Now, ladies and gentlemen, we present our 2nd Annual poll of local political leaders on which team will be victorious between the Calgary Stampeders and the Ottawa Redblacks in tomorrow's (November 25) 106th Grey Cup at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton.  

We launched the poll last year because, well, quite frankly, we needed an extra story for Grey Cup weekend.  It became such an electrifying article that we again asked the same three political pundits to go out on their respective limbs again this year.  Airdrie Mayor Peter Brown, MLA Angela Pitt, and MP Blake Richards agreed to do just that.

Last year all three predicted a Calgary win over Toronto and we all remember how that turned out.  This year, like true Albertans, all three are again forecasting a Calgary win, although they all sounded a bit hesitant to make the call.  In 2016 the Redblacks took out the Stamps in overtime, the first of what is now three straight appearances in the Grey Cup for Calgary.  Everyone, including Mayor Brown, thinks the third time is going to be a charm for the Stamps.

"I think Calgary's due for a win but I think it's going to be a really good game because it looked like it was a good game against Hamilton for the Redblacks.  I think Calgary has a much better defense than Hamilton does, no disrespect meant for those boys."

Brown reveals just how good he expects the game to be when he makes a prediction of the final score.  He says, "I'm going 36 - 33 Calgary, nail-biter."

Angela Pitt is also all about Calgary over Ottawa, and we're not talking football teams yet.  "One could very easily argue that Calgary is a superior city, most certainly for various reasons."

Now, let's talk football.  "I think you're going to see Calgary's football team be the superior team at the end of the weekend."

Like Brown, Pitt believes defense will win the day for the Stamps.  "I think that we can count on Calgary's defense will stop Ottawa's offense and I predict that Calgary's going to win by a touchdown, 26 - 19."

Lastly, we move on to a man who should know quite a bit about both cities, having lived in Alberta for most of his life and working primarily in the House of Commons in Ottawa for the past 10 years, MP Blake Richards.  Despite having spent a lot of the last decade in the nation's capital, Richards lets his western roots show when it comes to football.

"Third time's a charm," says Richards.  "It's going to be Calgary this year for sure.  And anytime we can deliver a blow to the folks in Ottawa, we're always happy with that.  "Liberal" Ottawa.  All kidding aside, I think it's the Stampeders year.  Let's go with 27 - 17 for Calgary."

Richards thinks Bo Levi Mitchell, who was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Player on Thursday night, will take the team on his back if he has to.

"I just get a sense that he's willing to take this team on his shoulders and he'll put up what has to be done on the offensive side." 

Three politicians all predicting a Calgary win.  Call your bookie.  You might want to put money on Ottawa.  

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