Calgary home builder Cal Wenzel is not sorry or taking anything back.
The renowned builder addressed the city's news media Wednesday, which can be viewed in its entirety above, to defend his "reputation," after a video surfaced on Monday.
In the video he explains a million-dollar plan to "look after," home builder-friendly aldermen currently serving in council, to get pro-development candidates elected in the coming election and to get Preston Manning on board to help reshape council.
The remarks in the video obtained by Global Calgary are at times uncomfortable to listen to and when asked whether he was sorry about anything he said on the tape, Wenzel simply said "no."
Wenzel told the Calgary Sun on Tuesday night that, "I wasn’t concerned for a moment I was saying something out of line."
Despite the fact the leaked video has him implying so, Wenzel said he has never sought or bought favours from aldermen and that he's only looking for common sense from elected officials.
"I've made no secret, I haven't been happy with the governance we've been getting in Calgary for some time but an attempt to buy a council, buy an election that's absolutely ridiculous.. and especially insults councilors," said Wenzel.
When he was then asked to clarify the plan he outlined in the video, often referring to aldermen by name, Wenzel blamed it on "unfortunate phrasing" and diverted the blame back on city hall.
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"Limiting suburban development restricts growth of single family homes and at a recent CMHC poll, 63 per cent of the people had suggested they wanted to own a single family home - that is market driven," he said.
"Yet, we seem to be under a social engineering program."
Wenzel said city hall now treats home builders like the enemy but expressed particular contempt for the person who leaked the video to Global Calgary.
"It's one of the most cowardly things I've ever seen done. I honestly can't say how or why anyone would do that," he said, adding he is close to finding out who was behind the leak.
When asked what he will do when the perpetrator is found he only laughed and said "I can't say."