Shaoli Wang, is a geologist with a master’s degree, apart from a full-time job as a geologist in Western China, he also ran his own dental clinic. He moved to Canada and soon worked as a Professional Geologist in Calgary. Shaoli quickly learned the values of volunteerism, community service and Canadian law. In 2019, he focus turned to politics, by the time Shaoli decided to run for public office as a member of parliament for Calgary Northwest, he had established himself as one of Alberta's strongest advocates as an independent candidate. As a Mayoral Candidate, Shaoli is running for Calgarian who wants to Lower property tax, Low crime rate, lower city spending for Calgary future. He will renew city of Calgary Advantage, stand up for our Calgarians and build strong & safety city. Connect With Shaoli here: Website: shaoliw.com Email: voteshaoliwang@gmail.com 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
Shaoli Wang wishes to be Calgary's Next Mayor.
Find Shaoli! https://www.shaoliw.com/
He is a geologist with a master’s degree, apart from a full-time job as a geologist in Western China, he also ran his own dental clinic.
He moved to Canada and soon worked as a Professional Geologist in Calgary.
Shaoli quickly learned the values of volunteerism, community service and Canadian law. In 2019, he focus turned to politics, by the time Shaoli decided to run for public office as a member of parliament for Calgary Northwest, he had established himself as one of Alberta's strongest advocates as an independent candidate.
As a Mayoral Candidate, Shaoli is running for Calgarian who wants to Lower property tax, Low crime rate, lower city spending for Calgary future. He will renew city of Calgary Advantage, stand up for our Calgarians and build strong & safety city.
Welcome to another edition of living in Calgary. Today. I have our mirror candidate Shaoli Wang on the show. Welcome Charlie. Thank you. And first off, how do we pronounce your name correctly?
well, great. Well, Shaoli, I want to first start off this podcast by thanking you for stepping up as a, you know, and having the heart, having the desire. To want to lead our city as Calgary's next mayor. Can you tell me a little bit about how you came to be in this position to run this election? Well, yeah.
Like what motivated you to want to lead this city? I think it's very cool and inspiring. Yeah. It's a very, very challenging. Yeah. And actually I never thought about this before last November. Even though I ran federal election in 2019 as an independent. I didn't have any interest of a municipal politics at all before 2011.
Yeah. November 19, November 20 last year. Yeah. Yeah. Last year. What actually shocked me was the news. Seeing 11% of couldn't pay their. Even after the three months, extension 11%. Yeah. 11% worse than that. Or mayor said he was not that concerned. I take that deeply personally it's as a mayor, if I was a mayor there, I will not be able to see.
Right. You 11% of your citizens can't pay the profit tax co Calgary. We are so proud of us. Remember, 10 years ago. Right? Right. Exactly. Yeah. How can you imagine what we have today? I was looking at your campaign and that seems to be a big part. And I was a bit shocked myself at how taxes have increased. Do you want to just share with our listeners how the taxes have changed in Calgary?
Since I don't know, it's really in the last 10 years or 15 years, um, have they would just give us, give us a few facts. Yes, I've, uh, I've gone through city's annual report, uh, since 1998. That's what I can find. I can find, uh, with the city clerks, uh, help, but, uh, for a wider range of data, I can find from 2000.
Yeah. I remember you were moved here from 2003, correct? I'm up here for the economy and the Alberta advantage. So those data actually, what happened in Calgary and the other time you witness them all since 2003. So I will pay not 2003, so that this means that I'm not gonna, uh, I'm gonna, now we're going to see the 2003 cities, uh, spending was, was too high or too low.
I'm seeing based on. And then every year after that, based on that 2003, based on our population increase and the inflation. So under our taxation now city's spending. So what happened is from 2003 to 2019 before a pandemic, no XQ. That was a pandemic. Yeah. 16 years inflation was 32%. But our city's average salary increased 64% more than that, or population increased by 39%, but the city's staffing increased 47%.
So one is a few 8% higher. One is a double, the, the inflation you want, that means the money in dollars. So. I would say 2019 alone that's year, one year, one year that overinflation and the population increase of cities. Salary means $520 billion. Wow. How much our property tax increase still based on 2003, right?
How much on a per capita basis? I said, uh, inflation was 32 or municipal residential property tax increased 129%. Ouch. That's four times of depletion. So by we got, uh, you know, properties that we have a small portion of it. Well, education tax code, the province province. I'm talking about a municipal property taxes before.
Or per business, basically on a purpose is basis. That's 103% over three times. That is why even people with higher income are still feel. Probably that's going off too much. Yeah. Um, on that note, we moved here in 2003 for the schools. Really? It was the number one reason from a fair kids. Um, as well as the Alberta advantage, uh, that year Ralph Klein gave my daughter who was in grade four.
A check for about, I think it was like around $435 out of the, uh, Alberta coffers and she bought herself a Mac computer. Um, and I started investing in real estate in Calgary at that time and was like shocked coming from the east coast at how low property taxes were and delighted by it. That is not how I feel today about the property taxes I pay on those investment properties.
With the little data I had between 1998 and 2003, I can see cities, expanding cities, stopping cities. I have a real salary increase, the pretty decently with inflation and population growth since about 2003, or maybe a little late 2006, something like that. And then especially Nancy's town. It was a disaster.
So Marcy did really bad, but he didn't turn the trend. Getting more about lifestyle and Calgary. What, what strikes you about Calgary? What do you love about Calgary? Uh, my background is petroleum geographies. So when I moved to Canada in 2007, I was thinking about a medium sized city like Regina, but my friend told me you are geologists.
Job is only here. So you don't think about that. So, so I know I have to be. And I love it here because of the habit is so clean is a big city or so clean compare with like a Houston, you know, it's very, it's bigger, but the caraway is like a village is very clean. I, and at that time, Yeah. It's a few days.
Not that because of smoke yes. Fires, but we are really clean as a CD as this size. Yeah. I love that. Okay. And how about the boom bust economy of Calgary? How do you cope with it personally, amongst your own family, friends, you know, your colleagues at work, um, do you yourself, uh, shallow shallowly, Shelly, do yourself save for a rainy day.
How do you, how do you feel about the boom bust economy of Calgary? And is that full? Are we done with booms and. Yeah, for it's like for working in an oil industry, we experienced that since we were in school, actually, because this is a world where the industry, no country, at least the Canada, Canada doesn't have control of that.
So we know it's going to happen. I have three sons actually at the best time, 2007, the turns. They moved to middle east, just to, just for C4 job. Some people are smart. They know, as a best time they move away, they sell their companies. What is out there? Stock shares. Yeah. So you have to deal with company to do that.
Right. And then that's it. Some people can be really smart. We all know it's going to go. It's going to go down, go down anytime. Still for whatever reason. Just the second year we don't, we don't all know. I mean, these guys that have grown up and lived oil and gas industry maybe know like you yourself, like it just occurred to me that, you know, you have a, you're an international citizen, you know, born in China and, um, and came to choose to come to Calgary.
And you knew because you were, you know, deal, uh, geologists. And so, um, yeah, that's interesting me coming more from the service industry. Like, I don't know these things and at least probably 75% of the population are like me. That that's interesting. Okay. So, so do you, yourself based on your upbringing and you know, what, you know, as, uh, working in the oil and gas biz, do you, do you save for a rainy day?
Yeah. Yes. That's for sure. Yeah. Yeah. I love parents. You know, you'll have more responsibilities than yourself. You took care of your family, your wife, your kids, and you're the one to be a burden. I'll be all community, all. Y'all all your older parents. That's, that's a thing you have to. Responsible for whatever happened beyond your control.
So good. Well, I'll try to be more responsible. And, um, what is it that, um, um, about your real estate, how have you done in Calgary, yourself with your real estate? Again, this aisle shows a little bit real estate and lifestyle. Um, well, what are some, what are some of the real estate decisions you've made and have they been good?
Has it worked? Has it worked out for you? Yeah. Yeah, my F my first, within my first year, I got a job as a professional geologist, but, uh, I didn't like some guys, they go buy a house in a few months. Uh, we did a couple a year just to be safe, so just to feel more comfortable. So, and, uh, I told my realtor, I love IRT.
I don't like driving that much. Right. So. And I don't have a parking lot parking space in downtown for, for my company. So, but I think I've just thought. So my first, my option when I choose my, my, my house, my community first, first is safe. Safety. Yeah. Everything is safe and Calgary. Don't you agree? Like there's no dangerous neighborhoods.
Yeah. Generally we are much safer than the states. Yeah, we are proud of it. Um, but, uh, it doesn't mean we don't have issues here. Right. So I got a suggestion from my friends from roots per se. Northeast is not massive relatively, so I chose Northwest great. And then close to the IRT. So I thought I live in upper lake.
I was trying to guess where you'd live based on what you just said. Yeah, that makes sense. Okay. Yeah, just the five minutes walked through the translation. So I used to walk to the station. Like I like that. So it's and uh, I take my, or my realtor. I take him on his place. Just visit his house twice. Yeah.
For the first time I say at the house list, price is a little too high. I will say the 25,000 lower. He asked me to kill off for it. I said, I don't feel the respect. So with hit 10 days later, my leave, drop without price exactly. To my expected price. So as they gave me, keep them a full price offer. And is that what you did?
Yes. Oh, nice to hear. Was that roughly?
20 10, 20 10. Good. Excellent. Very nice. Um, okay, good. And so let me just ask you a few questions about sort of be like I had a few, I reached out to a few friends and they asked me, Hey, I said, what would you like to know about your next mirror? Um, and so one person has a funny question. Are there any plans to ask the stupid international art projects?
Frivolous spending on their off. And he wrote, we absolutely have more than enough talented local artists, many of whom do not receive enough support. And those internationals were an insult to our taxpayers and, um, you know, a slap in the face to, um, local artists. And he said, you know, there's my rent. But, um, and I think that refers maybe a little bit to the blue circle that like most Calgarians are very familiar with any thoughts on that?
Yes. And made a, a two minutes video. I pulled that, um, Peter two weeks ago, within a few hours, I got a full thousand view
that the video is about, uh, uh, both for power, the blue Ray, the bearing for his long lifting station and a peace bridge. For sure. I'll have to have a look and also. So out of all, six of them, peace bridge is a beautiful one. It is, I was a peace Breezer building the other, I will say now that beautiful, but the peace bridge is too costly.
It should be only a $4 million bridge. And how much was that? 2,400. 20 400 million million dollars. Yeah. I don't want to think that because I actually have, like, I get some pride and excitement every time I pass the peace bridge. Like I love it now that I know it would cost $24 million. I think I'll be a little less excited.
We spend another 1 million for repairment really because of the new that doesn't fit with our weather here. No, that is kind of a stupid, I want to say, but you're right. Most of them too. How much involvement of local artists, if they have our locals involved, we will not have that. Interesting. So how about bike lanes?
It sounds like, you know, you like the LRT, you like, uh, you know, versus driving your car, but where do you stand on bike lanes and a, an urban sprawl? Yeah, I started against backlog again. It's not, I don't like that. Michelle's not going to be happy. I know many people would not be happy. How many friends?
They are bakers. They argue with me. I said, I'm not arguing with you. I prefer medium sizeable. I don't like those a billion people, big city, because you enjoy that a lot. You know, your neighbors, you feel safer, right. You will leave you in a bigger city because a lot more opportunities. Right. Right. But the problem is we can't afford that space for backlash.
We can't afford them too costly for all traffic. It's not, it's not that it's construction cost is. We don't have that youth traffic here on the beautiful, right. We literally, we don't have that. So that is a problem. So I'm not against those, any of any infrastructure for anyone, but as a city, we don't have that space.
That's maybe. Yeah. I'm not totally against. I mean, we need to be, Tom's more cautious that way. They'd last few years. See that. Fifth street. No many people ride a bike there every day, but the traffic is a disaster, right? So I said, there's nothing a hundred percent wrong, nothing, a hundred percent. Right. We should find a balance, but that balance is not toward backlash.
Oh, sorry. Another question. Oh, yeah. I have lots more questions. Oh, bourbon, but still the same issue here. Yeah, I think we answered that kind of go ahead.
That's all actually housing is our city's liability, but, uh, we are all city feels like, uh, get involved too deep into. To tap into their caregiver and Oscar struggling. And actually that's a lot about business. You can't leave the market without you just offer them a direction and you don't push all communities to give up their Greenland for those developers.
Let the business do their job, persuade our communities. Don't push them by our government. Let people feel. We elected the government. They go against us. That is wrong. Okay. Hey, a few more questions here. I like to think of these as rapid fire questions. So let's try and be quick on the answer and we'll just move on, get some real stuff.
Um, just to, uh, to protect our listeners times. What do you believe the primary role of a mayor is?
I believe it was the male role is a
pick a position for the majority of the public, not only for today, but also for the future. And, uh, another big part of his job is to convincing all the outro 14 city councils. If he can. He showed only be qualified at most as a city council. Interesting. Well, his job is possibly convincing the hours. If he can't, I will say he failed his job.
You don't leave or city councils fight with each other and also fight against all your mat, you as a mayor. Interesting. Thank you. You said your first day in the mayor's office, who are you calling to set up meetings with? The first day
in Philly, but I would love to have a short meeting with all newly elected city councils. I will ask their permission to give them a presentation, show them our city's issues. I have data, you know, I have a chart I have a year 20 years. City's annual report analysis. I will show you that the cost of a blue or green lines, they didn't have us.
And why the arena is there is no fair deal for arena. I will tell them I will convince them that that will be. I will not whatever the position they take. Now, I respect that they have the rights, but when we, when I got elected, now it will be my job to convince them because I trust them. They allow you to all people.
So. Lots of foundation for me to convince them. Interesting. Wow. Okay. And how come you have the skills or the tools to do that? I'm just curious. Why do you have that? Yeah. Yeah. Not something I, I didn't notice, not all may years in my life, but the recent few years changing me a lot. I had a, quite a few indirections.
Provincial federal government, quite a few of them, quite a few lawsuits complainants. And, uh, I was representative to people. And now when a lot the win over the law firms and how the government officials apologize, some got failed because of the valleys of law, criminal code. And I know that I don't enjoy it.
I'm not happy to feed them in trouble, whatever, because they are all people. I see them, all the people that's the issue. The problem is during that experience, I got a unique vision of the root of our issues. Here are social issues here. So now it's like, I know what is the problem? And what is the solution?
But I, I know that, but if I keep selling on the field or till you tell you to help you, I feel guilty. It's like you are my friend. I know you're wrong, but I refuse to take any action right now. I know I showed her, but I didn't. And then I feel guilty. So if I don't, I will not feel the burden. But now, because I know.
No, I feel the burden to help the city, especially last year when Nancy say he had no concern of that 11% comfy that pay their property tax. Right. That'll give me a clear answer. He failed us already. I have to take the burden to kick him out. Not personally not. I wait. . Hopefully better than me, but if not, I take the blame.
Wonderful. Thanks. What will you manage your own social media, hire someone to do it or quit altogether? Uh, social media is the no, uh, it's beyond my reach. I contact a few maybe because they don't know me. Maybe there's too many, too many. Well-known kind of. Keep them busy. And, uh, also maybe because I provided information too much, they can't afford that like 16 years old city's annual data.
Right. Probably too much. Maybe they don't agree with me. And, uh, maybe they don't get used to that data that kind of United States. So I don't leave. So the, they have partial reason. But I don't blame them. I take the blame. I step out. I will take any chance on Irish has to win this election so that to keep my promise.
Wonderful. What languages do you speak? I speak. In English? No, it's too much. I'm joking. I don't speak Mandarin. And I try, I've tried very, very hard to learn French and Spanish and even a little Bangali very unsuccessfully name. This is a little test question, named three communities in each quadrant of the city.
As fast as you can go. Summerside Arbor lake, uh, whatever. Wait, let's start in the Northwest three communities. Oh, Tuscany Royal Oak. . Okay, well let's go north Northeast three quarters. Yeah, no, I know familiar with her. I see them as a community. We need to work on that
and what, okay, well, let's, let's move on then. Um, what else we're really kind of coming to the end of this. What are some asks you might have of our listeners and how can people reach you? Yeah, that's a huge challenge to most of us. First, we have those up. Well, non candidates. I hope people can be satisfied with that.
Uh, it takes the position to vote for that, but it was the expect of some are better than them, those candidates. And they need to reach out to the candidates, especially during the pandemic. Because we have 20 mayor Kennedys, most of us don't have that much fun. They don't have
found these people may, may be kind of a curious, who is your supporter? Who is your supporter? Yeah, I mean, yeah, I, I don't have that. I don't have to go affiliation me, the podcast, Calgary living real estate and lifestyle, just joking. And what's the, what's the best people way for people to reach out if they have questions or if they want to support you.
Or for example, if they want a lawn sign, what's the best way to get people to reach out to you. Yeah, basically for yourself from, uh, I will suggest people to go through election calibers, web, right? Your, your contact information is there. Yeah. So they can find all the Kennedy's American aid take a few minutes and they can get some idea for most of us.
There are no candidates information like my website, um, Peter everything's there. So. That's right. Yeah. And if you just Google a CA Calgary Meryl candidates that pops up every time. Yes. Well, any last, um, any last things for our viewers, any last request or ask of the audience? Yeah. I hope this time, especially is facing the challenge of the then.
I don't feel it varies respectable to knock people's thoughts during that time. Right. Some people don't care. The, the, the COVID some care a lot. Yes. I respect that. And so I hope people can take some time with the power or internet check out yourself. So make sure you don't vote for a guy. Supported by some, uh, parties or some, uh, big corporations, whatever you, you, you suspect figure that out yourself.
Figure that out. Yeah. You don't need to leave all those work to media or to the candidates themselves. So the better you'll figure out a way. No. Let me tell you who I am. I don't have that results is I believe because I, since I filed my nomination, I contacted every male role and the console candidates over ETO.
I'm in contact with the over 20 off. Now some call me every week, merit candidates. It, because this election is for the city. It's not for me. So whatever information you want from me. No problem. I thought whoever I treated everyone the same even mayoral candidates. So I ask people to reach out, um, through the internet, figure out who is your ideal candidates and question them if you have questions, ask them and make sure you vote a guy who deserve your trust.
Excellent. I read that you'd like is because I can't find. At any moment. If I find one worth my endorsement, I can quit and support our guy because these election is not about. It's about us as a city. Well, listen, I want to thank you for standing up for our city, you know, with putting your hand in the air and, you know, believing in our city and standing up to lead our city.
I think it's an honor and a privilege to speak to you today, and I wish you all success in the election and onwards. Shelly. Thank you. Thank you very much for your care of the city and all election. I hope more people can get involved. Thank you. Great. We'll keep in touch and we'll be watching closely.
Have a great day. Bye-bye bye now. Thanks so much. Thank you.