2022 Ottawa Municipal Election

[rocketphish]

A champion of social issues, Catherine McKenney eyes mayorship

Mohammed Adam
Publishing date: Jan 06, 2022 • 1 day ago • 3 minute read

Jim Watson’s impending retirement has created a wide-open race for mayor that’s anyone’s to win, and Catherine McKenney believes they’re the right candidate for the new era that beckons.

McKenney, 60, said the city has enormous untapped potential, and it needs a fresh face like theirs to harness it for a better future.

“I have new ideas to bring to the job,” they said. “I will turn what today is seen as problems into potential, into what’s possible, to make Ottawa a better city.”

McKenney is the second openly LGBT person to be elected councillor (Alex Munter was the first). They came into office in 2014, but said their relatively short stint won’t be a disadvantage. Besides their community work and advocacy for which they are well-known, they have great insight into how the city works, having previously served as an assistant to the likes of Alex Munter, Diane Holmes, Ed Broadbent and the late Paul Dewar. They were also once senior advisor to the deputy city manager of operations.

As councillor, McKenney has championed social issues, particularly affordable housing and public transit. They were a leading voice for a public inquiry into the city’s LRT problems, which now will be headed by Justice William Hourigan.

They want to shake things up, and their first target is the budget process. Usually, the budget is set top down with a hard cap, and city government has consistently locked citizens out of discussions on what kind of city they want, with peoples’ priorities not reflected in budgets and policies. Bringing ordinary citizens into serious city discussions, and whether they are willing to pay for their choices, would be a top priority.

“We never ask people, ‘What kind of services do you want and what kind of city do you want?’ There was never any opportunity to go to the public and say, ‘Look, would you pay an extra $11 a year to be able to do XYZ?’” they said. “People want to have those discussions, and I believe it’s key to have participation of the entire electorate. That’s absolutely critical.”

McKenney said their key priorities are affordable housing, transit and climate change. They want to see an end to transit fare hikes and an increase in services. They would also like to see significant investments in climate change initiatives, such as the $9 million they proposed last year, but council deferred. Affordable housing, transit and climate change are indeed important issues to tackle, but that raises the spectre of increased spending and big tax hikes, which some will find troubling. The farebox usually contributes about 47 per cent of transit funding, and freezing fares and increasing service would likely put more burden on property taxes. That raises the issue of whether their priorities might lead to more spending and hefty tax increases.

McKenney acknowledged the concern, but said budgets are about priorities, and the city can adapt. “We pay developers to develop our brownfields — why should we do that? We give $2.9 million to a Porsche dealership — why do we do that? We don’t question any more the widening of roads,” they said. “There are places where we spend money that can be reprioritized.”

In a city that has been used to modest tax increases for more than a decade, spending and taxes will likely become defining issues of the mayoral campaign. The candidate who has a better fiscal plan could have an advantage. Another key issue is winning hearts and minds in the outlying areas, and McKenney understands their issues. It’s why they’ll work hard to bridge the rural/urban divide that emerged in council. Besides, they lived in Kanata, and worked for years as then-councillor Munter’s assistant, solving problems for the residents. They will continue to do so.

McKenney said they won’t take corporate donations or money from developers, so they’re not beholden to them. They would rely on individual donations. “I believe that if you have new ideas, people will support that, and they will support it financially.”

Mohammed Adam is an Ottawa journalist and commentator. Reach him at [email protected].

https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/column...issues-catherine-mckenney-eyes-mayorship

[Proof Sheet]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

[B]A champion of social issues, Catherine McKenney eyes mayorship

McKenney said they won’t take corporate donations or money from developers, so they’re not beholden to them. They would rely on individual donations. “I believe that if you have new ideas, people will support that, and they will support it financially.”

Mohammed Adam is an Ottawa journalist and commentator. Reach him at [email protected].

https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/column...issues-catherine-mckenney-eyes-mayorship

Individual donations can also be 'tainted' as people often can't see past their own nose and only think of their own self interests.

These days to run a campaign running on all cylinders I would think you need funding beyond just those of individuals

[MarkR]

Where is John Turmel when we (don't) need him?

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/election-record-biggest-loser-1.5264087

[rocketphish]

Diane Deans says the time is finally right for her to take a shot at becoming Ottawa's mayor
'This is not the time for on-the-job training,' the 63-year-old cancer survivor, one of the longest-serving councillors, says

Mohammed Adam
Publishing date: Jan 13, 2022 • 5 hours ago • 3 minute read

Ottawa will have a new mayor come October, and if you are Diane Deans, there could never be a better time to claim the top job. Deans has been touted as a mayoral candidate for years, but has never taken the plunge, perhaps because of an impregnable roadblock named Jim Watson.

But Deans, a cancer survivor, believes now is the time. At 63, she is one of the longest-serving councillors, having been first elected to council in 1994 in pre-amalgamation Ottawa. She believes experience, knowledge and understanding of the city and its issues are important qualities for mayor.

“The city is now a complex, diverse place and it’s in a period of critical change. I believe that more than ever, we need strong leadership, better direction and experience. This is not the time for on-the-job training,” she says. “I have across the board, in-depth understanding of the city. I ask tough questions, I challenge assumptions, I demand excellence and I’ve shown leadership at the council table.”

Deans points out that she has chaired some of the most important city committees, from the transit commission to community and protective services and the police services board. “If you look at the major files in the city right now — transit, policing, housing affordability — I’ve chaired committees that deal with them and gained in-depth knowledge of all of them,” she says.

There is a long way to go before candidates release their detailed platforms, but Deans says the biggest issues are public transit, affordable housing and pulling a fractured city together.

Housing affordability will certainly require significant provincial and federal government support, but transit is one area she believes the city can produce significant results.

Despite investing billions of dollars in public transit, the city can’t seem to get it on track, she says, with rising public discontent and falling ridership. Support for transit would be one of her top priorities. “Right now, funding is split about 50-50 between property taxes and the fare box. Do I think we go from there to 100 per cent on the tax bill? I don’t think so,” she says. “It’s too big a bite. But we do need to stop increasing fares and share the load differently.”

It raises the question whether this kind of thinking will open the door to big spending and taxes increases. Not necessarily, she says. “My record speaks for itself. I’ve not been a big spender and have always supported modest tax increases in line with inflation,” says Deans, pointing to how the police board handled the 2021 budget. “I am a fiscal conservative and social progressive.”

Deans has a reputation of being one of Watson’s fiercest critics, so how would her administration be different?

For one thing, she says “the building of a new team at council will be merit-based, geographically representative and diverse. Mayor Deans will not feel the need to win every vote.” And instead of pitting one group of councillors against another, creating unnecessary friction and animosity, she’ll work to unite council. “I don’t believe that dividing and conquering our communities is the right thing to do. A fractious council is not working at its best.”

Winning votes in the outlying areas of the city is going to be one of the big challenges of the race, especially for urban candidates. Watson mastered it quite well and Deans says she’s up to the task.

She notes that she comes from a farming community north of Toronto where her family still lives, and that an understanding such communities is baked into her. And not only is she careful with taxpayers’ money, she demands value for money, all of which are important to outlying residents.

As well, she understands the importance of good transportation networks to them. That’s why she’s keen on rebuilding the city’s poor roads. “I understand that we all need roads; we need safe roads that are not full of potholes. We have to invest in our road infrastructure, all 6,000 kilometres of it,” she says.

Mohammed Adam is an Ottawa journalist and commentator. Reach him at [email protected].

https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/column...to-take-a-shot-at-becoming-ottawas-mayor

[rocketphish]

Bryan Brulotte won't run for mayor, leaving the field to local political veterans

Mohammed Adam, Ottawa Citizen
Publishing date: Jan 27, 2022 • 12 hours ago • 3 minute read

Ottawa businessman Bryan Brulotte, who only weeks ago was planning to run for mayor as an outsider to bring new ideas to city politics, says the job is not for him after all. He won’t be running in the October municipal election, citing business and family considerations.

“I looked at different factors and all the different situations at play and decided that I’ll be far happier carrying on with my business than throwing myself into the public eye with all the stresses and constraints that that may impose,” he said this week.

Brulotte announced in last month that he was considering a run, telling Citizen columnist Mark Sutcliffe: “If you are going to serve, do it.” Two weeks ago, he told me he was on a “listening tour” of the city and people were warming up to an outsider, “not someone on council,” running to bring change to Ottawa. He was excited about the prospect, and poised to make a formal announcement by end of the month. It was not to be.

Brulotte’s decision to bow out will doubtless add to questions about why more top people from the private sector and professionals of all kinds don’t often run for public office at the municipal level. Part of it may be that city government just doesn’t excite top minds. They’d rather run at federal or provincial levels, which are more challenging and rewarding. Businessman and CEO Larry O’Brien was something of an exception when he ran and won in 2006, but he then lasted one term.

Some have suggested that the time, energy, scrutiny and personal toll politics takes on people are the reasons many choose to stay out. Most professionals abhor the scrutiny and intrusion into their lives, and successful business people would rather keep making money. Brulotte points out that he owns a very successful business that has 15 offices across Canada, with “almost $100 million a year in revenue.” If he compares what his life might be over the next four years as mayor, and what it would be running his company, he finds he’ll be “much happier doing what I’m doing.” He founded MaxSys Staffing and Consulting in 1993 after retiring from the military.

Brulotte is not a big name in Ottawa politics despite being a long-time federal Conservative organizer, fundraiser and candidate. And there is nothing to suggest he would have won the mayoralty race, except to say elections are known to produce surprises. Brulotte says the impact of politics on family life factored into his decision. “When I look at different things at play that it is necessary to factor (into) the kind of demand public life has on an individual family — and in this case, evaluated what that would mean — I decided to stay at home and carry on with my private business.”

We’ll really never know how well Brulotte, 57, would have fared in the election, and it is not even clear if he was really committed to running. Normally, a politician or prospective candidate makes a firm decision to run, then sells his ideas and vision to voters to win them over. Brulotte’s approach was to ask citizens if he should run, then make a decision. As a former army captain who served in Germany as well as on a peacekeeping mission in Cyprus — and was aide-de-camp to governor general Ray Hnatyshyn — he would have brought a different set of life experiences to the race.

With his withdrawal, the hope for people outside politics getting involved and bringing new ideas to local government, remains unfulfilled, for now. But there is time for new candidates to appear. Candidates can’t official register until May and hit the campaign trail. Three hopefuls — former mayor Bob Chiarelli and councillors Diane Deans and Catherine McKenney — have so far announced their candidacies. But a number of potential candidates are mulling a run and there’s no doubt some announcements will be coming soon. Let’s hope we get as diverse and talented a group as possible.

Mohammed Adam is an Ottawa journalist and commentator. Reach him at [email protected]

https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/adam-b...ng-the-field-to-local-political-veterans

[J.OT13]

Part of it may be that city government just doesn’t excite top minds. They’d rather run at federal or provincial levels, which are more challenging and rewarding.

I don't quite understand that. As Mayor or Councillor, you have a direct impact on the growth and evolution of a city. You can think for yourself. As a back bencher at the Provincial or Federal level, you're basically just a figure head that's tasked to praise your own Party's platform and vote as you're told and bash the opposing Parties' ideas and members.

[waterloowarrior]

Jon Wiling posted on Twitter last night that the rumour is Clouthier will not run again in Alta Vista

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

Jon Wiling posted on Twitter last night that the rumour is Clouthier will not run again in Alta Vista

He barely won his seat last election. Maybe he knows he didn't do enough to prove his worth during this term. Heron Gate alone was probably a huge blow.

[rocketphish]

Alta Vista ward will be up for grabs as Coun. Jean Cloutier announces he won't seek re-election

Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen
Publishing date: Jan 28, 2022 • 43 minutes ago • 1 minute read

Alta Vista Coun. Jean Cloutier won’t run for re-election in October’s municipal vote.

Cloutier announced his decision on Thursday night in messages to community members and his colleagues on city council.

“Spending time with my family through a second holiday season in this ongoing pandemic gave me a clear perspective on where I would like to spend more of my time — with my family and, when allowable, with friends,” Cloutier wrote in his message to constituents.

Cloutier was first elected in 2014 after winning 47 per cent of the vote in a nine-candidate race, which didn’t have an incumbent as the previous councillor, Peter Hume, was leaving politics.

Cloutier won re-election in 2018 in a much tighter race, with 201 votes separating him from the second-place candidate.

Cloutier, a chartered professional accountant, has been part of Mayor Jim Watson’s core leadership team on council this term as chair of the audit committee. Cloutier is also vice-chair of the transit commission.

He joins a growing list of council members who are considering different political futures.

Watson isn’t seeking re-election. Rideau-Goulbourn Coun. Scott Moffatt has also announced he won’t be on the ballot in October. Gloucester-Southgate Coun. Diane Deans and Somerset Coun. Catherine McKenney have announced their intentions to run for mayor.

There’s still plenty of time for incumbents to make a decision or change their minds. Municipal election nominations don’t close until Aug. 19.

[email protected]
twitter.com/JonathanWilling

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-new...utier-announces-he-wont-seek-re-election

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

Although I am an old guy, I do not see Bob Chiarelli as what Ottawa needs now.

If it comes down to the other two declared candidates McKenny will probably be my choice. Of all the councillors she has been the strongest in demanding that our governments and police do what it takes to free Ottawans from this occupation. I like this no nonsense approach and hope that it would apply to all issues if she was mayor.

I wonder if others will enter the race?

[Truenorth00]

Agreed. We can't have this happen again. We need a leader who will push major reform.

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

Agreed. We can't have this happen again. We need a leader who will push major reform.

Not sure what kind of reform you are looking for but the limitations of the position means bold reform is unlikely unless there is wholesale turnover in the council.

In terms of no nonsense I think that is more about ideology and won't be widespread. It's still nice to see but much of the no nonsense needed requires standing up to local opposition which is more characterized as left wing opposition.

[Truenorth00]

It's really simple for me. I won't consider a candidate unless they call for a full inquiry and dismissal of the police chief.

Given the leniency and chumminess we've seen, I'm thinking the police listen to their union more than the chief. In which case, this needs to be documented in an inquiry and then addressed with reforms.

Dealing with NIMBYism was a concern. But that can wait. Having an incompetent and compromised police force is a much more pressing concern.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by LeadingEdgeBoomer

Although I am an old guy, I do not see Bob Chiarelli as what Ottawa needs now.

If it comes down to the other two declared candidates McKenny will probably be my choice. Of all the councillors she has been the strongest in demanding that our governments and police do what it takes to free Ottawans from this occupation. I like this no nonsense approach and hope that it would apply to all issues if she was mayor.

I wonder if others will enter the race?

I don't have anything against Catherine McKenney but I somehow doubt she'd be the type to have a no-nonsense approach to most issues.

These protests have been impacting her ward residents directly so she's got a hardline approach as is completely understandable.

But I wouldn't for a second think that that would be her instinct on other issues, even those related to public order and safety in fact.

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I don't have anything against Catherine McKenney but I somehow doubt she'd be the type to have a no-nonsense approach to most issues.

These protests have been impacting her ward residents directly so she's got a hardline approach as is completely understandable.

But I wouldn't for a second think that that would be her instinct on other issues, even those related to public order and safety in fact.

Perhaps--but what I was simply saying is that I would choose McKenney over Chiarelli or Deans. If a candidate that is better than any of these three enter the race than I would probably choose that candidate. At the present time I do not know who that better candidate might be.

[J.OT13]

Deans had little credibility going in, but her continued support of the incompetent, useless police force has greatly compromised her chances. I hope no one forgets this come election time. Although the way things are going, I'm starting to think the occupation will continue well into the year, so it may still be in our face by then.

At this point, McKenney is hands down the better candidate.

[SL123]

I'd love to see Fleury run. I think he has a larger appeal than both Deans and McKenney

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by SL123

I'd love to see Fleury run. I think he has a larger appeal than both Deans and McKenney

I would vote for Fleury as well, but I'm afraid that if he does run, votes will be split between him and McKenney, leaving the path open for another, lesser candidate.

[SL123]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

I would vote for Fleury as well, but I'm afraid that if he does run, votes will be split between him and McKenney, leaving the path open for another, lesser candidate.

It might split the urban vote but to be honest I dont think McKenney has any appeal in the suburbs or places like Durobin but i believe Fleury can have a lot of appeal to the suburban young family. Fleury is also a shoe in, in the East being perfectly bilingual.

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Deans had little credibility going in, but her continued support of the incompetent, useless police force has greatly compromised her chances. I hope no one forgets this come election time. Although the way things are going, I'm starting to think the occupation will continue well into the year, so it may still be in our face by then.

At this point, McKenney is hands down the better candidate.

Agreed. Policing has to be a major issue in the next municipal election. We have to rethink it. The OPS is not just policing the City of Ottawa,it is policing the National Capital of Canada and needs to be prepared for the unique challenges that can bring. Perhaps it needs more equipment like armoured military style vehicles and heavy towing vehicles. The Feds may have to kick in to help finance this. Perthaps there needs to be a quick response joint force of Ottawa police and RCMP personnel ready to be called out quickly to respond in national emergencies. That would probably also mean that a federal representative should sit on the Ottawa Police Services board.

It has been suggested that Wellington Street should become an extension of Parliament Hill, policed by the feds and turned into a pedestrian only mall to keep vehicles away from Parliament. I don't know if that would accomplish much but it needs to be discussed among many other policing issues. The old model will not work anymore.