Endorsements mark late stages of campaign

As the third Calgary mayoral candidate removes himself from the race in as many days, endorsements are coming fast and furious.

Craig Burrows announced Thursday night via Twitter that he was suspending his campaign, following that up Friday morning with a news conference with front-runner Ric McIver.

"I wanted to make sure that if I can't be the person who brings my ideas to city hall, that I have somebody that I can trust who can implement those ideas, and Ric McIver's that man," said Burrows.

Those shared ideas include buying natural gas buses for Calgary Transit and improving recreation facilities.

McIver also welcomed the support of Ward 13 incumbent Diane Colley-Urquhart.

Earlier this week, Ald. Bob Hawkesworth dropped out of the race and said he would support Barb Higgins.

Then, on Thursday morning, businessman Wayne Stewart suspended his campaign and said he would support Naheed Nenshi.

Because they halted their campaigns so late in the game, the city's returning officer said the names of Hawkesworth, Stewart and Burrows would still appear on the ballot on Monday.

Barb Clifford said voters can still mark an X beside any of the three candidates' names, and it won't be considered a spoiled ballot.

Added to the pack is Liberal MLA Kent Hehr, who quit the race in September. Hehr said Friday that Nenshi had performed well in debates and that he supports Nenshi's policies.

Higgins apologizes for post-interview remarks

Barb Higgins, meanwhile, has made headlines for a controversial appearance on Citytv's Breakfast Television on Thursday morning.

Interviewer Mike McCourt called Higgins' former campaign manager, who she let go, a "political screw-up." He also suggested Higgins was "drafted" into the election, and that she was open to the criticism of being a marionette dancing on somone else's strings.

In response, Higgins said many people had inspired her to run for mayor and that her former manager wasn't a "screw-up," he just had time management issues as a volunteer because he runs his own company.

Duane Bratt, a policy studies professor at Mount Royal University, said Higgins' performance in the interview wouldn't hurt her politically.

"Well, she pushed back pretty strong against a veteran newsman who is clearly in a cranky mood, and I thought she handled herself quite well and quite professionally," said Bratt. "And in the end I think he was out of line more … than she was."

Bratt said the fiery exchange might have actually helped her campaign, suggesting that it goes against previous criticism that she's too soft and too nice to be mayor.

Following the testy interview, members of ArtsVote Calgary said Higgins walked over to them and said, "Who crapped in everyone's cornflakes this morning?"

Higgins later acknowledged her post-interview remarks and apologized.