Press Release

Ottawa, November 18. 2010


Colin Hine today announced he is withdrawing from his position as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Green Party of Canada (GPC), Ottawa South, Electoral District Association (EDA). He also resigned his membership from the GPC. Hine’s resignation follows the resignation of Dr. Qais Ghanem, nominated candidate for the Green Party of Canada, Ottawa South.

These resignations result from GPC Leader Elizabeth May’s decision to criticize and not support Dr. Ghanem and other members of the “Ottawa Group of Four” in the media regarding the October 28, 2010 Just and Sustainable Peace Conference organized and hosted by the group. In responses to Dr. Ghanem and Mr. Hine she made further critical statements and accusations, making it clear that she will not support independent peace building activities by members of her party.

Dr. Ghanem is a founding member of Potlucks for Peace, a group of Jews and Arabs that has worked together for many years to help find a peaceful solution to conflict in the Middle East. He is a long time human rights and peace activist and is well known in the community both nationally and internationally. Also, he is the creator and host of “Dialogue with Diversity,” a radio show that promotes peace and respect among different ethnic and religious groups.

Regrettably, May’s comments to the media have been interpreted by some as implying that the Group of Four’s actions are helping spread anti-Semitic propaganda. This is untrue and unacceptable.

Without the trust, support and endorsement from the Green Party Leader or the party, it is with great regret that the resignations of Qais Ghanem and Colin Hine from Ottawa South are hereby announced.

For further information contact:

Colin Hine: 613-739-2784
chmorland706@gmail.com

Why do we have to watch city hall so closely?

For the past four years council’s antics at city hall have required many conscientious citizens to spend an inordinate amount of personal time communicating with individual councillors, speaking at delegations, and mounting protests and rallies. A modest amount of such action indicates a healthy engaged community. However, when it becomes the order of the day because local government is acting irresponsibly it indicates that it is time for a major change.


Unfortunately a large number of incumbent councillors are still running for office, so unless we are vigilant at the polling booth we will be faced with four more years of irresponsible government at city hall. A change of mayor appears to be on the cards but changes at the ward level are equally, in fact more, important.

I started this blog because of my concerns about the performance of my own ward councillor, Peter Hume. His time has passed; we need a fresh face, a fresh start! We need a representative who puts community interests first rather than those of developers who have contributed heavily to past campaigns.

It is my fervent hope that an alternative candidate will be successful, so that I can shut this blog down. We can make this happen. I have thrown my support behind Clinton Cowan. His Fresh Start campaign is right on the mark for Ward 18. Hopefully with new councillors like Cowan at the wheel we can all spend more time enjoying the pleasant pastimes that Ottawa has to offer.

If your not an incumbent give up hope

In the last week of the 2010 Ottawa municipal election campaign the Ottawa Citizen is releasing a series of editorial pieces identifying their choices for council in the various wards across the city. If their choices continue to favour incumbent councillors for re-election, as they have today (October 18) then newcomers don’t stand a chance and change in Ottawa will never happen.

 

 In almost every case the Citizen cites lack of experience as the main reasons for rejecting newcomers, even though in some cases they have some new ideas. If we don’t vote some of the newcomers in how will they ever gain experience and how will we ever see any improvement in the way council behaves and performs?

 

 The Citizen accuses candidate Clinton Cowan of talking in platitudes. This is interesting because Hume’s campaign is almost entirely based on platitudes. In an October 5 press release Hume claims that he has created a comprehensive development program to position Ottawa as a world class city:

• Firstly he wants to “pre-zone” areas to introduce fixed height restrictions. It is surprising that he has been chair of planning and environment committee for so long and is only now suggesting that changes are needed.
• Secondly he says that Ottawa has the potential to be one of the most aesthetically pleasing capitals in the world if the planning process is overhauled. Has Hume seen some of the strip mall and big box mall development that is taking place on every open space and suburban development across the city; development approved by planning committee under his watch? How can Hume miss the fact that Ottawa is one eyesore after another for miles along Carling, Richmond and Baseline? Now he wants yet another eyesore on the canal at Lansdowne Park.
• Hume picks up on one of Larry O’Brien’s ideas, citing Sparks Street as an example of poor development in the city centre. Existing and past municipal councils, of which Hume has been a member, have failed to communicate effectively with senior levels of government on this and other issues for years and years. Why should voters believe him now?
• Hume quotes urban designer George Dark’s praising of Hume’s planning initiatives. Interestingly, Dark is being paid by the city for work he is performing on Hume’s portfolio. No wonder he sings Hume’s praises!

As a resident of Ward 18 (Alta Vista/Canterbury/Riverview) I was particularly incensed by the Citizen’s rationale for supporting Peter Hume. I happen to support one of Hume’s opponents, but for the first time ever all of the three candidates opposing Hume are viable and have good platforms. The only thing any of them lack is the level of financial contribution needed to mount a large campaign. This is no problem for Hume, having a war chest from past campaigns – a war chest built largely by the developer community.

 

Cowan is right in saying that troublesome areas have crept into the culture at city hall; the power of special interest groups; and the failure of councillors to consult the community regarding past developments. “People now feel that special interest groups have hijacked our seat at council and at the Planning and Environment Committee….” says Cowan.

 

The Citizen editorial writer cites the televised debate on Rogers. My recollection of the debate is that Hume blustered and interrupted at every opportunity, attempting to put his opponents off-base. Any credibility Hume may have had before that debate, which was zero to precious little, completely evaporated and left him looking like the small, aggressive bully he is.

 

Had the writer attended the all-candidate event hosted by Riverview Park Community Association last week in Ward 18 he/she would have seen a high level of enthusiasm for Hume’s opponents and Hume’s handling of questions from the Riverview Park community was pitifully off-base.

Ottawa Citizen Poll fails to mention that Doucet has a good solution to transit concerns

A poll for the Ottawa Citizen finds that transit concerns are the top voter issue. Unfortunately the Citizen fails to mention that Clive Doucet is the only candidate articulating a transit plan that provides an alternative to a tunnel.


Surface light rail is inexpensive, will pay for itself, and is cheaper per user as the system grows. Also it is quiet and it is environmentally friendly.

A tunnel will add no new transit service for 20 years, will provide no alternatives or relief for the suburbs and will provide no new revenue. All of this for $2.1 billion plus! This won’t keep you taxes down! There is an alternative. For more details see the O-Train video on Clive Doucet’s web site http://clivedoucet.com/en/video-riding-o-train-clive.

Vision and passion

Re: City needs visionary, not another manager: Doucet, Neco Cockburn, The Ottawa Citizen, October 15, 2010.

Candidate Clive Doucet’s claim that he is the most visionary candidate for mayor is well stated. As well as having vision, he also has a passion and honesty that is entirely missing from the three “ex-mayors” O’Brien, Haydon and Watson that reporter Cockburn refers to.

The partisan criticism expressed by right wing MPP Randy Hillier questioning Doucet’s democratic principles is both offensive and ignorant (False understanding, Ottawa Citizen, Letters-to-the-Editor, October 16, 2010). Hillier should reserve his comments for McGuinty and other provincial opponents but they have no place in a municipal campaign.

Concern about where the still large undecided vote will go has been a factor in past municipal campaigns as well as recent federal/provincial ones and it has really not done anything to improve the quality of governments we elect. People should be honest and vote with their hearts. It really is time for a change and Doucet has it all, integrity, honesty, vision and passion.

It’s not only the infrastructure that needs an overhaul

Re; One-time suburb needs infrastructure overhaul, Louisa Taylor, The Ottawa Citizen, October 15, 2010.


While the three candidates opposing Peter Hume for councillor in Ward 18 have different platforms they all agree on one point, along with an increasingly large number of residents. After 19 years with Hume at the helm, it’s time for a representative on council who cares for and respects Ward 18 and it’s residents.

Candidate Clinton Cowan says that “After 19 years, the position of councillor has changed to ward boss rather than city employee….Hume doesn’t respect the wishes of the community.” Hume says these accusations are “patently untrue” and points to the long list of endorsements he has received from residents as proof that’s not the prevailing view on the street.

Hume goes on to say “Ask the people who live near the proposed new bus garage, for example, and they’ll tell you I’m there for them.” But it wasn’t quite like this on the ground. The first time the community really had an opportunity to state its concerns over this garage occurred early this year when an open house was organized to inform people about plans to expand the “proposed” bus garage, when construction was already at an advanced stage.

Concerns were raised forcefully by members of Riverview Park Community Association as well as the local residents Hume refers to. At this time Hume was not too accepting of the communities concern, preferring instead to identify mediation steps that did little to address residents’ concerns directly.

As it turned out, residents were far from satisfied by these offsetting benefits and Hume and the city have now had to take additional measures in order to minimize the negative impact that the “garage mahal” will have on the community. These new measures have not come without significant cost to the taxpayer and will not be in place for some time. Details of the land swap arrangement between the Ottawa Train Yards landowner and the city have not been made public other than to indicate that the deal also involved transfer of a substantial sum of money to the developer.

The developer seems to have benefited from this negotiation two ways: firstly, the contiguous area of land resulting from the exchange will make it easier for Ottawa Train Yards to expand this already large shopping mall; and secondly the owner has new cash in the bank besides.

Despite his claims to the contrary, some of Hume’s votes on council have been against the interests of many of his ward residents but clearly in the interests of developers; for example his endorsement of the Alta vista Transportation Corridor (AVTC) and his abandonment of the international design competition to redevelop Lansdowne Park.

As Clinton Cowan says, “It’s time for a Fresh Start.”

A well attended all candidates event in Riverview Park

At last evening’s all-candidates meeting hosted by Riverview Park Community Association (RPCA) four candidates running for councillor in Ward 18 were in attendance (Clinton Cowan, Kevin Hogan, Peter Hume and Ernie Lauzon). Six candidates running for mayor also attended (Clive Doucet, Cesar Bello, Andy Haydon, Mike Maguire, Charlie Taylor and Jim Watson). All 20 were invited.

Each candidate was given five minutes to present their platform and the there was a short question and answer period. All three opponents to incumbent councillor Peter Hume did a convincing job, persuading people that changes are needed at city hall and in Ward 18 in particular.

Some of the audience questions directed a Hume asked for clarification on council decisions he has made in connection with development plans that affect Riverview Park residents. The first questioner received a weak response from Hume. In fact he failed to answer the question at all. The detailed question asked:

“The TrainYards complex provides only uncertain and low paying jobs to residents of Ottawa and increases traffic, yet again, on Industrial Ave, not the sort of conditions that will encourage people to settle in the community to help it be a safe and beautiful place to raise a family.

“Could you explain to me what the benefit is, to Riverview Park and indeed to the city of Ottawa, of the still-growing TrainYards big-box store complex when it serves to dilute business from downtown and the Byward Market, 10minutes away, from one of the oldest and most established shopping centres in Ottawa, St Laurent Shopping Centre, which is just around the corner, and from other shopping close by in the area: Alta Vista Plaza and Elmvale Acres.”

In response Hume indicated that we (council) were unable to negotiate an entirely satisfactory commitment from the developer to a multi-used industrial/business/retail area that would provide employment and retail opportunities. He suggested that instead they tried to make the shopping complex more community friendly. Clearly Hume, his committee and council friends as well as his developer friends failed badly here. Not only is the complex not community friendly it’s not even shopper friendly when you need a car to go from one store to another. Hume never did address the question of benefits to Riverview Park or any of the other issues raised by the questioner.

Unfortunately there was no time for a rebuttal to Hume’s statements by his opponents. However candidate Clinton Cowan is already on record, stating “How else can one explain how a Walmart and a large-box store development has ended up in our ward, ten minutes from downtown? This is a dagger in the hearts of our locally owned businesses! If this is an example of high quality development then we must ask whether we have let our guard down or was the backdoor left open?”

Others run for mayor - Part 2

Following is an unpublished letter-to-the-editor of the Ottawa Citizen.  The editor was interested enough to phone me and discuss the details of my follow-up letter.  He was quite surprised but accepted my word when I confirmed that he made the statements I attributed to him when we discussed my first letter, 

He restated the difficulty that any paper would have in dealing with a 20 candidate slate.  I suggested that this is the Citizen's problem and that readers expect better than the reporting they are providing.  Obviously we agreed to differ but the issue seems to have the attention of other editorial team members at the Citizen.  While the letters-to-the-editor editor took the time to phone me he said it is unlikely that it will be published.  However, its gone up the chain.  Here is the text from my letter:

Letter-to-the editor - Ottawa Citizen October 11, 2010



On September 30 my letter, “Others run for mayor,” was published in the Ottawa Citizen. I comment on media bias and in particular on the Citizen’s continuing focus on the actions and utterances of Jim Watson and Larry O’Brien to the exclusion of the other 18 mayoral candidates.


The day before my letter was printed I received a voice mail from a Citizen editor stating his belief that the Citizen is accurate in its reporting, but that a decision to focus on the “two leading candidates” was taken by editorial staff because it is difficult to focus on all 20 candidates.

I responded with my own voice mail suggesting that this was exactly the point my letter makes and pointing out that there are many important views made by other candidates that go unreported. The Citizen chooses to report irrelevant interchange between Watson and O’Brien instead. My continuing concern is that the Citizen chooses to adopt this policy, even when it is clear that O’Brien is not going to succeed and that other contenders are rising to take his place at the front.

On Friday October 8 on TV Ontario’s Agenda broadcast with Steve Paikin there was a section covering Local elections - Municipal Affairs. The discussion focused on mayoralty campaigns in various cities across Ontario. Joanne Chianello a Citizen reporter represented Ottawa.

Over the 30 minute program segment Chianello mentioned only two candidates O'Brien and Watson. She failed to mention that there is a slate of 20 candidates running for mayor, with some notable challengers including Councillor Clive Doucet, ex-Ottawa/Carleton regional government head, Andy Haydon.

On the topic of light rail she mentioned only the tunnel option that is supported by O’Brien and Watson when there are other viable options being promoted by other candidates. Chianello also made misleading statements about the project by suggesting that the tunnel is a done deal and that there would be penalties in place if it were cancelled. Here is what she said: “We’re going to build a tunnel….We have a financial plan for it…..It cost us over $35 million to cancel a previous plan.”

Such inaccurate, biased and misleading commentary and reporting is unacceptable, particularly for a newspaper of the Ottawa Citizen’s stature. It is time for the Citizen to clean up its act and to report in an accurate and unbiased manner.

I have no problem if the paper’s editorial staff chooses to support particular candidates or political positions in their editorial pages but it is not acceptable for reporters to distort the true facts.

Colin Hine

A World Class City?

I really have to wonder what O’Brien and Watson mean when they talk about making Ottawa a “World Class City.” I think they believe that the costly projects they are suggesting tax payers should invest in will do the job. In their minds this means investing heavily into such projects as:

 

• The eyesore of a shopping mall, called Lansdowne Park,
• The $2.1billion (plus) Light Rail Tunnel,
• O’Brien’s proposed ring road, and
• The network of new roads that they plan to build that will allow for major expansion beyond the urban boundary.

 What they both seem to have missed completely is the damage to the city’s image and appearance that is already taking place because of the development sprawl that results from the powerful influence that developers already have over city hall. This week my wife and I had to take a drive out to the west end of the city. We decided to avoid taking Highway 417 and instead used arterial roads and thoroughfares.   

Everywhere we traveled we saw new strip malls and shopping complexes with big box stores under construction:

• On Baseline the new shopping complex where Laurentian High School used to stand, town houses inches away from a four lane road;
• Along the Bells Corners strip a long chain of new or updated strip development, accessible only by car, completely devoid of character;
• Along Hazeldean Road, including the area that is now being widened there is an obscene plethora of big box chain shore and strip mall developments. The Carp River is now virtually invisible, being forced into a narrow concrete channel. Remember when this was “just beyond the fringe” territory?

 All of these areas require access by car. The roads are a major challenge for cyclists and pedestrians take their lives into their hands. It is just the same if you head to the east or the south of the city; one eyesore after another.

 

The same big box and chain stores appear, again, again and again, simply diluting revenue streams from existing stores and driving local storekeepers out of business.

 

While all this uncontrolled development continues, the city has failed to put in place adequate sewage disposal measures; has failed to stop dumping raw sewage into our rivers, and failed to put in place measures to stop recurring flooding of homes. Instead they choose to construct new buildings and roads on sensitive wetlands. Let’s regain control of our once beautiful city once and for all!

 

Is this what developers and their cronies on council believe world class means? Come on! It’s time for a real change! Vote for candidates for mayor and council who do not accept campaign donations from developers and who will no longer allow them to be the real power in Ottawa.

 

Locking the door after the horse has bolted

There was an interesting press release from Peter Hume’s campaign team on October 5. Among other things he postulates for “…a comprehensive development program to position Ottawa as a world-class city.” His first suggestion is to bring forward an Official Plan amendment to “pre-zone” areas to introduce fixed height restrictions.

He says that as planning committee chair, he sees weekly disputes between frustrated residents and developers. He goes on to say that they (residents and developers) deserve better from the municipality and suggests that designated building height limits should be in place well in advance of building proposals.

However, his claims for change are in contradiction of the pro-developer recommendations of his planning committee as well as his ongoing voting preferences at the council table. Right now this lame duck council seems to be passing motions affecting zoning that will make it very challenging for a new incoming city council to make effective change in this area.

Also, it is unclear from Hume’s plans how they might affect zoning in existing residential communities including some in his own ward and how much say residents will have in the process.. When Hume says “ Residents don’t trust the city to treat them fairly, and that must change” I have to wonder why he has been contradicting this for the past seven years as chair of planning committee. For the most part decisions by Hume’s planning committee, as well as those of council, have favored developers even in the face of strong opposition from residents. Witness recent decisions taken by council:

• Yesterday Ottawa city council approved rezoning for controversial Hickory Street condo project, against concerns expressed by the community and their local councillor, Christine Leadman.

• Council also approve site plans that will enable development of trade show space on sensitive wetlands neat Ottawa airport to proceed without allowing claims of environmentalists to be investigated. Apparently this was done to enable the facility to be in place so as not to delay start of the planned Lansdowne Park development.

In the release Hume says he wants to create urban design guidelines for buildings and setbacks for adjacent low-profile neighborhoods. But this hasn’t deterred Hume and his committee from prematurely agreeing to the rezoning changes for Lansdowne Park; changes that have very negative consequences on existing residents on Holmwood Avenue, adjacent to the Lansdowne site. With so many issues on the site to be resolved it is wrong to be pressing ahead with zoning changes.

I’ll have more to say about Hume’s press release in the near future. It’s almost as if he is planning on running for mayor in 2014!

Clinton Cowan Candidate for Councillor - Ward 18

Here is a summary of Alta Vista/Canterbury/Riverview Ward candidate Clinton Cowan’s election platform. For more details visit his website at http://clintoncowan.ca and click on “The Issues” page.


Why is Clinton Running?

• To Preserve our neighbourhoods. To Protect our values. To Promote our issues.

• To respect our residents, their taxes and our environment.

• To ensure that essential services are delivered effectively and efficiently.

• To address aggressive commuter traffic in order to protect children and cyclists.

• To improve our neglected infrastructure needs. Restructuring development charges to support older neighbourhoods.

• To move forward with affordable light rail without reductions to our local bus service.

• To invest $5,000 of earned Councillor’s salary to strengthen local community associations.

• To create a Ward Advisory Council and enhance transparency and public consultation.

• To advocate for community garden projects in our parks and schools. Expand our allotment garden network.

City-Wide Goals:

• To build safe, sustainable, supportive neighbourhoods where people can live, work and play. While reducing traffic, spending on major new roads and protecting greenspaces.

• To ensure public transit is reliable and affordable. Start talks to expand the Eco-Pass program to small and mid-sized employers.

• To avoid costly transit strikes, lawsuits, project overruns, and end sole source deals.

• To cut the leash of developers' influence in urban planning. Create an Integrity Commissioner for elected officials and staff.

• To seek term limits and provide real access to voting records.

• To adjust the system of development charges to favour "green" building projects (LEED Gold Standard).

• To reduce the city's reliance on high-priced consultants.

• To ensure urban intensification respects the character of established neighbourhoods and includes community endorsement.

• To improve community health through targeted investments in seniors’ services, daycare, health centres, crime prevention and local sports.

Others run for mayor

My letter on media bias appear in the Ottawa Citizen today (Others run for mayor, Ottawa Citizen, Letters-to-the-Editor, September 30, 2010). A telephone call from the editor resulted in a decision to make a small editorial change. The change actually enhances the letter’s message but one comment made by the editor serves to confirm the accuracy of my message.


The editor believes that the Citizen is accurate in its reporting, but that the decision to focus on the two leading candidates is an editorial decision because it is difficult to cover all 20. Isn’t this the point I was making? Others have important views that deserve to be reported on so that voters are well informed. One of the observations in my letter is that while other candidates made important points the article concentrated on the ongoing and irrelevant interchange between Watson and O’Brien that has plagued this campaign so-far.

Another article that appears in today’s Ottawa Citizen serves to confirm the biased reporting that I am referring to (A slow day on the hustings for mayoral candidates, Joanne Chianello and Matthew Pearson, Ottawa Citizen, September 30, 2010). While there is brief mention of some other candidates, including the other lead contender Clive Doucet, the article focuses on “the two front runners,” Watson and O’Brien. It appears that instead of keeping readers well informed the editorial staff is suggesting who we should be voting for.

Following interesting Ward Councillor competitions

On this morning’s CBC Ottawa Morning broadcast commentators Vicki Smallman and Walter Robinson identified Ward Councillor competitions that they find to be of particular interest. One competition they did not mention is the competition for Councillor in Ward 18 (Alta Vista/Canterbury/Riverview) where three candidates are running against incumbent Councillor Peter Hume.


I think that this competition is of particular interest because, for the first time ever, Hume is being opposed by a viable candidate, Clinton Cowan. Cowan is a likeable, intelligent candidate who has been campaigning hard in the ward for some months. He has built up a strong following and his campaign is moving into high gear.

Peter Hume has made some controversial voting decisions on council and in his role as chair of Planning and Environment Committee over the past four years, and has more often than not disregarded the views and concerns of communities within his ward.

This contest has legs. It should be very interesting to watch.

2010 election special

2010 Election Special – this is the introductory title to Peter Hume’s flyer detailing his past accomplishments and future plans. I take a very jaundiced view of most of his claims. For example:


Negotiated Browning Corridor exclusion as a high-speed bus route: In my view the inclusion of this route was always a red herring and Hume was on safe ground knowing that it would be eliminated from consideration. In fact, the contributors who identified viable solutions to the high speed bus corridor were individual residents of the Riverview Park community. They accomplished this by attending open houses on the project, communicating with the study consultants and writing articles in local community newspapers. On the topic of roads and transit, one wishes that Hume might have actively campaigned to exclude the Alta Vista Transportation Corridor from the city’s official plan.

Hosts annual Riverview Park Corn Roast…: Firstly, this annual event is funded partly using (wasting) tax payers’ dollars. I fail to see this and similar events to be more than a photo-op and an opportunity to watch the councillor eat!

Led major improvements to the Lansdowne Park redevelopment and design: Unfortunately Hume broke his commitment with Councillor Clive Doucet for an international design competition for the entire park (not just the grassy bits). Instead, he approved a sole-source contract agreement with a group of developers; several of whom donated to his election campaigns on 2003 and 2006 either as corporations or individuals.

Altered Ottawa Train Yards development to improve aesthetics: What Hume fails to acknowledge is that the Ottawa Train Yards development is largely populated by retail chains, most of them U.S. owned, that take away business from established businesses that are just blocks away. The inclusion of a WallMart store as the anchor tenant of a mall that is only 10 minutes from down-town and less than 5 minutes from St. Laurent Shopping Centre further dilutes revenue streams for established businesses. There is only so much retail money to spread around and adding acres of new retail space does not help. Most of the local jobs resulting from the Train Yards development are low paying (minimum wage). The original plans for this site included space for businesses that would employ skilled people, thus making it possible for some local residents to find attractive work opportunities close to home. It is unclear if or when this might happen.

President of Association of Municipalities of Ontario: Hume’s involvement with this group has resulted in him having among the worst attendance records at city council meetings. Some might say that his participation was for the greater good, but in reality it has resulted in his neglecting the needs and concerns of ward residents.

I could go on but the truth is that this councillor has been in office too long and is taking us for granted. In Hume’s flyer, ward resident Sam Ibrahim claims that Hume’s incumbency at city hall is not a weakness. For some Councillors this might be correct, but in the case of Councillor Hume it’s time for a Fresh Start.

Integrity and ethics

Mayoral candidate Jim Watson makes a big issue about his integrity plan and points a finger at one of his opponents, Larry O’Brien, citing his connections with Calian Technologies, a firm that does a lot of business with the City of Ottawa. However, Watson leaves himself open to criticism because he accepts donations from corporate sources, including the development community.


Watson also descends into the mire of unethical conduct by exposing communications between Mayor Larry O’Brien and himself in his role of Ontario minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing (Mayoral candidates trade barbs as election looms, CBC Ottawa news, Sept. 22, 2010).

Of the leading candidates for mayor, only Clive Doucet has declared publicly that he will not accept corporate donations; in fact this is a key plank in his platform. Also, his campaign takes the high-road, avoiding making inappropriate comments. Instead, he focuses on the issues that serve to distinguish him from his competitors.

Shame, shame, shame!

Shame on Ottawa City Council for voting against Councillor Clive Doucet’s motion (Sep 22, 2010) to put planning committee’s decision to re-zone Lansdowne Park and Sylvia Holden Park on hold (Sep 14, 2010).


Shame on Mayor, Larry O’Brien, for turning up unexpectedly at planning committee to cast a deciding ballot on this vote. I hear this mayor comment that he only has one vote, but he clearly has two!

Shame on planning committee chair, Peter Hume for endorsing this strategy, especially after the statements he made in his June 28, 2010 Ottawa Citizen Article, “We are on the verge of something wonderful – we must not turn back:…”

“…Myth No. 4: Sylvia Holden Park will become part of Lansdowne and the community facilities will disappear.

“Greg Smallenberg, one of Canada’s best park designers, has been chosen to create Lansdowne’s new park and open space. He has been very clear his concept was to infuse the community park with the kind of beauty and program it deserves while ensuring it maintains it’s community park feel and use.

“This is why Smallenberg proposes to keep the community facilities – including the wading pool – and invest more than $7 million in improvements, such as community gardens and heirloom apple orchards, to Sylvia Holden Park. Just as they do today, the city’s Parks and Recreation department will retain complete control over the programming and operation of Sylvia Holden Park.”

Council’s high-handed decision to move ahead before outstanding legal and heritage issues have been fully explored and resolved is unacceptable. Quoting from mayoral candidate Clive Doucet’s Sept 22, 2010 press release: “…Doing away with a Sylvia Holden Park and disrespecting Lansdowne’s heritage are symptomatic of a larger problem: the complete lack of leadership at City Hall to protect public funding, public land and public procurement.

Cycle friendly city?

Following is a letter-to-the-editor I sent to the Ottawa Citizen ( recognized but unpublished):

I was disappointed by the arrogant tone adopted by Councillor Peter Hume in his Letter-to-the-Editor (Council made progress on a cycle-friendly city, Ottawa Citizen, September 15, 2010).


In his letter Hume outlines a number of cycle/pedestrian pathway and sidewalk initiatives that are being installed in his Alta Vista Ward communities this year. Nice as it is for the Alta Vista/Canterbury/Riverview communities to have these new facilities, it should be noted that they have not come about easily, and certainly not for entirely altruistic reasons.

Plans for work on the Riverview community to Hurdman transit station link and the sidewalks on Industrial Avenue were not high on the city’s priority list until Hume faced anger from Riverview Park residents earlier this year over plans to further expand the O.C. Transpo bus garage on Industrial Avenue. Then all of a sudden they became a priority.

At the time the city was unwilling to make significant changes to the bus garage site that would address residents’ concerns. So prioritizing plans for cycling and pedestrian infrastructure presented a way to placate local residents, or so they hoped!

As it turned out, residents were far from satisfied by these offsetting benefits and Hume and the city have now had to take additional measures in order to minimize the negative impact that the “garage mahal” will have on the community. These new measures have not come without significant cost to the taxpayer and will not be in place for some time after the garage/maintenance facility becomes operational this fall.

It can hardly be a coincidence that much of the sidewalk and recreational pathway work is being undertaken during the 2010 municipal election campaign period.


Colin Hine

Lucky there is an election campaign on!

The tenants of the Heron Gate community in Alta Vista Ward are fortunate that there is an election campaign on, and that the incumbent councillor, Peter Hume is running for re-election. Otherwise, it is unlikely that their complaints would be receiving the high level of attention they are currently receiving from the city and from this councillor (Hotline lets tenants beef about landlord, CBC News, September 16, 2010).


Since 2009 residents have been complaining about problems from infestations, heating systems, litter, burned out vehicles, graffiti and others, and the landlord has done little to help. But Councillor Hume made a big slash on CBC Ottawa radio and TV news programs this week about the “hotline’ he has established (Isn’t this what 311 is supposed to be for?), together with some guidelines for residents to follow in order to get attention to their complaints.

This problem was previously reported on by CBC last April, but it has taken Hume to this point (in his re-election campaign) to act on behalf of this community. I’m not excusing the building complex owners, Transglobe Property Management, and the building managers, Berkley Property Management, for their failure to act, but the city and this councillor have also failed to respond effectively. Perhaps Hume is normally too busy helping developers and dealing with out-of-town committee affairs to do this important part of the job he was elected to do!

Pot calling the kettle black

Mayoral candidate Jim Watson does a wonderful job selling his “integrity plan” and dissing opponent Larry O’Brien. In the process he appears to have stolen some of mayoral candidate Clive Doucet’s ideas, no sole-sourcing for example. However, he does not plan on revisiting the Lansdowne Park sole-source decision.


Unfortunately, Watson’s plan also overlooks some of his own transgressions; in particular, candidates taking developers’ donations. He could have taken action on this issue in his previous role as municipalities minister in the Ontario government, but didn’t. Larry O’Brien talks about “releasing corporate donations” but Clive Doucet didn’t need a “policy” to know it is wrong to take donations from developers.

Clive Doucet is now the only leading mayoral candidate that does not take donations from developers, and this has been a key plank of his campaign from the beginning.

The chicken or the egg?

Commenting on concerns expressed by Heritage Ottawa adviser, Leslie Maitland, that “the city is jumping the gun with respect to heritage” (“Where are the heritage reports?” critics ask before Lansdowne vote, Joanne Chianello, Ottawa Citizen, Sept 13, 2010) Councillor Peter Hume, chair of the city’s planning and environment committee says that “Rezoning has nothing to do with the heritage questions. All the rezoning does is to change allowable uses for the site.”


He goes on to suggest that it has no bearing on whether the city will move the Horticultural Building or what the easements – or sight lines – around the Aberdeen Pavilion will be. “Those aren’t zoning issues, those are site plan issues” he says.

Really Councillor, which came first, the zoning or the site plans; the site plans or the zoning? Here is yet another instance of this councillor disrespecting and disregarding the valid concerns expressed by citizens. Is it any wonder that people are so distrustful of this council? Hopefully it won’t be too long before Hume and others are called to account.

Challenging the Democratic Process

A recent letter to the Ottawa Citizen suggested that voters should not vote for mayoral candidate Clive Doucet but instead vote for Jim Watson in order to prevent Larry O’Brien from being re-elected. This suggestion was challenged in two excellent letters-to-the-editor a few days later:


http://www.ottawacitizen.com/technology/glad+Doucet+taking+right+issues/3492196/story.html
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Insult+voters/3492197/story.html

Both Watson’s and O’Brien’s campaigns receive substantial financial support from the corporate sector. In addition, Watson has strong ties to his former Ontario provincial government colleagues and will likely be susceptible to influence by their political agendas.

Of the three leading mayoral candidates Clive Doucet is the only one who does not have a potential conflict of interest. Clive Doucet is the only candidate who represents the interests of the public, without influence from corporate or external political sources. He truly is the people’s candidate!

Here is my own unpublished letter-to-the-editor:

Dear Sir,
Letter writer Erwin Dreessen’s letter (Doucet should quit, too. Ottawa Citizen, Sep 4, 2010) suggesting that voters should not vote for mayoral candidate Clive Doucet, but instead vote for Jim Watson (even if holding ones nose in the process) in order to prevent Larry O’Brien from being reelected.

It is this type of reasoning that challenges the entire democratic process. Voters are already jaundiced, evidenced by the low voter turn out for elections at all levels of government. People should listen clearly to what the candidates have to say and vote according to their consciences.

Colin Hine

A very convenient arrangement!

Interesting that an issue of Hume News from Councillor Peter Hume inviting residents of Ward 18 to his annual Riverview corn Roast should arrive in the mail, right in the middle of the 2010 municipal election campain. 

I sincerely hope that this will not be used as an opportunity to promote his platform for office, at taxpayers' and the community's expense.

The process is more important than the result

Recent articles and broadcasts in the local media highlight controversy surrounding a walking and cycling path that is being built in the green space in Alta Vista (Alta Vista path sparks controversy, CBC News Aug 26, 2010; Cyclists excited about new Alta Vista “Pathway,” Tony Spears, Ottawa Sun, September 1, 2010). It is difficult to deny the potential benefits fromf this pathway. However the process through which the project was planned and approved by Ottawa City Council with the support of Alta Vista Councillor, Peter Hume is entirely wrong.


Many of the on-line comments endorse this pathway and the benefits that it will bring to the community. But some comments are critical of the process; in particular the fact that the community was never consulted on this planned development. This concern is heightened by arrogant statement from Peter Hume, such as: “…the $250,000.00 project was too small for a full public consultation….” How many other $250K projects, that are “too small,” are there in the works at City Hall?

This clearly demonstrates a lack of commitment to transparency within Ward 18 and more widely within our city. The value of a project has little to do with showing residents respect. Councillor Hume is taking the community for granted. Dozens of residents whose homes back on to the path have indicated that they had no idea that a path was being built until construction started. They were however well informed about Councillor Hume’s movie night for the community! This is shameful!

Another recent example in the Ward concerning late and inadequate public consultation include the OC Transpo Bus Garage on Industrial Avenue, the "garage mahal." Community concern over this project eventually stimulated the Councillor to explore alternate access to/from the site via Belfast Road. He even put out a special community news sheet announcing it.

Whether this access will ultimately be presented to the public before it is approved is still not known. Neither will the public likely get to learn whether any back room deals have been negotiated with landowners.

Then of course there's the Lansdowne Partnership Plan; enough said!  If it's good for Councillor Hume's developer friends then surely it's good for Alta Vista Ward residents and for the city as a whole!

Why should such a small local issue hit the front page?

I was surprised to see that an article about the permanent closure to through traffic on Clemow Avenue in the Glebe (City plan makes two homes impossible to reach – or does it? Robert Sibley, Ottawa Citizen, Aug. 25, 2010) should appear on the front page of the paper. The article discusses a motion that will be presented to City Council today by Councillor Clive Doucet to have city staff “initiate a formal, permanent street closure” of Clemow Avenue where it intersects with Central Park between O’Connor and Bank Streets.


The road has been closed on a “temporary” basis for nearly 40 years and most residents fully support the proposal. Two residents claim that access to their properties will be affected by the change and they say that there has been no public consultation. But public consultation is what Councillor Doucet’s motion is all about. No changes will be made without a public consultation.

Caroline Vanneste indicates that the Glebe Community Association has been looking into this issue for a while and has reported on it in the Glebe Report. They requested that Clemow be permanently closed but did not define the specific area to be greened. Residents were found to be generally in favour of the closure (as noted in the article) but have not agreed on the specific area.

City staff wanted a Council motion regarding the closure before starting the consultation process with the neighborhood. Unfortunately, the map attached to the motion makes it look like the area has already been decided and there won't be consultation on it. This is not the case at all. Vanneste says she will be trying to get this explanation out to affected residents, but will not be contacting the Ottawa Citizen. The GCA is not mentioned in the article – it appears to be a misunderstanding between residents and the City.

The fact that this issue appears on the front page of the paper and that at least one of the complainers, Ian Burney, is the son of ex-senior diplomat and Principal Secretary of Mulroney's office, Derek Burney, suggests that the article which is critical of Doucet is a deliberate attempt to discredit Doucet's current campaign for the mayoralty. It is unfortunate that the press finds it necessary to interfere in the political process rather than to report news in a clear, unambiguous and respectful manner.

Blatant promotion of a municipal candidate is not part of a columnist’s job

Re: Council needs business smarts to balance its odd ducks, Randall Denley, Ottawa Citizen, Aug. 24, 2010


Of course Randall Denley is a columnist rather than a reporter, so he will likely claim that he is entitled to express his opinions in his column. But to my mind commenting on performance of people in office is one thing, promoting the potential of a previously unknown candidate to the exclusion of others is another.

I’m sure that if challenged Denley would claim that his article was merely pointing out the value of electing candidates with appropriate skills and experience. But he goes much further than this by strongly extolling the virtues of a single candidate for Kitchissippi Ward, Katherine Hobbs, while invalidating the performance of the current Councillor for the Ward, Christine Leadman. Denley fails to discuss any of Leadman’s experience, focusing instead on Katherine Hobbs.

Denley suggests that real-life business experience is a good attribute for a councillor. But many would argue that this hasn’t paid off very well in the case our current mayor, Larry O’Brien.

Comparing the attributes and performance of all candidates running for election in a ward is one thing. But blatantly promoting one candidate to the exclusion of others is biased and unfair; just give people good comparative information, so that they can decide for themselves.

Important Meeting to Attend: Ottawa Municipal Council Candidates

To those concerned about progress in the City of Ottawa,


Over a year of preparation and planning, and bringing civic-minded people together, is culminating on October 25th, 2010. We are nearly two months away from the municipal election and have organized a meeting to discuss the candidates.

Those candidates who value affordable housing, accessible transit, social investment, environmental protection & sustainable city planning need to be identified and supported.

This meeting will openly discuss the strategic wards that we need to focus on and offer insights into achieving a Council which respects the policies and principles listed above.

If you want to see positive change in Ottawa, please forward this email and attached poster along to your networks, RSVP and attend:

When: Tuesday, August 24th at 7pm

Where: 5050 Minto Centre, Carleton University Map (label MC): http://www2.carleton.ca/campus/

Who: Our Ottawa and friends

RSVP to: itsourottawa@gmail.com

Live and let live

Councillor Peter Hume's Riverview Community Update - July 2010 attempts to tackle the "problem" of crows roosting in urban areas. I believe his article is a response to an open letter from a local resident that is posted on the Riverview Park Community Association (RPCA) web site.

The original letter makes a number of claims relating to problems presented by the crow population in Riverview Park. among these are the menace to health, property damage, noise, bird feeders, their affect on the rest of the bird population and the threat to air ambulances flying into the Ottawa General hospital. Unfortunately most of these claims are inaccurate and misguided.

I question that crows are a menace to the health of the community, actually the presence of a healthy crow population in the area is a good sign. These birds are scavengers that help control the local rodent population.

I have never seen crows pecking gravel off roof shingles as this letter writer claims. However, I have seen squirrels do extensive damage to the trees in my backyard by denuding branched of leaves, causing the limbs to die. They also invade bird feeders much more commonly than crows do. Potential property damage from bird droppings is largely caused by pigeons, and pigeons tend to stay around the neighborhood all day in pursuit of food.

The loud noise periods from crows are at sunrise when they assemble for their daytime excursions and sunset when they return to roost. The noise they make as individual birds is no different to that presented by other predatory birds like bluejays or gulls. Crows are fascinating social animals and they are very interesting to watch. It is particularly fascinating to watch the way they raise and protect their young.

Sitting in our backyard on a summer day used to feel like being in a peaceful oasis; this is no longer the case. Over the 13 years that we have lived on the north side of the General Campus, a significant increase in noise levels has resulted from ongoing development of the Ottawa Hospital Lands; not only from construction but also from the increased ambient noise levels resulting from the expansion. This can only get worse if the Alta Vista Transportation Corridor (AVTC) is developed. It will also further threaten the crow and other wildlife populations as a large number of trees will likely be removed.

I have seldom seen songbirds scared away by crows. Other wildlife in the area, such as squirrels and pigeons, are far more intrusive and destructive to local gardens and bird feeders.

Regarding the air ambulance problem, it is unfortunate that the helcopter landing site is located in a very restricted area that is encompassed by hospital buildings and colse trees. It might be better if the helipad was located slightly away from the hospital complex as it is on the Civic Campus site.

Running for the severance?

Following is a letter to the editor of the Ottawa Citizen (unpublished):

Re: A welcome blast from the past, Randal Denley, Ottawa Citizen, August 15, 2010

I find it offensive to the candidates and to supporters who are working hard and donating money that Peter Clark, or anyone else, should suggest that reputable politicians like Clive Doucet and Alex Cullen are only running to get the severance.

Denley also states that Clark declines to comment on Mayor Larry O'Brien's performance in office. But he fails to note that O'Brien might also be accused of "running to get the severance."

Clive Doucet’s campaign pledge

Mayoralty candidate Clive Doucet held a press conference yesterday at which he announced that 5% of funds raised by his campaign are being set aside for a community energy efficiency project (Doucet pledges 5% of election funds for eco project, Jon Willing, Ottawa Sun, August 10, 2010). Unfortunately some on-line commentators responding to this article are using the good news announcement to attack Doucet personally, even suggesting that it is possibly illegal.

Whatever the eventual outcome of this election, Doucet's pledge will continue to contribute to the wellbeing of the Ottawa community. Simply replacing an old furnace can save as much as 50% in heating costs; a daycare facility that installs a heat recovery ventilator will see fewer colds. These are just two examples of modest steps that would make a lasting contribution; there are many others.

The Suggestion that such a pledge is illegal is ridiculous. This is simply the result of opponents trying to smear Doucet's campaign when it receives some good press.

• Is buying staples for a campaign legal? Yes!
• Is buying posters and lawn signs legal? Yes!
• Is using developer's money to fund the hiring of political consultants to help with campaigns legal? Unfortunately yes!

And so is publicly announcing that Clive Doucet's campaign is going to spend money on charitable donations that will make the community a better place to live!

Community information or election propaganda?

Earlier this summer Councillor Peter Hume distributed a flyer “Riverview Community Update – July 2010” in which he provided important information on some community issues including the Industrial Avenue Bus Garage.

The city has been presented an opportunity that would permit access to the new Industrial Avenue bus garage from Belfast Road. This would eliminate westbound morning bus traffic on Industrial Avenue and all returning busses would access the site from Belfast Road. If this proposed change comes to pass it will eliminate one of the contentious issues associated with the location of the garage on Industrial.

Proposed remediation measures to minimize levels of noise and air pollution still need to be proven however. It is unfortunate that residents of Riverview Park were never properly consulted before a decision on the Industrial Avenue location for the garage was taken in the first place. In the views of many, Industrial Avenue is not the best site on which to locate such a large bus garage.

Councillor Hume states that the improved access for the bus facility results from an agreement with a local landowner to provide the new bus garage with access to Belfast road. Details of a proposed arrangement between the landowner and the city are being negotiated and apparently the proposal will be presented for public comment when finalized.

Nice as all this seems it is unlikely that a landowner would provide the right of way to Belfast without some consideration (financial and/or otherwise). It is the “otherwise” that concerns me. This could include measures that might not otherwise pass muster with the City (zoning concessions, waivers on design/construction issues, etc.). Residents need to examine the details and demand changes if the proposed conditions appear questionable. Such conditions might well influence the direction of future developments in the area, leaving residents powerless to influence design and implementation decisions.

The timing of Councillor Hume’s announcement is interesting. The issue of the bus garage was a hot topic in the Riverview Park community last winter and at that time the Councillor was less than willing to consider significant changes to proposed plans for the garage design. Now, with a municipal election in the offing, everything appears to have changed and significant changes seem to be possible. The community must ensure that it is not being sold a “bill of goods.”

Raising campaign funds without corporate/union donations

Some municipal election campaign fundraisers still seem to think it is necessary to go to corporate donors in order to raise the funds needed to run an effective campaign for their candidate. This is really not the case if private donors take advantage of the city’s refund policy. People donating modest amounts to municipal election campaigns can receive a substantial refund from the city making campaign donations affordable; even for people of modest means.

First of all, it is important to verify that the candidate(s) whose campaigns one wishes to support are registered in the Contribution rebate program. Details on how to apply for a rebate are available on the City of Ottawa web site at: http://www.ottawa.ca/city_hall/elections/contribution_rebate/index_en.html. Here is a summary:

If you are issued a receipt entitled "Receipt - Candidate Campaign Contribution - Rebate Program" for the 2010 Municipal Election then you may apply for a contribution rebate provided:

* the contribution was monetary and not goods or services;
* the contribution was $50 or more;
* the contribution was made to a candidate participating in the rebate program; and
* the contribution came from you as an individual and not through a business, corporation or trade union.

A rebate is only payable if the candidate to whom you have made a contribution has complied with all of the provisions of By-law 2005-505. As part of these provisions, a candidate must first register to participate in the contribution rebate program with the City Clerk by the end of nomination day.

A minimum contribution of $50.00 is required to be eligible for a rebate. An individual who -makes contributions to more than one candidate may apply for a rebate in respect of each contribution (minimum contribution of $50.00 per candidate) but is not entitled to receive total rebates exceeding the maximum rebate of $187.50.

Some words of wisdom for the Lansdowne Partnership

Members of the Lansdowne Partnership Plan should pay attention to the words of Alan Williams, retired ADM Materiel at DND. In his article in last Saturday’s Ottawa Citizen (Flying Solo, July 24, 2010) Alan Williams is highly critical of the federal government’s decision to acquire the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) for DND on a sole-source basis.

He notes that Canada’s involvement in development of the JSF does not compel the government to sole source it’s procurement and says that to do so is incredibly bad business. He criticizes the decision in terms of increased cost, reduced opportunities for Canadian industry and uncertainty as to the JSF is the best solution to meet Canada’s needs.

He also addresses the ethical dilemma that the government puts itself in by going the sole source route: “… Procurement demands not only the highest degree of integrity but also the appearance of the highest degree of integrity. Undertaking sole-source deals leaves the procurement process more vulnerable to fraud, bribery and payoffs, and leaves the federal government more susceptible to such charges.”

It seems to me that all of these issues apply equally to the planned sole-source development of Lansdowne Park by OSEG and the city. Council must pay attention and reconsider its decision to go ahead with this project in its present form.

Sewer surcharges and other atrocities

One cannot deny that the water and sewer upgrades now being undertaken (Sewer regulator upgrades lauded, Neco Cockburn, Ottawa Citizen, July 23, 2010) are long overdue. However, Councillor Peter Hume’s statement that ratepayer can expect a 10% annual increase in sewer surcharges over the next 10 years makes me bristle (Residents can expect sewer rate hikes, http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2010/07/22/ottawa-sewer-rate-hikes.html July 22, 2010).

The CBC article also notes that the average Ottawa homeowner now paying $600 a year could end up paying more than $1,300 a year by 2020. However, the way I see it, based on a 10% pa rate increase, a $600 payment in 2010 will result in a payment of $1,556 in 2020, a 159% increase over 10 years.

Residents cannot exist without access to water and sewer services. There would not be a viable city without them; so costs for these services should be covered by basic property taxes. It is incomprehensible that residents are being asked to pay additional surcharges for these services. This city must learn to prioritize its projects (need over wants) so that tax payers are not burdened by surcharges on top of already huge tax bills.

The city as a whole lacks vision, does poor planning and creates irresponsible budgets. In October we need to elect a new council that will listen to residents and act responsibly by finding a way to move forward within the constraints of an affordable budget. This will require reevaluating all major capital projects, planned and existing.

It is interesting to note that the developers profit above all others from capital projects. There is no doubt in my mind that the scope of many of the city’s plans results from the influence of developers; hence the need for election candidates to refuse campaign donations from them.

Developers’ influence on the city

In a letter to the Ottawa Citizen (Developers’ influence on the city a big deal, July 17, 2010) Councillor Clive Doucet illustrates how developers’ contributions to municipal election campaigns become a “big deal.” A large majority of Councillors accepted donation from corporate sources or from people with corporate interests in the 2006 municipal election. Here are two examples:

Some 80% of Councillor Doug Thompson’s campaign donations came from corporate sources, mostly from the construction and development sectors.

Over 62% of Councillor Peter Hume’s campaign donations came from individual owners, executives or senior managers of businesses in the construction and development sectors. There were no direct contributions from corporations however.

It is apparent that many candidates do not consider the ethical dilemma they place themselves in by accepting donations from corporations as well as from individuals whose businesses might later benefit from decisions and action taken by city council. This has got to change.

CLIVE GOES LIVE!

Campaign Launch Party

Thursday, July 29, 5pm to 7pm

At the Campaign Office, 1014 Wellington St.

Families and Latecomers Welcome

Clive DOUCET for Mayor

http://www.clivedoucet.com/

Sustainable development in the suburbs

Columnist Randall Denley makes the point that new suburbs and their residents should be able to expect a standard level of service from the city (Suburbs deserve better than sub-standard service, Randall Denley, Ottawa Citizen, July 13, 2010). In the article he refers to Planning and Development Committee’s recommendation ion to change a policy that dictates that 100% of the cost of community facility development costs being collected from new residents before construction starts. The proposal would allow the city to borrow money so that construction of new community based recreational facilities can start once 50% of the funds are collected.

Denley makes the point that “The longer the city does nothing, the less developers are obliged to contribute for future recreational needs.” He suggests that the city should also be putting in its rinks, libraries, pools and parks at the beginning of development, not years later.

I would suggest the city go a step further by insisting that suburb developers’ plans make provision for appropriate levels of retail and commercial space so that residents can expect to shop and work in their communities as they develop; thus reducing pressure on roads required to service new communities.

The mayoralty race has suddenly become interesting

Councillor Clive Doucet’s decision to enter the mayoralty campaign has come as a surprise to everyone. Interesting times are looming ahead for all the mayoral candidates. There are now four high profile candidates for mayor; three of them are currently members of council.

I am encouraged by Mr. Doucet’s opening statements “I’m not running to be the developer’s go-to-guy and I will not run the city behind closed doors.” Doucet also indicates that his campaign will be financed by “small donations from ordinary people.”

These are words that all candidates for mayor and city council need to pay attention to. I have long opposed election campaign funding by corporate and union donors as well as by owners, executives and senior staff of corporations. Regrettably, there is only a small group of existing councillors that do not accept donations from these sources. It’s time for this issue to be cleared up once and for all. No matter how much councillors take offence and protest that their votes cannot be bought when challenged on this issue, the perception will always be there. We must remove the temptation.

Whatever one feels about Councillor Doucet’s views, it cannot be denied that he is one of the most honest and sincere members of council. Watch and learn!

Councillors, do you know what you are voting for?

Join friends of Lansdowne at City Hall. Monday June 28

Dear Friends of Lansdowne

Public presence needed

We need your eyes on council today, tomorrow and Monday. A strong public presence at City Council shows the councillors that the public cares about this issue. Drop by City Hall for as short or as long a time as you wish. Delegations go right till 8 p.m. tonight and all day tomorrow. Then Council deliberations begin on Monday.

Rally for Lansdowne on Monday, June 28--noon at City Hall

There will be an event on Monday, June 28 at the Lisgar entrance to City Hall, starting at 11:45. As you know, Councillors are scheduled to make a final decision on Monday probably at the end of long day of debate.

We have a serious purpose - to convince our Councillors not to proceed with the Lansdowne Plan. With comfort food, soft drinks (at a reasonable price to help defray our costs) and music, we also want to offer a pleasant lunch-hour event.

The BBQ will be fired up and serving and the music will play, starting at 11:45. Speeches at about 12:15.

Please come yourself and convince as many others as possible to join us -- family, neighbours and friends. Spread the word via your networks if you can.
Join the Facebook event and invite your Facebook friends!

Some Breaking News re Ottawa Senators concern on Lansdowne deal

This information was forwarded Shawn Menard on behalf of "Our Ottawa" today. Please pass this information along:

There was a short TV text clip tonight that Cyril Leeder, President, Ottawa Senators has claimed that the Lansdowne group are seeking a 30 year monopoly over sports and entertainment in Ottawa. The Senators must have finally awakened to the two conditions in the legal framework whereby the city agrees not to build a stadium with more than 5,000 seats for the first thirty years which competes with the Lansdowne stadium - unless the city exercises its termination for convenience right.

Moreover, the CFL team will be granted a right of first opportunity to lease the competing new stadium ..if it contains football facilities. Same goes for the hockey team. There is no press release on the Senators site about this. It will be interesting to see if the city suddenly changes the terms of the legal framework. I find it hard to believe that the city has agreed to such a restriction on future city development .

Some articles on this today.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/Lansdowne+proposal+gives+developers+year+monopoly+stadium/3200107/story.html

http://www.ottawasun.com/news/columnists/susan_sherring/2010/06/24/14508756.html

This could be the deal-breaker. It needs to pushed hard. It confirms suspicions of residents who were previously in favour. Our Ottawa may out a press release today.

Record of attendance at council meetings

In a media advisory today Our Ottawa, an all-volunteer group made up of members of community associations, advocacy groups, advisory committees and communities across the city, released Ottawa City councillor’s voting record and absences for key votes over the past 3½ years in the lead up to the 2010 municipal election. The most absences record (52) goes to Councillor Thompson followed in second place, with 41 absences, by Councillor Chiarelli, in third place with 40 absences by Mayor O’Brien and in fourth place with 33 absences by Councillors Hume and Bédard.

I was particularly disappointed by my own ward representative’s (Peter Hume) attendance record. Councillors should be in attendance to represent the interests of ward residents, notwithstanding other roles and responsibilities they might undertake from time-to-time.

For further details visit the “Our Ottawa” website at www.ourottawa.ca.

Rejuvenate Lansdowne Park at any cost?

It appears that some individuals, including a few City Councillors believe that Lansdowne Park requires rejuvenation no matter what the cost, ownership, tendering or other implications. Neither do they consider it necessary to examine alternative options or properly consult the community.

I fail to understand why people continue to see the OSEG proposal as a now or never opportunity. There are alternatives that will allow Lansdowne to be restored progressively and affordably. It will be interesting to see how council now deals with opposition to the Lansdowne Partnership Plan being expressed by several City of Ottawa advisory committees.

Making the right choice on Lansdowne

Following is the text of a letter I e-mailed out to several city councillors following last evening's Public Information Meeting at Lansdowne Park organized by Friends of Lansdowne (http://www.letsgetitright.ca). Much of the text draws from a meeting handout prepared by New Edinburgh Community Alliance. It is hard to improve on their words.

This was an excellent evening with presentations from;
Gordon Henderson, President Kanata Beaverbrook Community Association;
Bob McKinley, President Rural Council of Ottawa; Bob Brocklebank, Glebe Community Association;
Paul Kariouk, Principal, Kariok Associates and Associate Professor, Carleton University, School of Architecture;
Shawn Menard, President Centretown Citizens Community Association, Vice chair, Pedestrian and Transit Advisory committee, City of Ottawa;
Ian Lee, Director, MBA Program, Sprott School of business, Carleton University;
Will Murray, Friends of Lansdowne;
Anne Scotton, moderator.

Dear Councillor Wilkinson,

I am writing this letter to ask that you vote against proceeding with the Lansdowne Park development as proposed by the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG) when the issue comes to a vote at council on Monday, June 28, 2010. There are many reasons why a decision on the future of Lansdowne should be delayed; I have itemized some of them below.

The urgency that appears to be placed on coming to an early decision is unclear to me, other than it will benefit OSEG financially if the project is approved by council. Also the results of recently completed studies and reports need far more time to read and understand than the short period (days in some cases) that has been made available.

The City of Ottawa has spent years putting together policies on contracting and finances, to protect the interests of communities and taxpayers. These policies are being ignored by Councillors who support this project; their actions threaten to undermine sound governanace in the City.

Large developments in public spaces such as Lansdowne should start with a design competition for the whole site so that citizens and politicians can consider pros and cons of different options and select the best. At Lansdowne the City has ditched this policy. It is true that there is now a design competition but it is late in the process and it is only for part of the site.

Public tendering should be used to select proponents who offer the best value for money. Sole sourcing of projects leads to high costs and opens the door to sweet deals for proponents.

The city and developers should operate at arm’s length. This promotes transparency and accountability. In Lansdowne’s case OSEG have been representing themselves as partners of the City long before any significant partnership agreement has been concluded. City logos appear on their plans. The City has not objected!

The public should be properly consulted on how major sites are to be developed. In the case of Lansdowne, citizens have been given no opportunity to discuss alternative uses of the site (e.g. parkland, recreational, commercial, social housing) or whether and where a stadium should be located. So-called consultations to date have been opportunities for the developers to push their own project, and citizens have mainly been invited just to ask questions.

Policies on tendering, contracting and consultation provide a level playing field for development in the city; they promote transparency and predictability and prevent waste of tax dollars. Community groups become very worried when council starts cutting special deals and end-running its own policies.

The City proposes to channel $129 million of tax dollars to refurbish an aging stadium; plus the cost of an underground parking lot. The main purpose is to provide a venue for football – a sport that has failed twice in recent years in Ottawa. Another stadium built for baseball in Ottawa sits empty most of the time. Would you invest the money of you or your family in a business that has failed twice?

Scotia Bank Place (originally the Corel Centre) was built with private money. Why not a football stadium? If the OSEG team believes football is a viable proposition, they should put up the money for the venue. If they won’t take the business risk what does this tell us about the prospects of football in Ottawa? What happens to the stadium if football fails? What new expenses will taxpayers have to shoulder?

The Lansdowne stadium is in the wrong place. It was built when Ottawa was much smaller, before the Queensway, before the bus rapid transit system. There is no sense in re-investing in a facility that is not on a mass-transit route, one that ill clog the Glebe and Old Ottawa South with parked cars any time there is a game. Things will only get worse as Ottawa’s population grows.

The costs for the City keep growing. It’s not just the stadium: $5 million was budgeted for the urban park bordering the canal. Estimates for other design work have come in from $32 to $88 million. Other costs: moving the Ottawa Art Gallery, relocating trade shows, interest rate increases, and so on! Also, the city proposes to give away valuable public lands to private interests as part of the OSEG deal.

The Glebe is a vibrant, healthy community of local merchants and restaurants and low-rise residences. It is pedestrian friendly and on a human scale. Old Ottawa South, across the canal, is the same. Communities like these are hard to build, but easy to undermine. The OSEG proposal offers big volume stores (many of them U.S. owned), a shopping centre, a hotel, high rise buildings and heavy traffic. It is the antithesis of the kind of community that is there now, on both sides of the canal.

I am not a resident of your ward but this is a city wide issue. I am contacting my friends and associates who reside in your ward asking them to write you on this issue. I am also asking them to consider which candidate they will support in the October municipal election on the basis of your voting record on this issue.

Please put the brakes on the OSEG proposal now?

Sincerely,

Colin Hine

Oh Rats!

A report on CBC News at Six on June 16 quotes a pest control “expert” who suggests that an apparent spike in the local rat population and in home infestations might be a result of the way residents handle their new green bins. Surely the amount of organic waste that used to be put out in regular garbage bins was far more likely to encourage rodents?

“Breaking News” stories like this should be researched more thoroughly before reporting them. If there is an increase maybe its due to other factors: a warm winter followed by an early spring (climate change); or increased pressure on all wild life in the city and suburbs as new construction encroaches on their natural habitat.

It is more than a choice of a transit mall versus a tunnel

Councillor Peggy Feltmate in her letter to the Ottawa Citizen June 14, 2010 (It is a choice of downtown transit mall or tunnel) compares the options of a downtown LRT tunnel with the alternative of turning Albert or Slater Streets into a transit-only mall. The transit mall should save considerable expense and make the project affordable. However, it would need to be sold to the federal government’s current mouthpiece on this file, John Baird. This is likely to be a difficult task.

Also this approach assumes that the present plan to establish a core LRT link between Blair and Tunney’s through the downtown core is the right way to go in the first place. As I noted in my earlier post on this topic a great deal more analysis and planning is needed before a shovel is put in the ground for the light rail project.

Some will argue that the transit plan has been studied to death already. However as I previously noted, studies undertaken to date have largely addressed preconceived solutions. Broadly based investigations to determine the overall needs of the community have still not been undertaken.

It is time to rethink Ottawa’s transit options before spending billions on the wrong solution

With the municipal election campaign gaining momentum Ottawa’s proposed light rail project appears likely to become a serious issue again (Watson accused of playing to people’s fears, Alex Cullen, Ottawa Citizen, Letter to the Editor, June 9, 2010). As well there was something of a slanging match between Mayor Larry O’Brien and mayoralty candidate Jim Watson on the same issue. This all happened the same week that the Feds announced they will contribute up to $600M to the project, matching the provincial government’s commitment.

Some new entrants to the municipal elections have concerns about the municipal government’s current spending priorities. Plans for the proposed light rail system are high on their list of concerns.

James O’Grady, candidate for councillor in Ward 9 (Knoxdale-Merivale) has launched an on-line policy discussion group to interchange ideas with supporters and members of his campaign team. Transit and transportation are high on the list of priorities under discussion right now and some interesting ideas are being presented. some observations made by “Agnes of the Glens” particularly caught my attention:

“The issue is not whether we want LRT but whether we can afford it and also where it would go. In most European cities suburbs are connected to avoid driving cars and then they have metro. In our model the downtown area, where you can actually walk, gets all kinds of transit option but the suburbs will only get connected if they intensify….Provide train rail to downtown from major suburban areas (Kanata, Barrhaven, Orleans) and later work on other options. The way the tunnel is propose I do not see any change for the suburbs. I do not condone policy that people should know when they move, it is unrealistic. The tunnel has many issues; costs and security are the main constraints. Until design engineering studies are done we may not learn about what else might be there.

“As a taxpayer I see very little in actual clearing of the gridlock unless there is easy accessible transit from suburbia to downtown like the go- train in Toronto and after this is done consider the metro options and the digging. I have not seen anything in existing plans to make me a convert although I would love to see a train getting me downtown.”

Clinton Cowan, candidate for councillor in Ward 18, Alta Vista/Canterbury/Riverview, makes the following observations in a column in the June 2010 issue of Riverview Park Review:

“Light rail dependent on expropriation is a symptom of poor planning. That approach cannot continue in our city if we hope to shape it properly for future growth.

“The greatest challenge is not where transit goes but who uses it…. To encourage ridership in the short term what is needed is an expansion of the Eco Pass program and to tip the balance in favour of transit use versus car use. A shift in the funding ratio is needed and this requires innovative thinking. If the current council were truly sincere about encouraging ridership, they would minimize new road building. There is a piecemeal approach to road use, development of corridors, and traffic…. Communities are willing to share growing pains but they must be able raise awareness to what is not feasible or sustainable or acceptable to a community.”

The enlightened comments offered by these new candidates and by members of the public lead me to think that a great deal more analysis and planning needs to be done before a shovel is put in the ground for the light rail project. For instance, if priority were given to providing rail links from suburban areas to downtown, maybe we could make use of existing rail line infrastructure minimizing the need for costly expropriation and reducing construction costs as well as construction time.

Notwithstanding that all levels of government have now put a great deal of money on the table, the scope of studies undertaken to date appears to have been focused on strictly defined goals that have prevented serious consideration of alternatives. To my knowledge there have been no broadly based investigations and cost/benefit trade-offs that look at the overall needs of the municipality undertaken.

Maybe we need to go back to the drawing board and take a fresh look. This might even result in significant cost savings and free up money for other high priority needs within the municipality, water and sewer infrastructure renewal for example.

An interview with Clinton Cowan

Clinton Cowan a Candidate for Councillor in Ward 18

I recently interviewed Clinton Cowan on behalf of my community newspaper, Riverview Park Review. People living outside Riverview Park who might be interested in learning more about Mr. Cowan. Here is a copy of the article.

Clinton Cowan, a long-time resident of Alta Vista, is running for councillor in Alta Vista/Canterbury/Riverview Ward in the upcoming October municipal election. Clinton is a husband and father with a determination to improve the quality of living in Ottawa. Clinton has worked in the public, private, and non-profit sectors helping to build vibrant communities and he currently works in the field of labour relations. His education includes Carleton University - Public Administration and University of Ottawa - Communications. Clinton has served the community in many volunteer roles including: South-East Ottawa’s Community Health Centre; Ottawa Valley Autistic Homes; Byward Market Safety and Security Committee; CHEO, the Ottawa Food Bank and the Salvation Army.

Mr. Cowan made the decision to run for councillor in the upcoming election because he has observed that there is a broken relationship between the community and the current councillor. Clinton wants to work with residents to return strong leadership to City Hall by repairing the disconnect and using every avenue in keeping the people informed so that residents can participate in shaping our unique community.

Riverview Park Review asked each of the three candidates running for council in Ward 18 questions on several issues. Here are Clinton’s responses:

Some members of council have proposed that referendum questions on homelessness be included in the 2010 ballot. What are your thoughts about homelessness in Ottawa? “We have a tremendous amount of intellectual and, at times, financial resources available but we have challenges in addressing the populations at risk because of the competitive duplication in providing services. Competing, or near-competing, groups could be brought together to work on a strategic long term approach. Individual cases are unique, requiring a holistic consistent approach to people at risk. The most important thing we can do is to show individuals what support is available to them and where to find support. Interestingly, in Ward 18, one in four people lives at or below the government defined poverty line.”

What can be done to improve local transit links within the community and accelerate a comprehensive light rail plan for the city while making public transit affordable to everyone?
“Light rail dependent on expropriation is a symptom of poor planning. That approach cannot continue in our city if we hope to shape it properly for future growth.

“The greatest challenge is not where transit goes but who uses it. It is now a competition for people to decide whether to use personal transportation with personal music and climate control which contributes to traffic congestion and air pollution, or use the bus. To encourage ridership in the short term what is needed is an expansion of the Eco Pass program and to tip the balance in favour of transit use versus car use. If the current council were truly sincere about encouraging ridership, they would minimize new road building. A shift in the funding ratio is needed and this requires innovative thinking. There is a piecemeal approach to road use, development of corridors, and traffic. The new bus garage at Industrial Ave. and Russell Road will likely saturate roadways in the area but only token notice and communication to community have occurred during this major development. Communities are willing to share growing pains but they must be able raise awareness to what is not feasible or sustainable or acceptable to a community.

What are your views on intensification projects within the community? How can changes be effectively integrated while respecting existing communities (residents and infrastructure)? “Wonderful communities have developed over many years and intensification decisions need to respect the nature of communities. The City over-inflated projected populations within planning time-horizons. We must be honest about intensification targets and we must look at all the options if intensification is to be kept in scale with what we need and if we are to make it truly successful. There is a history of poor planning resulting in increased traffic, increased pollution and a community divided by major arterial walls.”

Some construction projects being funded under the governments’ Economic Action Plan have been fast forwarded so that they can be completed within the deadlines imposed. What are your views on this approach? “This financial opportunity was put in place to help mitigate the effects of a global crisis. We cannot ignore this; however the municipality should have requested an amendment asking that the city be allowed to implement its normal practices. Rushed projects provide minimal opportunity for community participation. Good decisions take time.”

What do you think can be done to build neighbourhoods where people can live, work and play? “Neighbourhoods matter. I am a supporter of sustainable communities that enhance quality of life. Currently I am working on a movement to increase the capacity of home care spaces in our community, which has one of the highest unfulfilled demands for spaces in the city. Changes in land use occur frequently and we rarely look at the need to support the current mix of residential, commercial, institutional land use that makes them sustainable. Not counting gas stations, Alta Vista has three convenience stores. The corner store does not exist. Walmart is not a corner store. There is a lot of room for improvement; any change must involve the community.”

Do you think that tax increases can be set at or below inflation with a balanced focus on economic, social, and environmental sustainability? “In an ideal setting it would be wonderful if there were no need for continual tax increases. However, the challenge to predetermining a tax rate does not account for the needs and wants of the community. Ottawa has greater needs than wants. We are looking at capital expenditures for our transit system, to resolve neglected waste water infrastructure, to build a new public library, and to develop Lansdowne. We need to take a look at what is needed today, to minimize stress on taxpayers. Currently we have a 3.7% increase to our taxes but we still have increasing user fees, including higher water rates coming shortly, and we have to deal with levy after levy. Most of it is money required to fix problems that should have been addressed or avoided a long time ago. It is apparent that we need a Fresh Start at the council table.”

Do you think that debate and citizen engagement on governance issues (amalgamation, borough councils, and ward councils) should be encouraged? “Should I have the honor of representing Alta Vista Ward I will make every effort to encourage community engagement, using every tool available to a councillor. The fact is that our city was not amalgamated by our choice. As a city we exist by a legislative act from the province. Dialogue must be brought up to the provincial level to initiate change. I have talked to community associations and business improvement associations across the city and it is clear that a lot more interchange between civic leaders and members of the community is needed.”

What are your views on the OSEG/Lansdowne Live proposal? Do you agree that projects of the magnitude of Lansdowne Live should be contracted on a sole-source basis and have so much financial risk transferred to the City? Do you think Lansdowne Live fits in with the neighbourhood? “At this point we will likely never know if this proposal represents the best possible use of this land. It is worrisome that the city has not looked at other alternatives. Do we have the right eyes at the table? Seven of ten architects review panel resigned. In a hiccup our councillor was able to pull his team from across country; locals are only minimally involved. Will they do this with other developments (e.g. the downtown tunnel)?”


At all levels of government voters complain that they only hear from their elected representative at election time. What would you do to engage community members regularly, to listen to their concerns and to respond constructively? “As a candidate I believe I have broken new ground for how residents can become and stay involved and I will provide uncensored opportunities for people to communicate, not just on election day, every day. That commitment is on my website (http://www.clintoncowan.ca/). I make the effort to come to people; I do not expect them to take time off to come to me. I will attend community associations and I will always try to maximize opportunities for community engagement. I have the commitment, the vision and the energy to bring City Hall to the people.”

The true costs of the Lansdowne development are beginning to emerge

“In for a penny, in for a pound,” so the old British saying goes, and this appears to be the philosophy of some members of the seven person jury that is studying various proposals for redevelopment of the canal side of the Lansdowne site (From $5M idea to $88M design, Joanne Chianello, Ottawa citizen, June 4, 2010). Based on his reported comments, this is clearly the position of Councillor Peter Hume who also notes that borrowing for “the construction of this new facility is not out of the range of possibility.” I bet it’s not!
Fortunately, some other members of council seem to be aware of the implications of more borrowing. Councillor Diane Deans points out that borrowing money is hardly free “It is becoming clear that this is not revenue neutral, but a sink-hole for our citizens.” The OSEG planned design appears to be growing out of proportion in order to ensure that private developer’s financial interests are protected. Hope fully council will reject the plan when it is debated later this month.

A wise decision from City of Ottawa staff at last?

It is pleasing to read that city staff is recommending a halt on home construction pending implementation of upgrades to the Hazeldean Pumping Station (Hazeldean Pumping Station upgrade delays Kanata houses, Ottawa Citizen, June 5, 2010) – part of the solution to previous occurrences of flooding in Glen Cairn.

Let us hope that city council's planning and environment committee withstand pressure from developers when they debate this issue on June 22nd. Let us also hope that the planned upgrade provides sufficient pumping capacity to address possible future growth in the affected areas.

Perhaps the city should also consider delaying projects in adjacent areas, such as the controversial Terry Fox Drive extension, even if it means sacrificing contributions from the government’s Economic Action Plan.

The Plasco saga continues

Only a few days ago we learned that Plasco and the City of Ottawa were poised to sign a long-term deal to develop and operate a garbage-to-energy plant. However that all seems somewhat premature now (Exhaust fumes stall Plasco project, Kate Jaimet, Ottawa Citizen, May 25, 2010).

Firstly I was astounded to learn that the demonstration plant’s five engines that are fueled by the vapourized garbage gas have achieved a total running time of only 85 hours since operations began in January 2008. Apparently the engines have been shut down frequently for extended periods because Plasco has been unable to keep exhaust pollutant levels below provincial ministry limits. The ability of the Plasco technology to work within acceptable limits has always been a concern and now the scope of the problem is becoming clearer.

Some of the concerns I expressed in an earlier post (Plasco Fiasco) appear to hold more than a grain of truth. The concept of converting waste to energy using plasma gas technology is controversial because:

1. it is an unproven technology with potentially dangerous long-term effects resulting for emissions of micro-particles into the atmosphere;
2. it discourages consumers from practicing more environmentally friendly waste conservation methods; also,
3. the cost effectiveness of generating energy from domestic waste in this way remains questionable.

If the city prematurely signs on to a contract with Plasco CEO Rob Bryden it is taking on a huge risk and could well end up with a huge white elephant on its hands. The Plasco Fiasco post also notes that Bryden has a track record using other people’s money to run his businesses, usually managing to run them into the ground or sell them off for a loss.

Ottawa Citizen blog shut down for criticizing Lansdowne-Live?

Rumor has it that Maria Cook’s Ottawa Citizen blog-site on architectural design was shut down this week following a request from OSEG member Roger Greenberg because it included some critical posts and commentary on Lansdowne-Live. Apparently Greenberg also asked that Maria be reprimanded. It has been suggested that Greenberg is scouting all sources for negative comments.
The Citizen has not commented on this apparent blunder but Maria’s blog now appears to be up again. It is unclear if any of the “offending” blog posts have been removed. Does anybody happen to know?