Today Bryon will Interview one of Calgary's Mayor Candidate Ian Chiang. Ian migrated to Canada in 1987 from Brunei and after he met his wife but his sister have been living in Calgary for five years. So e they choose Calgary as their first Resident. Ian was doing engineering design and drafting. After graduating he got a job and was being part of a project in a city, Bonnie Brook, which was a city project in a wastewater Treatment plan. Ian believes that there are different managers for each department or jurisdiction, he want to inspire them and remind them what really is their role for the city of Calgary. Is it for the money only? Ian is really focus on the youth of Calgary, he also want to encourage their future as a citizen of Calgary to do better. Connect with Ian here: Email: khchiang@yahoo.ca Telephone: 403-970-5531 Connect with Bryon here: www.thehowardteam.net https://www.facebook.com/thehowardteamcalgary https://www.instagram.com/calgary_living/ Email: bryon@thehoeardteam.net Phone: 403-589-0004
Today Bryon will Interview one of Calgary's Mayor Candidate Ian Chiang.
Ian migrated to Canada in 1987 from Brunei and after he met his wife but his sister have been living in Calgary for five years. So e they choose Calgary as their first Resident.
Ian was doing engineering design and drafting. After graduating he got a job and was being part of a project in a city, Bonnie Brook, which was a city project in a wastewater Treatment plan.
Ian believes that there are different managers for each department or jurisdiction, he want to inspire them and remind them what really is their role for the city of Calgary. Is it for the money only?
Ian is really focus on the youth of Calgary, he also want to encourage their future as a citizen of Calgary to do better.
Hey everyone. My name is Brian Howard. I'm a Calgary realtor who has sold an average of a house a week since moving to this great city in 2003. And this is Calgary living real estate and lifestyle. I'm interviewing Calgary's top performers as it relates to living and lifestyle in our great city. Some of the podcasts will be real estate decisions specific, but most will be about life in Calgary.
And why we choose to live here or at least why you should visit. Thanks for tuning in
folks. Welcome to another edition of a living in Calgary. My name is Brian Howard, and today I have on the show or one of our great mirror candidates, Ian Chang. And am I saying the last name, right? Yeah. Jane Chan. Yeah. Great. Well, thank you so much for taking time from your schedule and coming onto the show.
I welcome you and I embrace you and I, and I honor you as a, a, you know, as a citizen of our country or for our city and, uh, striving for this role. I'm impressed by anyone who will give up themselves and work in this leadership capacity for the good of all you tell me to start out with, how did you come to live in color?
Actually it wasn't my choice. I migrated to Canada in 1987 after I met my wife, but I'm at a sister have been here five years, people earth, and they have been living with her hospital in Edmonton for five years. And certainly when the year of migration really change it to Calgary, we have to choose Calgary as our first resident.
And then I was ready to go out to anywhere. Whenever I can get a job. So I was ready to go to Fort Mac or an intern go back to my work in refinery. And because I did like to carry on to do shift work. And then at that time, the oil price was still low. I took up a two year course in Saudi abutter Institute for technology.
I was doing engineering, design and drafting, and then after I graded. Yeah, we didn't one, man. I got a job in engineering and it was being a project in a city, Bonnie Brook, which is a city project in a wastewater treatment plant and audience. And then in, uh, engineering firms all around Calgary and never leave.
Hmm. Interesting. And so you've come to Calgary and it sounds like around late, mid eighties, late, late eighties and 1987. And what do you love most about camp? I love the sunshine of the city. I came from a very equatorial climate country in Brunei in south east Asia richest country in the world. When I, or it wasn't one point isn't it.
Yes, it is one point the richest country in the world. I was also benefiting from that because we were given tax free. Our income is tax free. I managed to test some money. I mean, not for me to buy a house to start stop with, and later on my wife and I, you know, get into another job, like a eight to five job, no more shit work.
Right, right. Very good. Okay. And so you've been here quite a long time. I've been a benefactor, I guess, in some ways of the boom economy in Calgary and also the bust economy. Can you tell me a little bit about your experience in the boom bust economy of Calgary, how that has affected you or has it at all?
And I guess along that note, do you save for a rainy day? Yes, I do. When the oil price was high, I was employ, but when the oil price died down, I was let go at first. But ever since they know me, they like my work ethic. So whenever the oil price is coming up, I was the first one to be called back. So I think they recognized my work, my work ethic.
So I kind of take it easy.
Day, you know, where he can lead to, uh, like tying to the job finding I did looking for job every day and, uh, of course, and then I know that sooner or later they will call me back. And I think you're sort of in retirement now, at one point, when in your early retirement you are teaching Tai Chi, it sounds like.
And, you know, as a volunteer and as a paid instructor, somewhat, how long since you've, uh, you retired the first time, I suppose. The year was 2016, November. That was about two or three months after the last CT election. I have been preparing for this ministry, labor politic. Or whatever title for the past 10 years.
And I had been living here for more than 34 years. I seen the good, the bad and the ugly of the CT and out of foams and generating forms. Like when I came in here, They do not know how to pronounce my name. There was no celebration of Chinese new year, you know, and nobody knew much about Chinese. I think at that time, the Calgary was enjoying a very good boon time, you know, although the oil price was lower, but not as low as right now.
Okay. Very good. And, um, and so, um, have you always thought about this sort of leadership position? Like what's motivating you, what's your interest in being our mirror? Our city leaders. I have, uh, two boys and one girl. I was able to, uh, have them completed their study in university. They are all in a medical field.
The way I brought them up, I do not set up any rules for them. Now. They are on a good ground. They are living on it by themselves. They are quite successful in a way. So in dealing with them, I think I am learning a lot from them, like by, uh, dealing with three individual person with three individual characters, these are giving me some kind of a, how to deal with people like how to bring out the best of each person.
When I come to a, be a mayor of Calgary, I think Calgary has been a very. The operation or the CT has been very good in here. Somebody like me to do the kind of fine tune to make them better. Okay. Super. And what do you believe the primary role of the mayor is? I don't want to be the manager for everybody.
They are different manager for different departments or different jurisdictions. I would be, uh, trying to be inspired. Like, what do they want when they come to work for the city of Calgary? Like, uh, is there for the money only? Is it the paycheck only, you know, there something that inspired them to work for the people of Calgary, because of though the city is to service the people.
We are not trying to attack them. Right, right. Okay, good. So you you've been elected the mayor and your first day in the mirror's office, who are you going to call to set up a meeting? I assume it won't be me, but who will you be calling that first meeting first day in the mayor's office. The first day. Oh, I don't know the first month, because I still have to spend some times to learn the in and out of the city operation, maybe calling up to the former mayor, like what he can, or he can agree to see me or not.
Then I will learn from him like, what are the good and the bad, what we can do together and MP4 he'll leave. Very good. I posted out on my sort of social media platforms, you know, Hey, I'm, I'm having the opportunity to interview a few of the mirror candidates. What is something you'd want to know about your, you know, your future mirror?
And someone asked the question and I was mom. Uh, the question was, um, is there a reasonable or sensible alternate? To market and value assessment. I don't know how, like, and as a realtor in the city, you know, I, I'm very familiar with market value assessment and I'm sure as a homeowner or a city resident, you are too, it's your experience with market assessments?
And I guess the, I guess it's really leading to taxes. Any thoughts on, on that question from one of my friends on social media, the CT is collected. Our property tax based on a market value, I think is quite fair in a way it may be down in EMEA. So, uh, in boom time, our property value is going up. Then they text me a bit, a bit more, but in bedtime, our property value may be down.
Hopefully the property tax is going down as well. I think this is the way. Yeah, we have to feed our city. I agree. It's interesting. And what about transit? I'm going to ask the question. Should transit be free for students from kindergarten to university? Any thoughts on that bus? The transit system for the student they are being done by the education department.
They are under the Jewish Jewish station or the school. So they have school buses, the mayor be involved in this decision. I don't know, like, uh, I seen a school bus provider for, you know, for those student who wanted to go on bus. Yeah, I, uh, I was recently swimming at the university of Calgary and now that the pools are back open and enjoying that 50 meter pool.
But, um, what, when there, we learned that the parking actually one of the, my swimming friends is a university of Calgary student and they spend a thousand dollars a year to bring a car to the university of Calgary for parking. I guess the question more comes from if you are a university student, you know, living at home, and let's just say, for example, in Auburn bay, Uh, let's just say, you know, Tuscany, would you be encouraging that, that student, uh, take public transport and more, should it be free?
I don't have an opinion actually, but that was a question that one of my friends. You mean, like the student will be taking the bus free and then yeah. As opposed to encouraging travel by bus versus maybe owning and using a car. I think the university is providing some kind of, uh, inter school fees. There is a kind of a pricing for the students.
So it is lower than the public. Maybe if they want to go for free. That has to be a thing about like, uh, to see how he goes. Yes to be some funding for the bus or the transit to operate on. Like they still have to go for the maintenance, the gas or electricity. So somebody's got to pay. If the student do not pay for it, the taxpayer will pay for it.
Right. So somehow they must be, unless, unless the boss is running freely on a guest. Good. Okay, great. And what are you passionate about in our city? The energy, you know, the energy or the. The young people or the city, like, uh, when I go to other places for vacation, for instance, I, uh, I stopped over at Colona.
I mentioned to somebody in a coffee shop. I say, I am going back to Calgary. The attendant was very like a surprise. He said, oh, I have been there. I have been working in Calgary. That is a very energetic city. I like the energy. Very nice. Yeah, very good. Yeah. You know, like, uh, when I came back from China and from Linda in Vancouver and coming to Calgary, you know, at the moment the plan landed in an airport and you can see older people, like, you know, taking off their belt and start to, you know, jump off the plan.
They are so energetic and so enthusiastic to go for work. Yeah, it's true. Yeah. But wait, what languages do you speak? I know you speak at least two languages. I speak Chinese Mandarin. I can speak other dialect, like a Cantonese Hokkien, and I speak a little bit of other language. It all depends on who I did it when I was young.
Nice, good. If I happened to date somebody, I do not know how to speak with. I will ask a girl to teach me how to speak our language, you know? So in this way, you know, they are, you know, our relationship is getting better. Nice. Well, let me ask you that question, that on, uh, how long since you, um, how long since you had the opportunity to date a girl other than your current, I think you're married and you've been married for quite a long time.
How many years ago? The marriage? Uh, 34 years. The same, the stem the same time that we migrate in 1987. Oh wow. 34 years. So, um, you got married when you were 12. No, no, no. Look so young. I'm just joking. How old, how old are you married future Ian, in fact, I can consider I am on early retirement. I think I am the oldest among older 20 candidates, but people said I didn't look the youngest.
I I'm I'm I'm not, I'm not surprised to hear that at all. How old are you? Are you I'm 65. I am 65. You're 64. Okay. But the people said, I looked like a 45 or 50. Yeah. Yeah. You Chinese have that good blood. I think a lot of don't you. No, no, no. Like, uh, I had been doing gardening. Yes. I have a big garden. I mean, like, uh, I convert almost every space in my backyard and front yard to do gardening.
And I grew a widget that bows for our family. If any SS, I give away to my neighbors, to my friends, you know, you, if you want, I would like be your neighbor. Maybe since I'm doing this podcast, I can get some of those vegetables that you've grown. That's awesome. What made me have that on that sort of sustainability?
How will you ensure that Calgary plays its part regarding emissions, reductions, emission reductions, and the clearly critical net zero. I have been working for oil and gas industry and oil and gas is still within the, in the ground of, uh, Alberta. There is no reason why we have to, uh, get rid of the oil and gas industry.
You know, as long as there is car running on a combustion engine and a plan is prying with Jeff. We are still using the guests. And, uh, Calgary has been very fortunate. Like a, the air quality has been very good compared to Los Angeles. You know, we are having one of the cleanest air in the world, but I'm not saying that we can have enough, a lot of room to pollute it in my platform.
I am trying to control the car pollution or where he cut pollution and the exhaust pollution and the noise pollution. I have, uh, somebody from a Cambrian height, emailing the, they hurt a lot of noise in the middle of the night. You know, I would not like it too. In fact, I will follow the, the, the police in Indonesia, whoever get caught, the driver had to help to get the horse near the exhaust.
And then for the duration of the testing to check on the exhaust and the noise, they are the one to go near the. Wow, this is great. Dan. I can learn from it and then hopefully they will not do it again. You know, as I said at the beginning, I want to keep this short to, uh, to, uh, honor your time as well as our listeners times.
And we're kind of started coming up to that critical moment where we don't want to lose listeners. So just one more question and then. Ask you again, what your ask of our listeners could be or what any, any asks that you may have. How about them when people say what part you're, you're coming from? Uh, I think a more of an engineering background.
So science-based background. So my question to you, um, would be. What part do you see the arts playing in our, in society as we emerged from the effects of COVID, you know, our art scene in Calgary, any thoughts on, on, like, on that? And, uh, and what facts, like maybe as a, as the mirror, the leader of our city, do you have any thoughts on maybe our public art that we've been, I think kind of doing really well on my personal thought, but okay.
I, myself, I am, uh, doing a lot of photography. Hi, doing the photography in a sunrise and a sunset. I always pause it to my friends in a, in a we chat group and a WhatsApp group. I can say you see, for instance, this morning, sunrise, sunrise. So, uh, this is my garden. Oh, it's a Maytals they look great. That's it?
This is the previous morning early riser. You're an early ICER. Is that you? Yes, I am doing hygiene and, uh, I help in teaching Tai Chi before the pandemic, but now the class is closed and. When I become mayor, I will introduce a more martial art class or study or lesson for the, for the general public. And also I will introduce the kind of, uh, public dancing like they do in China in a square, in a city city area where the whole group of people were doing dancing in public.
Wow. I'm going to. Yes, I am going to introduce it to Olympic Plaza in the summer. And in the winter, they can go into the city hall to do it. I think this is a good time for the boys and the girls, uh, to get know to each other. There is no point to do the thing online. Like most of the teams are girls falling into those, uh, you know, those people like look to one to make to Evan.
Missy bile pricing face-to-face by dancing together and by singing together. You know, that can know each other, they can date each other and they can get married if it wasn't. Of course. Sounds great. And so I guess kind of final, what's the best way for people to reach out to you? Are you on Instagram? Um, what's the best way and yeah.
And then after that, what are some of your ask of our viewers off of our audience? Okay. If you check into the election Calgary, my email is there. I have that Eastern grant, the link. And I had my phone that if anybody wants me to get my information, I would, uh, provide them. And in one week's time, my website will be on.
And, uh, somebody, uh, very good gentlemen, like, uh, he is, uh, award winner. He is, uh, trying to do it for me just because he liked me. Nice. Well, we will like to share all the links on the, in the show notes and we'll do that. Um, do you have any last ask for our audience? Well, the thing that is it a very crucial moment that I should win for the city to get into the mayor.
I said, this is not a life or death situation. Like I am trying my best to give my best for the CTO. Calgary. It's very generous of you. I really appreciate it. Yeah. Yes. When that is the wisdom of the people. But if I lose it Easter, people's lost angry entirely. Yes. That's great. Well, Ian, thank you so much for being on the show.
We appreciate your, um, standing up for our community and our, your interest in being a leader for our city. And, um, I'm wishing you all the best. I don't envy you in this campaign. I think it's a. It's be quite challenging and I, I guess I just wish you like, you know, happiness and success and enjoy the process and yes.
And may the outcome be successful for you. Okay. Thank you. What am I smiling? Okay. Yeah. Thanks so much. And, uh, we are over and out. Okay. Thank you.