'Direct democracy in action'After the final speaker, Farkas proclaimed the eight-day public hearing had been "direct democracy in action." Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas called the recent blanket rezoning public hearing 'direct democracy in action,' praising its effect. Andrew Yule said his stance on blanket rezoning was shaped by days of public hearings, as his opinion drifted back and forth. After the blanket rezoning hearings, council has an opportunity to think about what they want public engagement to look like moving forward, Lucas said. “While there are certainly important goods that come out of a public hearing process, it’s not the only game in town."

Source: CBC News April 12, 2026 16:37 UTC