By Kim McKylor, former Rocky View Councillor

The better question might be: who knows?

Rocky View Forward presents itself as a grassroots movement, “the people’s voice.” But scratch the surface and you’ll find very little transparency or accountability.

They say they are a registered society. They are not. Their registration lapsed years ago. The group was struck off the provincial registry in 2022. Yet, they still collect donations. For what? From whom? Where does the money go?

They claim to be run by “the people.” Which people? There are no listed names on their Facebook page, no public meetings, no votes, no membership process. What is clear is that for years this shadow group has been linked to a handful of individuals – Janet Ballentyne, Kim Magnusson, Gloria Wilkinson, and current Councillor Samanntha Wright.

I know how the group operates because I lived it. During my time as a councillor, Rocky View Forward consistently came after me. Their constant sniping, innuendo, and whisper campaigns distracted from the real work of building a better Rocky View County.

And what has Rocky View Forward accomplished? Endless negativity. Their actions have cost taxpayers thousands of dollars in frivolous FOIP requests, code of conduct complaints, appeals, and even lawsuits, virtually none of which produced results. The costs landed squarely on county residents. A Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP lawsuit) filed by Kim Magnusson & Janet Ballentyne, which ultimately was decided by in favour of Mark Kamachi, cost the County’s insurance company over ten thousand dollars – all to “protect” their chosen candidate in Division 1 and prevent Mark from running in 2021.

And then there’s the misinformation. Rocky View Forward recently circulated a newsletter (Sept. 2025) attacking recreation plans in Springbank. They claimed new facilities would duplicate private ones at Webber Academy. The truth? Webber is 100% private and not open to the public. They implied the facilities would be “for Calgary.” The truth? Springbank teams play in Calgary leagues because Calgary has long provided recreation opportunities that Rocky View residents rely on. A regional partnership means it’s time for us to contribute, not undermine.

This pattern repeats. In 2021, Rocky View Forward loudly supported specific candidates for Council. When two of those councillors started thinking independently, the group turned on them. Their allegiance is not to residents; it’s to their own control.

And now, in this election, they have bought an ad (Sept. 23, 2025) worth at least $1,500 without registering as a third party, which appears to be a violation of election law. One of their candidates has an incomplete Criminal Record Check. Why? It would seem the very least a candidate should do to verify an upstanding past.

This county deserves better. We deserve leadership based on honesty, openness, and a clear vision for the future. We deserve good-faith debates about growth, development, and opportunity.

Rocky View has enormous potential. We should be seizing it, not wasting energy on anonymous attacks and smear campaigns.

On October 20, let’s choose leaders who will stop division, work together, and put residents first.