How happy Ottawa City Councillors must be to receive a year-end message from city staff (Rain causes sewer system to overflow into river, The Ottawa Citizen, Dec 30, 2009) confirming that:
“Staff have visited the sewage gates meant to keep sewage flowing to the city's treatment plant under normal conditions, and all regulators are working normally…When older sewers, mostly downtown, get too full of water and sewage, they're designed to vent the excess directly into the Ottawa River.”
Very reassuring to learn that Ottawa’s sewage system will continue to perform normally in 2010!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
Oda, Kenney and Harper (bad, badder and baddest)
Inevitably government leaders make unpopular decisions at times when parliament is not in session and also when the news media is less attentive. This holiday season the Conservative Government in Ottawa has taken several decisions that would have the full attention of the media and the public at other times. The effective shutting down of investigations of alleged torture and abuse of detainees handed over to Afghan authorities by the Canadian military immediately comes to mind. But there are other issues some of them equally or more serious.
One of these is the government’s decision to cut off CIDA funding to KAIROS, an ecumenical Christian organization that works for peace, development and social justice around the world (Shaming us all, Janice Kennedy, Ottawa Citizen, December 27, 2009). Bev Oda, minister for the Canadian International Development Agency announced that KAIROS was being cut off because its priorities didn't match CIDA's. Then Jason Kenney, Immigration Minister, said the de-funding of KAIROS was part of the Canadian government's vigilant efforts to disempower anti-Semitic groups.
Kenny apparently believes that KAIROS is anti-Semitic. It is true that the organization has expressed concerns about some Israeli government policies regarding the treatment of Palestinians, as many Israeli Jews have also done. But it has not promoted, nor does it support, any anti-Israel sanctions.
Interestingly, despite the seasonal media hiatus, this decision by the federal government has received a lot of media attention in Canada and internationally. But as parliament will not be in session again until the end of January, later if Prime Minister Harper decides to prorogue parliament, there is no effective platform from which to challenge the decision.
Understandingly, not all MP’s work takes place in parliament. They have important responsibilities to constituents in their home ridings. But shutting down parliament for extended periods during holiday seasons (winter and summer) and allowing important government decisions to be made without parliamentary accountability is just plain wrong.
One of these is the government’s decision to cut off CIDA funding to KAIROS, an ecumenical Christian organization that works for peace, development and social justice around the world (Shaming us all, Janice Kennedy, Ottawa Citizen, December 27, 2009). Bev Oda, minister for the Canadian International Development Agency announced that KAIROS was being cut off because its priorities didn't match CIDA's. Then Jason Kenney, Immigration Minister, said the de-funding of KAIROS was part of the Canadian government's vigilant efforts to disempower anti-Semitic groups.
Kenny apparently believes that KAIROS is anti-Semitic. It is true that the organization has expressed concerns about some Israeli government policies regarding the treatment of Palestinians, as many Israeli Jews have also done. But it has not promoted, nor does it support, any anti-Israel sanctions.
Interestingly, despite the seasonal media hiatus, this decision by the federal government has received a lot of media attention in Canada and internationally. But as parliament will not be in session again until the end of January, later if Prime Minister Harper decides to prorogue parliament, there is no effective platform from which to challenge the decision.
Understandingly, not all MP’s work takes place in parliament. They have important responsibilities to constituents in their home ridings. But shutting down parliament for extended periods during holiday seasons (winter and summer) and allowing important government decisions to be made without parliamentary accountability is just plain wrong.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Nothing wrong with banning corporate and union donations
I don’t understand the concern that Jim Watson or anyone else has about a proposed ban on municipal (and provincial) election campaign donations (Cullen, Watson conflict over ban, Lee Greenberg, Ottawa Citizen, September 14, 2009). The article indicates that business owners have already found a way around corporate donations by making individual donations instead. In Ottawa I have also noted that other company executives and senior managers also make substantial campaign donations.
This makes it a little more difficult to track down links between companies and donors, but it can be done; Google is pretty helpful! I recall that Ottawa City Council passed a motion this year requiring candidates to provide a list of their campaign donors within 4 weeks of the election date. Presumably, they will be required to update this list at the end of the campaign as well, so that citizens can vote with full knowledge of candidates’ campaign donations? I hope I have this right?
In the article Robert MacDermid notes “…The 2003 Liberal campaign platform dedicates an entire section to ‘reducing the influence of money in politics’” MacDermid also says “…the McGuinty Liberals have become dependent on corporate donations and are unlikely to ban them in Ottawa and elsewhere. 'They would look incredibly hypocritical if they banned it at the municipal level and didn’t ban it themselves’…”
The only immediate solution is for City council to take steps itself as Toronto City Council has already done.
This makes it a little more difficult to track down links between companies and donors, but it can be done; Google is pretty helpful! I recall that Ottawa City Council passed a motion this year requiring candidates to provide a list of their campaign donors within 4 weeks of the election date. Presumably, they will be required to update this list at the end of the campaign as well, so that citizens can vote with full knowledge of candidates’ campaign donations? I hope I have this right?
In the article Robert MacDermid notes “…The 2003 Liberal campaign platform dedicates an entire section to ‘reducing the influence of money in politics’” MacDermid also says “…the McGuinty Liberals have become dependent on corporate donations and are unlikely to ban them in Ottawa and elsewhere. 'They would look incredibly hypocritical if they banned it at the municipal level and didn’t ban it themselves’…”
The only immediate solution is for City council to take steps itself as Toronto City Council has already done.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
And talking about AVTC brings us back to Delcan
It has been understood for some time that Delcan was to play a leading role in design of the AVTC. What I don’t recall is how Delcan was selected as the lead consultant. Was there ever a competition to select design consultants, or is this yet another sole source contract?
Delcan was the contractor of record for the AVTC environmental assessment (EA). Surely there is a serious conflict of interest here? If mistakes and oversights occurred during the EA process, there is a high likelihood that these will now be promulgated in the detailed design.
Notwithstanding any detailed knowledge that Delcan might have gained during the EA study, there are sound reasons for contracting a different organization to undertake the detailed design. This will allow for a second, independent look at study findings, design guidelines and other recommendations made by Delcan during the EA process.
Delcan was the contractor of record for the AVTC environmental assessment (EA). Surely there is a serious conflict of interest here? If mistakes and oversights occurred during the EA process, there is a high likelihood that these will now be promulgated in the detailed design.
Notwithstanding any detailed knowledge that Delcan might have gained during the EA study, there are sound reasons for contracting a different organization to undertake the detailed design. This will allow for a second, independent look at study findings, design guidelines and other recommendations made by Delcan during the EA process.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Make Alta Vista Transportation Corridor (AVTC) a 2010 City Budget Issue
Yesterday the following message was posted to the Our-Ottawa discussion group, courtesy of Michael Richardson. Now is a good time for Ottawa city councillors to discuss the need for this road and to put any design/development work on hold pending a decision to have the road removed from the official plan at the earliest opportunity. The Ottawa Hospital, General Campus would be better served by simply providing improved bus services along existing corridors. Contact you ward councillor on this issue today. Have the AVTC removed from the 2010 city budget.
“The first phase is a $70+ million for a 1.2 km link from Riverside Drive to the General Hospital (on Smyth) -- $5 million is set aside in the 2010 budget for design work. The lead consultant is Delcan -- who also conducted the EA recommending that the road go ahead (while declining to include a transit-only option in the study) despite the Ottawa 2020 Plan that included a goal of trying to get people to use other means of transportation besides private vehicles. Ironically, as I understand it, the hospital that this link is supposed to service has never formally come out in favour of the road -- and in fact has made it clear that it does not want a transit corridor road to bisect the hospital grounds per se (which kind of defeats the purpose of having a dedicated transit link to the hospital).
“It's worse than that. There is $45M in the ‘LRT tunnel’ plan to build a second transit bridge across the Rideau River next to the current one so that buses can ‘temporarily’ use that bridge while the tracks are being laid. ‘Temporary’ is something like 10 years.
“That bridge aligns with Nicolas and the AV parkway. Delcan is also one of the leads on parts of the LRT tunnel work. It's important to understand that the current "LRT tunnel" plan isreally just an excuse to build a lot of really expensive roads.”
“The first phase is a $70+ million for a 1.2 km link from Riverside Drive to the General Hospital (on Smyth) -- $5 million is set aside in the 2010 budget for design work. The lead consultant is Delcan -- who also conducted the EA recommending that the road go ahead (while declining to include a transit-only option in the study) despite the Ottawa 2020 Plan that included a goal of trying to get people to use other means of transportation besides private vehicles. Ironically, as I understand it, the hospital that this link is supposed to service has never formally come out in favour of the road -- and in fact has made it clear that it does not want a transit corridor road to bisect the hospital grounds per se (which kind of defeats the purpose of having a dedicated transit link to the hospital).
“It's worse than that. There is $45M in the ‘LRT tunnel’ plan to build a second transit bridge across the Rideau River next to the current one so that buses can ‘temporarily’ use that bridge while the tracks are being laid. ‘Temporary’ is something like 10 years.
“That bridge aligns with Nicolas and the AV parkway. Delcan is also one of the leads on parts of the LRT tunnel work. It's important to understand that the current "LRT tunnel" plan isreally just an excuse to build a lot of really expensive roads.”
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
At least the Fernbank subdivision planning decision is going to be discussed!
It is pleasing to read that the OMB has agreed to hear the Friends of the Greenspace Alliance appeal of the Ottawa City Council approved Fernbank development plan (OMB approves appeal of Fernbank subdivision, Neco Cockburn, Ottawa Citizen, December 9, 2009). Hopefully the hearing will convince the OMB of the foolishness of proceeding with this development until existing Glen Cairn flooding problems are clearly understood and measures are put in place to eliminate any likelihood of future flooding events. Measures must include guidelines to prevent similar occurrences in any new developments.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Toronto city councillors agree to ban campaign donations from corporations and unions
According to an article in today’s Toronto Star, city councillors have decided they will no longer accept campaign donations from corporations or unions, putting pressure on the provincial government to ban the practice in all municipalities across Ontario (City clamps down on election donors, Paul Mulroney and Vanessa Lu, Toronto Star, Dec 3, 2009).
The vote was passed 29 – 12 following a day-long debate. Council also voted 27-13 to study the feasibility of providing some city funding for campaigns. Robert MacDermid a York University professor and advocate for election reform told reporters. "...It's the first step to get rid of this kind of influence. It's about removing the unfairness and discrimination that's involved in the system…"
Some Toronto councillors now want to lobby Ontario Municipal Affairs Minister Jim Watson to push for a similar ban across the province, by changing the Municipal Elections Act.
This is a step in the right direction. One wonders whether Ottawa City councillors have the ethical foresight to follow Toronto’s lead here.
The vote was passed 29 – 12 following a day-long debate. Council also voted 27-13 to study the feasibility of providing some city funding for campaigns. Robert MacDermid a York University professor and advocate for election reform told reporters. "...It's the first step to get rid of this kind of influence. It's about removing the unfairness and discrimination that's involved in the system…"
Some Toronto councillors now want to lobby Ontario Municipal Affairs Minister Jim Watson to push for a similar ban across the province, by changing the Municipal Elections Act.
This is a step in the right direction. One wonders whether Ottawa City councillors have the ethical foresight to follow Toronto’s lead here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
