Vancouver mayor loses NHL playoff bet, reads Nenshi’s poem in Flames jersey

ABOVE: Mayor Robertson ponies up his end of the bet by reading Mayor Nenshi’s poem – in proper attire, of course. Video: Vancouver Courier.

CALGARY – Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson, clad in a red Calgary Flames jersey, read a poem written by Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi in council on Wednesday, making good on his playoff bet.

“Maybe we should rethink the whole waving white towels thing? Why surrender all the time?” read Robertson, from Mayor Nenshi’s poem called Rebuild. “Go Flames! Vote Transit!”

The jersey exchange, reading the poem, and a donation to the Calgary Food Bank were the three parts of the bet. Food bank spokesperson Shawna Ogston confirmed Mayor Robertson donated $160 on Monday, which she said would “go a long way, as for every $1 donated we can leverage into $5 worth of food.”

READ MORE: NHL playoff bets underway in Calgary, Vancouver, Montreal and Ottawa

Mayor Nenshi retweeted this photo from the Vancouver mayor’s office on Wednesday morning:

Calgary’s mayor initiated the bet just over two weeks ago, joking he needed ideas on “what in the world I might possibly want from Vancouver.”

The Flames took the first-round playoff series against the Vancouver Canucks in six games, and move on to face the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday at 8 p.m. in California.

Rebuild by Naheed Nenshi

Rebuild! Rebuild!

Out there
On the edge of the country
Where the mountains meet the ocean

We’re trying to build something new.

Something relevant.
Something post-modern.
Dare we say … something better.
And that’s good.

But sometimes …
Sometimes …

The condos leak.
Rebuild!
The cauldron fails to rise.
Rebuild!
Nickelback moves in and young people move out.
(Can we rebuild for that?)

The twins can’t score.
Rebuild!
But these kids in red (who are they?) can.
Rebuild!
Diving’s not a Winter Olympic sport?
Rebuild!

And we’re still at zero cups and counting.

(not Starbucks cups)

Pucks fall in our net
Like cherry blossoms in spring
So very pretty

Rebuild!

(Maybe we should rethink the whole waving white towels thing?
Why surrender all the time?)

Bieksa’s trash talk
Lululemon underwear
No good for hockey

Rebuild!

Set off fireworks!
Ours is the longest golf season in the country!
And we’re not Edmonton.

Rebuild!

Go Flames!
Vote Transit!

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: Rebuild! Rebuild!</p><p>Out there<br />On the edge of the country<br />Where the mountains meet the ocean</p><p>We're trying to build something new.</p><p>Something relevant.<br />Something post-modern.<br />Dare we say … something better.<br />And that's good.</p><p>But sometimes …<br />Sometimes …</p><p>The condos leak.<br />Rebuild!<br />The cauldron fails to rise.<br />Rebuild!<br />Nickelback moves in and young people move out.<br />(Can we rebuild for that?)</p><p>The twins can't score.<br />Rebuild!<br />But these kids in red (who are they?) can.<br />Rebuild!<br />Diving's not a Winter Olympic sport?<br />Rebuild!</p><p>And we're still at zero cups and counting.</p><p>(not Starbucks cups)</p><p>Pucks fall in our net<br />Like cherry blossoms in spring<br />So very pretty</p><p>Rebuild!</p><p>(Maybe we should rethink the whole waving white towels thing?<br />Why surrender all the time?)</p><p>Bieksa's trash talk<br />Lululemon underwear<br />No good for hockey</p><p>Rebuild!</p><p>Set off fireworks!<br />Ours is the longest golf season in the country!<br />And we're not Edmonton.</p><p>Rebuild!</p><p>Go Flames!<br />Vote Transit!

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