A Canadian man who went viral for his self-deprecating campaign signs has won a seat on the Kelowna city council in British Columbia, Canada. Brady Rogers, a 33-year-old business owner, secured his place on the council during the October 17 municipal election.
According to a report by CBC News, Rogers received 12,635 votes, making him the fourth-most popular candidate in the election. His campaign stood out for its tongue-in-cheek slogans, including “How hard could it be,” “Just trying to pay my rent,” and “Let’s see what happens.”
One of his campaign messages read, “Fine, I’ll do it,” while his website featured an equally self-deprecating introduction. “Hi, I’m Brady. Do I enjoy politics? No. Do I know what I’m doing? No. But am I qualified? Also no,” the banner read.
Why did Brady Rogers run for city council?
Despite the humour surrounding his campaign, Rogers said his decision to run was driven by his concern for Kelowna, its small businesses and its homeless population. He said the election offered an opportunity to understand how the city functions, whom its systems serve and how residents’ welfare could remain at the centre of decision-making.
“Engineering taught me that finding good answers starts with asking good questions. Understanding comes before solutions. I think that’s as true in politics as it is in engineering,” Rogers said, as per his campaign site. He added that while he did not claim to have all the answers, he knew how to keep asking questions until he understood a problem.
{{/usCountry}}“Engineering taught me that finding good answers starts with asking good questions. Understanding comes before solutions. I think that’s as true in politics as it is in engineering,” Rogers said, as per his campaign site. He added that while he did not claim to have all the answers, he knew how to keep asking questions until he understood a problem.
{{/usCountry}}“I believe that government is for the people and needs to defend our interests. Far too often, we feel like the systems around us are happening to us. But they aren’t forces of nature. We built them, we can question them, and when they stop working for us, we can change them,” he said.
From robotics engineer to city councillor
Before entering politics, Rogers worked as a robotic automation engineer for four years. He also co-founded The Rogerie with his wife, a business venture that transforms plastic waste into new products.
According to CBC News, Rogers said he would have considered the idea of running for city council “laughable” until recently. However, after someone suggested the possibility, he gave it serious thought and concluded that he “unfortunately” possessed many of the skills required for the role.
He said that if he was going to run, his campaign had to reflect authenticity and honesty, which led to the slogan, “Fine, I’ll do it.”
“I think for the most part people saw the tongue-in-cheek humour, and once they dug into my platform they recognized I do actually have some fairly sophisticated ideas,” he said.
Rogers addresses supporters
Following his victory, Rogers addressed supporters in a video, emphasising that his laid-back campaign style did not mean he would take his responsibilities lightly. He expressed his desire to bring a fresh perspective to the council and work towards improving life in Kelowna, a city with a population of around 167,000.
Rogers said he felt a “sense of duty” to contribute to the city and make a meaningful difference.
His first challenge will be getting acquainted with the day-to-day responsibilities of a city councillor, with a crash course expected to begin the following week. “They’ll presumably tell me how to be a councillor. But until then, it’s just me taking it day by day,” he said.