Barb Higgins
Encyclopedia
Barbara Joan Higgins is a former newscaster and journalist for Calgary
CTV
outlet CFCN-TV
. A news journalist for 21 years, she stepped down from her job as a CFCN news anchor to enter the Calgary mayoral race
on July 23, 2010. Higgins has stated she can no longer stay neutral as a journalist and decided to run for mayor. Tara Nelson
would later be announced as her successor at CFCN, beginning November 2010.
Higgins was married to a former CFL
player, Bruce Covernton
.
, Higgins enrolled in Business Administration at NAIT
. Following 2 years of study in Business Administration, she transferred to Radio and Television Arts at NAIT. Higgins worked in Alberta
, British Columbia
, Manitoba
and Saskatchewan
with both CBC
and CTV affiliates. She moved to Calgary in March 1989.
to be held that October. She subsequently described herself as a fiscal conservative with a heart.
Her campaign rhetoric
has centered around setting the tone at City Hall and empowering civic employees to develop solutions to address Calgary's $60-million budget shortfall. On October 14, 2010, Higgins gave a controversial interview with reporter Mike McCourt
of CKAL-TV
, reacting defensively to pointed questions about her campaign and comments about her campaign staff.
In the final election results, Higgins placed third behind Naheed Nenshi
and Ric McIver
.
by-election following the resignation of Jim Prentice
from the House of Commons
. McIver expressed an interest in running for the nomination to replace Prentice as the Conservative Party candidate for that riding. Higgins did not indicate which party she would seek a candidacy for.
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
CTV
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
outlet CFCN-TV
CFCN-TV
CFCN-DT is a Canadian television station, broadcasting in Calgary, Alberta. Owned and operated by Bell Media, it is a part of the CTV Television Network. The station also operates a semi-satellite in Lethbridge....
. A news journalist for 21 years, she stepped down from her job as a CFCN news anchor to enter the Calgary mayoral race
Calgary municipal election, 2010
The 2010 Calgary municipal election was held Monday, October 18, 2010 to elect a mayor and 14 aldermen to the city council, the seven trustees to the Calgary School District , and four of the seven trustees to the Calgary Catholic School District . Three incumbent separate school trustees had no...
on July 23, 2010. Higgins has stated she can no longer stay neutral as a journalist and decided to run for mayor. Tara Nelson
Tara Nelson
Tara Nelson is a Canadian television journalist and news anchor, and most recently was the European bureau chief for Global Television Network's news division...
would later be announced as her successor at CFCN, beginning November 2010.
Higgins was married to a former CFL
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
player, Bruce Covernton
Bruce Covernton
Bruce Covernton is a former professional Canadian Football League player. He was selected first overall by the Calgary Stampeders in the 1992 Canadian College Draft.-References:...
.
Background
After graduation from Ross Sheppard High SchoolRoss Sheppard High School
Ross Sheppard or École Ross Sheppard is a High School in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.- Programs of study :Ross Sheppard offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program in addition to the Alberta education curriculum. During this year continue in a partial I.B. program, or continue in the...
, Higgins enrolled in Business Administration at NAIT
Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology is located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and provides technical training and applied education designed to meet the demands of Alberta's industries...
. Following 2 years of study in Business Administration, she transferred to Radio and Television Arts at NAIT. Higgins worked in Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
and Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
with both CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
and CTV affiliates. She moved to Calgary in March 1989.
Awards
- Winner of the ‘Best of Festival’ at CanPro, and ‘Most Inspirational’ at the Alberta Motion Picture Industry Association for the Documentary Running on Empty.
- Won ‘Best News Series’ from the Radio and Television News Directors AssociationRTNDA CanadaThe Radio-Television News Directors Association of Canada is a Canadian membership organization of radio, television and online news directors, producers, executives and educators...
for the 3-part series on Calgary firefighter Greg McDougal’s battle with the Workers Compensation BoardWorkers' compensationWorkers' compensation is a form of insurance providing wage replacement and medical benefits to employees injured in the course of employment in exchange for mandatory relinquishment of the employee's right to sue his or her employer for the tort of negligence...
.
2010 Mayoralty Race
On June 23, 2010, Higgins announced her intention to run as a candidate for mayor in the 2010 Calgary civic electionCalgary municipal election, 2010
The 2010 Calgary municipal election was held Monday, October 18, 2010 to elect a mayor and 14 aldermen to the city council, the seven trustees to the Calgary School District , and four of the seven trustees to the Calgary Catholic School District . Three incumbent separate school trustees had no...
to be held that October. She subsequently described herself as a fiscal conservative with a heart.
Her campaign rhetoric
Rhetoric
Rhetoric is the art of discourse, an art that aims to improve the facility of speakers or writers who attempt to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations. As a subject of formal study and a productive civic practice, rhetoric has played a central role in the Western...
has centered around setting the tone at City Hall and empowering civic employees to develop solutions to address Calgary's $60-million budget shortfall. On October 14, 2010, Higgins gave a controversial interview with reporter Mike McCourt
Mike McCourt
Mike McCourt is a TV journalist working at Citytv outlet CKAL-TV in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.From 1987 to 1992, he co-hosted the local CBWT local news program 24Hours in Winnipeg.-External links:*...
of CKAL-TV
CKAL-TV
CKAL-DT is a television station based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It is part of the Citytv system as of August 2, 2005, and was previously branded as A-Channel. The station is owned by Rogers Media through its Rogers Broadcasting, Ltd. division...
, reacting defensively to pointed questions about her campaign and comments about her campaign staff.
In the final election results, Higgins placed third behind Naheed Nenshi
Naheed Nenshi
Naheed Kurban Nenshi is a Canadian politician, who was elected to succeed Dave Bronconnier as mayor of Calgary, Alberta in the 2010 Calgary municipal election.- Biography :...
and Ric McIver
Ric McIver
Ric McIver is municipal politician and businessman from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He is a former alderman for Ward 12 on the Calgary City Council. McIver held his post from his election in October 2001 until his run for mayor in October 2010...
.
Federal Politics
She subsequently announced that she was interested in the forthcoming Calgary Centre-NorthCalgary Centre-North
Calgary Centre-North is a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004...
by-election following the resignation of Jim Prentice
Jim Prentice
James "Jim" Prentice, PC, QC is a Canadian lawyer, and politician. In the 2004 federal election he was elected to the Canadian House of Commons as a candidate of the Conservative Party of Canada...
from the House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
. McIver expressed an interest in running for the nomination to replace Prentice as the Conservative Party candidate for that riding. Higgins did not indicate which party she would seek a candidacy for.