Municipal Elections Campaign Contributions - Proposed By-law Amendment

I sent an edited version of the following letter to the Ottawa Citizen last week. Unfortunately it was not published.

Proposed election contribution by-law a cop-out

Ottawa City Council yesterday made the unfortunate decision to not outlaw municipal election campaign contributions by businesses and unions (Council agreed to ask province to create election contributor by-law, Ottawa Citizen, June 10, 2009). The article cites analysis that suggests some candidates rely heavily on election campaign contributions from developers and other businesses that deal directly with the city. Contributions of this nature are no longer allowed in federal election campaigns. It is time that the city and the province enact similar legislation.

It should also be noted that while some candidates do not accept contributions from businesses or unions, some do receive significant contributions from business owners and executives whose firms deal directly with the city. The watered-down agreement that will ask the province to allow the city to enact a by-law requiring candidates to submit a list of campaign financial contributors within 30 days of an election will help a little, but it does not go far enough and will do nothing to eliminate possible conflicts of interest.

The Official Plan still requires attention

Some see this week’s vote by Ottawa City Council to cut back on the urban boundary expansion originally proposed by city staff as a small victory. However, it does nothing to address the need to radically change the overall plan that is really required. At the moment, this city is really being planned by the developers and not by the city (Development Plans lack proper direction. Randal Denley, Ottawa Citizen, June 11, 2009).

A well thought out Official Plan will provide for the development of communities that are more self-contained; communities in which a majority of residents can live, work and play. This requires a long-term vision as well as a high level of consultation and cooperation by all three levels of government.

Let us hope that in the five year period until the next mandatory (did someone say arbitrary?) review of the plan that council undertakes serious consultations with its provincial and federal counterparts and also directs city staff to rethink the planning process.

The law and ethical behavior do not always coincide

Mayor Larry O’Brien’s defence strategy announced this week in support of his criminal trial is outrageous. O’Brien’s alleged offer to help arrange a federal appointment for Brian Kilrea, legal or not, is a blatent interference with the political process.

One of two candidates with a similar political orientation (left or right) agreeing to one of them to stand down so as not to split the vote is one thing, but offering incentives such as a political appointment is quite another. Political appointments negotiated by elected officials expedite government actions and decisions. But during an election, these same negotiations deny voters the opportunity to express their electoral preferences at the polls.

Whatever the outcome of this trial Mayor O’Brien will carry the stain of unethical conduct. He should stand down and allow the democratic process to be restored in the City of Ottawa.

Dialogue for Democracy Meeting, June 9, 2009

• The date for the next D4D meeting has been brought forward to Tuesday, June 9, 2009.
  
  Time: 7:00 pm
  
  Location: St. Thomas the Apostle Anglican Church, 2345 Alta Vista Drive.
  
  The topic for this meeting is “The State of Democracy in Canada.”
  
  There are many issues in the news today that challenge the democratic process at all three level of government in Canada. Here are some examples:
  
  over 1 million federal voters across Canada cast their votes without receiving any representation in parliament from their party of choice;
• a prime minister prorogues parliament for the sole purpose of avoiding a vote of no confidence; a political party launches personalized attack ads that seek to differentiate between citizens (immigrants, residents and non-residents);
• a public judicial inquiry is under way into the business dealings between an ex-prime minister and an international business man and lobbyist;
• a criminal trial of the mayor of Ottawa for pretending to have influence over the government of Canada or a minister of the government in order to gain a benefit; and for soliciting, recommending or negotiating an appointment in order to gain a benefit, both contrary to the Criminal Code;
• provisions of the provincial and municipal elections acts that allow election campaign donations from corporations and unions in areas where there is real potential for conflicts of interest.
  
  Councillor Clive Doucet, a local politician and activist with a particular interest in governance issues will introduce the topic. This is a large subject that will likely take more than a two hour session to cover effectively, so we are considering holding follow-up D4D sessions. Speakers from other levels of government will be invited to attend.
  
  This should prove to be an interesting and exciting meeting. You are invited to come along and have your say. This will be the final D4D meeting of the season. Meetings will resume again in the fall.
  
  For further information please visit out web site http://www.ottawasouthgreenparty.ca/ or phone Colin at 613-739-2784.

Hold the Line

Hold the Line was the theme for the Coalition for a Sustainable Ottawa’s noon-hour rally at the Human Rights Monument on Elgin Street today (Tues. May 12). Will Murray, an Ottawa lawyer organized the event in cooperation with Ecology Ottawa. The issue is Ottawa city council’s current agenda to amend the official land-use plan by increasing the urban boundary by nearly 850 hectares, much of which will eventually be occupied by single family dwellings.


The original plan amendment proposal and the modifications that are currently being debated were originally put forward by city staff. The opposition that now has emerged urges council to opt for zero land for suburban expansion with a focus on new development within the existing urban areas of the city. It is argued, rightly, that suburban expansion is unsustainable both environmentally and financially.

A number of like minded councillors attended the rally today as well as supporters from political parties, Sierra Club of Canada, the Raging Grannies and representatives from different communities across the city.


With respect to city staff, that do the background research and craft the Official Plan and amendments, it should be noted that they act based entirely on directions from city council. They actually do a pretty thorough job but a majority of council decided that an urban boundary expansion that would accommodate projected demand for single family dwellings was the way to go.

The Coalition for a Sustainable Ottawa is advocating a mix of housing development. Murray notes that distant suburbs have an environmental cost and are costly to maintain with services such as water, sewers public transit.

Hospital Link-Cumberland Transit Study Open House

There was good attendance at this open house held at the Jim Durrell Centre on April 29, 2009. The purpose of the open house is to present preliminary plans for the environmental assessment of the proposed Hospital Link – Browning Avenue section of the bus transit corridor that is now under way.
The presentation is in the form of display boards that include a summary of plans including specific ground rules for the project.

Representatives from the City of Ottawa and from the consulting firm that is undertaking the study (Morrison Hershfield Limited) were available to answer questions. Attendees were invited to submit written comments on forms provided and many people seemed to be taking advantage of this opportunity.

The display boards contain a lot of information, much of which is difficult to interpret and in many cases representatives were unable to clarify details satisfactorily. However, we were told that all the information on display at the open house would be uploaded to the City of Ottawa website, http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/public_consults/hospital_cumberland/index_en.html, giving people an opportunity to review it in more detail prior to submitting comments. This will also provide an opportunity for people who were unable to attend the open house to review the plans.

Unfortunately, there has been a significant delay in making this information available, and as time is of the essence for this study it is possible that the deadline for submitting comments might pass without members of the public having the opportunity to submit informed comments. Today I was informed that the information should be available by Friday May 8. I’m continuing to hold my breath!

The Lansdowne Debate

Following is a copy of a message I sent to Ottawa city councillors on the subject of the future of Lansdowne Park. I sent the message on Sunday, ahead of the Monday, April 20, 2009 public hearings. So far I have received responses from two councillors endorsing my position.

Members of Ottawa City Council,

I am writing regarding Monday's meeting on the future of Lansdowne Park. Unfortunately I am unable to attend in person, but have some views I would like you all to hear.

These views concern:
- city finances and associated risks,
- the viability of professional sports franchises in the City of Ottawa,
- stadium locations, and
- suitable uses for Lansdowne Park.

Firstly, the city does not have a viable track record sustaining and supporting professional sports teams, one exception being the Ottawa Senators NHL franchise. The professional football franchise has failed twice and baseball teams have also failed twice at the Coventry Road stadium location. Why then should the city take on any risk associated with a third try at sustaining a CFL franchise or a soccer franchise? With regard to professional football, notwithstanding the viability of a local franchise, the long term viability of the CFL itself is questionable. With regard to soccer, while amateur soccer participation is growing, long term viability of a professional franchise in Ottawa still needs to be proven. Football and soccer franchises combining under one roof might do something to minimize the risk if one or the other should fail. Failure of both would be a disaster.

All risk associated with the proposed enterprise should therefore be taken on by the consortia submitting proposals. If investment of any magnitude is needed it should come from private investors, not the tax paying citizens of Ottawa. Any city involvement in such an enterprise should be limited to providing a suitable stadium location at reasonable lease or purchase conditions. Financing of stadium construction and management is entirely a private sector responsibility. Clearly private sector money will only become available if the sports franchise is viable in the long term.

With regard to stadium locations, Lansdowne is unsuitable as it is not effectively supported by public (mass) transit, neither is it supported within the local community. Any site considered should be served by transit within the planned timeframe that a stadium is constructed. It should also be respectful of neighborhood concerns, something that this council seems to be incapable of addressing. Council might wish to place other condition regarding the long term location of a sports stadium within the core of the city.

With regard to future uses for Lansdowne Park, to date no concrete plans for the location, other than the work done by the Lansdowne Live consortium has been undertaken. Efforts to initiate serious planning and design studies have been thwarted and delayed. Serious planning work must be initiated. I do not see time as an issue because the city has many higher priority issues that need financing for the next several years. In the short term the integrity of existing infrastructure must be preserved, pending any final decisions on the site. The Civic Centre itself needs to be preserved and upgraded as it serves the Ottawa 67s franchise effectively and many exhibitions are held there. New uses for the park area, including the Farmers' Market that will be of increasing importance in the future are also emerging. Clearly there is a lot of work to do but entertaining the Lansdowne live proposal is not a solution.

Regards,

Colin Hine