'Small distraction': Mayor Jyoti Gondek reacts to a chorus of boos from Flames fans
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It's not the mayor's fault Johnny Hockey signed with Columbus, setting in motion an exodus of all-stars from the Calgary Flames, but Saturday night, it sounded as if a few thousand fans blamed her for it.
It's not the mayor's fault Johnny Hockey signed with Columbus, setting in motion an exodus of all-stars from the Calgary Flames, but Saturday night, it sounded as if a few thousand fans blamed her for it.
On a national broadcast ahead of puck drop on Saturday night, the Flames recognized several key members of the city’s South Asian community, including mayor Jyoti Gondek, who was received to a chorus of boos.
Thousands of fans booed the mayor as she walked to centre ice, and passed the Flames bench for a ceremonial puck drop.
Pollster Marc Henry, president of Think HQ public affairs, booed the decision to showcase a mayor stumbling in the polls and recovering from a recall petition.
“Why on earth would you send the mayor, who's sitting at 30 per cent approval or less to be in front of 18,000 anonymous hockey fans, when you know in hockey, booing and cheering is part of the deal?” asked Henry.
“Whoever the staffer was who thought this was a good idea, ought to be fired because they are completely tone deaf,” added Henry.
“You just put your boss in a very, very vulnerable and embarrassing situation.”
