Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek tells council to no longer use 'your worship' title
CBC
Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek told a city council meeting on Tuesday that she'd prefer it if people stopped calling her "your worship."
The title has been an honorific traditionally used to refer to mayors, magistrates and justice of the peace in Commonwealth countries.
"I find that to be clunky and colonial, quite frankly," Gondek said during the council meeting.
"And so, in my efforts to practice some personal responsibility when it comes to reconciliation, I would greatly appreciate it if members of council, members of administration and members of the public, if for me, you were just comfortable using Mayor Gondek."
Gondek also thanked Sandra Masters, Regina's first elected female mayor, who said in 2020 that the honorific was unnecessary.
"Every time someone said, 'your worship,' I would cringe," Masters said in 2020. "I know that is the address in lots of places, but I thought internally in terms of the team, they're councillors and I'm mayor and Mayor Masters would be sufficient."
Gondek said she finds the title unnecessary in day-to-day meetings or events.
"The worship title at this point is not something that I need from any of you," she said.
"It is a practice that has been brought down by the federal government. It's something that we've traditionally used. I'm not breaking any customs or traditions by asking that we not use it."
Gondek added that she recognized that the title is a formality that may need to be used at certain junctures.