An internal memo (see below) allegedly sent to employees of Calgary land developer APEX indicates which candidates in each ward and the mayoral race APEX endorses. It encourages staff to "do your own due diligence on the issues at stake … and elect the candidate that will best represent your interests on our City Council."
The memo signed by APEX President and CEO Greg Lefebre tells staff the company’s senior management "have been working tirelessly alongside many city officials and other members of this industry."
Lefebre did not confirm that he had issued the memo dated September 27 2013. He told Fast Forward Weekly "we don’t have any comment today — we don’t talk to reporters on that kind of information good day." He then hung up.
The memo includes a city ward map with each ward labelled only with the name of the candidate APEX supports: Joe Magliocca Sean Chu Jim Stevenson Ray Jones Chris Harper Kevin Taylor Andre Chabot Joe Connelly James Maxim Richard Wilkie Shane Keating Diane Colley-Urquhart and Peter Demong. It does not endorse any candidate in ward 8.
It also includes a document titled "Letter from a Jon Lord Supporter" in which Naheed Nenshi’s chances for re-election are questioned and Lord is promoted as "a very credible alternative."
Finally an unpublished version of an opinion piece written by Jon Lord is attached which suggests a re-elected Nenshi will force dense inner-city residences on Calgarians condemning them to "sky-high rents scary neighbors massive community opposition and no grass. And SARS outbreaks."
According to campaign donation disclosures made on candidate websites APEX and its subsidiary Excel have donated money to Taylor Maxim Keating and Demong’s campaigns. Taylor Maxim Chu Wilkie Katz and Magliocca also admitted to receiving training at the Manning Centre earlier in 2013. The Manning Centre stated in March it intended to run a slate of conservative candidates in the 2013 election before being implicated in an alleged attempt by the Canadian Home Builders Association to elect councilors supportive of land developers’ interests.
