the year they won.
And I love the Stampede. Essentially, it’s not just on the grounds. It’s a citywide event. For 10 days, people don’t have to wear a tie to work. On the one hand, no work gets done, and on the other hand a lot of business gets done because people actually take time to spend time with each other and make plans for the future.
Are you a dog or a cat person?
Dog.
What record album did you listen to last?
Bollywood music, it was a compilation album. I like Bollywood music and the movies.
First teenage job?
When I was 14, I spent the summer living and working on a farm. I worked on the tobacco fields. It convinced me I wanted to do something different for my career.
Guilty pleasure movie?
Pulp Fiction. Not everybody would enjoy that movie, but the best part of the movie is the conversation and repartee.
Favourite film of all time?
Tough call. There’s several on that list, but one of my favourites has to be Dr. Strangelove.
Favourite actor/actress and why?
Clint Eastwood. He’s great.
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Any challenges in the campaign?
Waiting for it to start. Finding the time to meet all the people that I want to meet.
Challenges you feel you may face as mayor?
The financial overhaul of City Hall will be a challenge, and building a city for the future and involving as many people as possible on board to create a vision.
I want to make Calgary the economic heart of Canada. That’s achievable, but will take a strong effort to get us there by all Calgarians.
As mayor, how would you help create a more cohesive council?
By listening. It’s actually okay if members of council disagree. That’s actually a good thing. It’s about listening. People who don’t happen to be on the winning side of an argument shouldn’t be written off as having nothing to offer, because if you learn what you can from all members of council, you’re in the position on council to make the best decisions possible.
(McIver added that he does not completely agree that the current council is fractured.) It depends: on some issues, yes…on others, no. But council isn’t supposed to agree all the time. A certain amount of fracture is healthy, because it means that everybody is thinking, providing different ideas and different solutions.
What makes a city “vibrant?”
Getting more people living downtown. Downtown frankly is quite vibrant from early in the morning till six o’clock. The vibrancy goes away when everybody goes home to the suburbs.
If we had more people actually living downtown, then they’d be out walking on the street: out for a coffee, going to buy milk, or just going for a stroll. That would make the streets more vibrant, and at the same time safer by making it less comfortable for those that prefer to go out to the quiet streets to commit crimes.
It’s about making the downtown a complete community by balancing the jobs more with the people there. It’s about creating complete communities all over the city where people can live, work and play in a smaller circle, and spend less time commuting and more time doing the things that create vibrancy, which might be as small as going for a walk or as big as participating in arts and culture.
The thinking needs to be in decades, long-term, not in three-year campaign periods.
I appreciate that we’ve endorsed the Plan-It Calgary 60-year plan, but there’s no implementation strategy, and that’s what’s missing. How are we going to get there? I think we need to start putting an implementation plan in place, a realistic one that can be achieved. Then we’ll start to see Calgary evolve from the great city that it already is to a greater one.
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Dream roadtrip/weekend getaway?
It would definitely be on the motorcycle; somewhere through the mountains on a motorcycle with blue skies. (He’s already done several long trips on his motorcycle with his wife.)
Favourite Canadian band or artist?
Boy, that’s tough. There are a lot of them. Loverboy has to be on the list. I’m dating myself, but the fact is “Everybody’s Working for the Weekend” is a great song.
Favourite sitcom to watch growing up?
M*A*S*H.
Favourite series now?
I don’t get time to watch anything regularly. Family Guy, I guess, if you can call that a series.
Last great book you read?
Rensby by Markham Hislop. I had a couple days off and read his book. It was pretty good. Hislop publishes the Calgary Beacon.
What is your most treasured possession?
Boy, I’m not actually materialistic. I’d say the motorcycles I certainly treasure. It’s probably more about the experiences they provide than the possession itself, though.
If you could go back in time to meet one person, who would it be?
My grandmother McIver. I was close to her and it would be fun to have a conversation with her again.
If Hollywood made a movie about your life, whom would you like to see play the lead role as you?
Good question. Clint Eastwood.
What is your greatest artistic talent?
The ability to turn on a CD player. If there’s an area I’m lacking in, it’s artistic talent.
What talent would you like to have?
I wish I could sing.
The last time you sang?
Oh I sing everyday, but poorly.
Do you have a motto in life?
Fortune favours the bold.
If you were a Star Trek or Star Wars character, who would you be?
I’d like to think I am logical, so draw your own conclusion. It’s a pretty obvious conclusion.
If you had three shazams with a magic wand, what would you change in Calgary?
- Work out a deal with the province on the southwest connector of the ring road.
- Co-ordinate all traffic signals.
- Have more jobs on the periphery of the city so people can live and work closer together.
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