Peter Shokeir | [email protected]
Banff town council has elected councillor and current deputy mayor Corrie DiManno to the position of mayor.
DiManno is replacing Karen Sorensen, who resigned on July 28 to accept an appointment to the Senate, the upper house of the Parliament of Canada.
鈥淚 am humbled and honoured by council鈥檚 support in appointing me to this important position, and I am committed to upholding the dedication to our community and tireless work ethic of outgoing mayor and new Senator Sorensen,鈥� DiManno said in a new release.
Senators are appointed by the Governor General of Canada at the recommendation of the prime minister.
According to Alberta鈥檚 Municipal Government Act (MGA), a member of a municipal council is no longer eligible to hold elected office if they become a member of the Senate.
鈥淚 am humbled and incredibly honored to be appointed to the Canadian Senate. After 17 years being privileged to serve the people of Banff, I am exhilarated to have this amazing opportunity in service to Canada,鈥� Sorensen said in a separate news release.
鈥淚t is a tremendous responsibility to be asked to represent the Province of Alberta at the federal level and I look forward to working hard to give voice to the diversity of groups that make up our nation.鈥�
The MGA also requires council to fill the vacant mayor position by holding a byelection or appointing a mayor until the Oct. 18 election.
In its first meeting following Sorensen鈥檚 departure, Banff鈥檚 council chose to appoint a mayor to sit until Oct. 18, deciding through a secret ballot of councillors.
鈥淭hese are big shoes to fill,鈥� DiManno said.
鈥淎s a council, I am very proud of our achievements since 2017, thanks to the thoughtful debate we have had on critical issues. I aim to keep us on track with the priorities set by council for the remaining two months of this term, while maintaining our focus on listening to the diversity of voices in our community and working to improve the quality of life for the people of Banff.鈥�
DiManno was first elected to Banff town council in October 2013 and was re-elected in the 2017 ballot.
She is a former journalist and current communications professional who will be taking a leave of absence from Roam Public Transit during her term as mayor.
