2014 Municipal Election

The End of the Hume era!

Vote for Clinton Cowan in Ward 18

http://www.clintoncowan.ca/

Blue Anti-Bullying Teams

Dr. Michael Pilon is a good friend of mine and I am passing on a couple of messages he sent out recently concerning bullying in schools.  I hope readers will find this interesting and take action.

Thanks, 

Colin Hine

I had the honour of being selected to serve in Cyprus on the UN Peace Keeping Force early in my military career. UN Peace teams did not always succeed but in most cases they did help.

In the past few months a number of young teens have ended their lives as a result of cruel bullying. There is a lot of talk about sensitization against bullying, information etc. All fine and well but I feel a more grass roots approach is needed.

As a teen I was asked at school to help "Introduce and help" a new student. He used to commute from quite a distance with one of my great teachers. Looking back I realize he probably came to our school to avoid bullying where he lived. He was a quiet, non-athletic person who, in retrospect, I could see as a target. One time he was grabbed in a head lock by someone from another class. I don't recall this incident; but, my friend reminded me of it and how he was grateful to me for defending him. And that was 50 years ago.

Another teen incident involved a young man whom we would now call challenged. He was "adopted" by our church where he helped at mass and in general cleaning up. He was well loved by the congregation. I worked as a surveyor's assistant in Dorval. He came up to me one day and said, pointing to 4 or 5 boys. "Those people are making me nervous". I pulled a reverse psychology..instead of cornering them I went up and said . "Someone is picking on my friend Alex, I want you to find out who it is so I can talk to them." I was the Dorval football captain and well known among the teens. Later Alex told me the bullying had stopped.

My suggestion, which I will be forwarding to many venues, is to have schools appoint a group of students as a "Blue Anti-Bullying Team" The Blue referring the UN role in peacekeeping. I would suggest athletes, school council members, kids who seem to be "Popular" and so on. I would suggest giving them, instructions on why and how to deal with bullying, in a non-confrontational way. All "Blue Team" members could be given a light blue plastic bracelet to show their status. A hope might be to have this Team become something people would aim for and to be invited to join .  The Blue Teams could also be a conduit between the students and teachers who could intervene and offer help before it is too late.

I contacted Tim Horton's to explain this and perhaps have them sponsor Blue Wrist bands for "team members" . Lots of interest in media contacts so it may fly. I suspect school boards will prefer a study and meetings...sigh

Pass this on if interested as I feel it could work well. We have allbeen bullied and we have all at least teased someone..what has been done toprevent so far, this has not worked. Let's move on. Any ideas and links appreciated

Michael Pilon CD BSc DDS DDPH
http://www.drmichaelpilon.com/

I wrote most of you about my sorrow surrounding the suicide death of a local boy who was hounded to the point where he could no longer take it. I am working of a proposal to have volunteer and appointed students given the role of school yard voices when bullying is noticed.

As a former UN Peacekeeper I like what one school has in place. In Beamsville kids called "Peacekeepers" act as intermediaries in school yard problems. I have approached Tim Horton's to sponsor the Blue wrist bands .

The idea would be to have a calming presence; but not a passive one, to try to avoid bullying by pointing out how it is wrong. As an "elite" group their presence could go along way I feel.  So as of now I am working on 'PEACEKEEPERS"

The suicides and bullying can stop with proper intervention.  Pass on my e-mail to anyone who might make this happen :)

Michael Pilon CD BSc DDS DDPH

Over-the-air TV, digital conversion

Letter to the editor (not published)

The CRTC has mandated that Over-The-Air (OTA) TV broadcast transmission in Canada must switch from analogue (NTSC) to digital (ATSC) by September 1, 2011. This deadline is only two months away but only a few local stations have so far taken the step to broadcast digital programming over the air; notably CBC/Radio Canada and OMNI.


Candian broadcasters have been making "public service" announcements about the change, presumably they are required to do so by law. However, with few exceptions, these announcements provide little additional information about their future plans. TV Ontario (TVO) has indicated it will make the switch over in mid August 2011. Notably CTV and "A" Cannel (owned by Bell Media) and Global (owned by Shaw) have not indicated exactly how or when they will switch over. Neither have they disclosed what their channel allocations will be for digital broadcasts.

Local CTV, channel 13, has run a public service announcement {advertisment?) from Bell that refers viewers to the bell.ca web site. This site provides a list of products available from Bell shops and encourages people to subscribe to their satellite TV services. Little or no information on their plans for the digital transition is provided.

The CRTC does not appear to be issuing public service announcements on the mandated transition and one has to wonder how serious the broadcasting authority is on sticking to the mandated transition date. The switch over to digital TV will provide viewers who depend on OTA transmissions with much improved local TV reception at no cost, there than perhaps to buy a new antenna. Currently OTA analogue reception is notoriously bad in many areas of the city and the digital transition will result in high quality reception, including High Definition (HD) for most OTA viewers. Of course this is not necessarily in the business interests of cable and satellite service providers in the area. It is time for the CRTC and TV broacasters to be clear with the public about their plans.

The power and influence of developers

In a recent post I noted that recommendations to develop the AVTC were made by contractors who will eventually benefit in a significant way from its construction. Sadly, this is by no means unusual in the city of Ottawa; note the ongoing controversy surrounding the Westboro convent site and current plans to build a new access road across Byron Park.

In today’s Ottawa Citizen, letter writer Heather Mitchell notes that Councillor Catherine Hobbs originally supported the developer’s proposal to build this road but is now backing away from the recommendation because of the public outcry. However the city is not asking the developer to make changes and Hobbs, along with a majority of Planning Committee, continues to support the developer’s overall plans for this site despite continuing strong concerns expressed by the community.

The closing sentence of Mitchell’s letter says it best: “Why are the developers the force in our neighbourhood, rather than the people who live here and the council who is supposed to lead and protect us?” Amen to that!

Democracy at City Hall?

It is not too often that Citizen writer Randall Denley and I see eye-to-eye on the municipal scene but today we are in agreement – Council’s decision hurts local democracy, Ottawa citizen, April 17, 2011. By voting to eliminate detailed written records of council debates the new city council is making it more and more difficult for Ottawa citizens to investigate and understand their decisions.

Audio recordings just do not hack it and put many members of the public in a disadvantageous position. Not everyone has the benefit of broadband internet and as Denley comments “…it means the public will have to listen to hours of audio if they want to track an issue” and what about the plight of individuals with a hearing handicap?

It was also very surprising and disturbing to see that some new council member whom one might expect to respect the democratic process (in particular Councillor Chernushenko) voted in support of this motion; less surprising perhaps that pro-developer members including Councillor Hume and Mayor Watson supported it.

The pretense that economic savings are at the root of this change is false. Perhaps the next step will be to hold all council deliberation in camera!

Democracy is in the air right now at all levels of government in Canada as well as internationally. As some counties in the middle-east struggle to embrace the democratic process, Canada seems to be proceeding rapidly in the opposite direction.

Anything to restrict availability to information

Re: City wants more audiocasts, fewer printed minutes of meetings, John Willing, Ottawa Sun, April 5, 2011

Not surprising that Councillor Peter Hume should be the person to propose the reduction (elimination) of printed minutes at city hall, thus making investigation of council deliberations more difficult. Steps to limit public access to this information will make it increasingly difficult for members of the public to interpret and respond to council decisions.


Any savings that might result from this action appear minimal, so justifying such a decision on finances is just not on. A decision to eliminate detailed minutes would remove yet another plank from the democratic process at city hall. It is already difficult to get council to listen to the community, now they are considering limiting how much they need to tell us.

Letter to the Editor Ottawa Citizen (not published)

City plans to develop the AVTC confirmed

OC Transpo’s proposed changes to bus routes and schedules (OC Transpo plans to save $22M by 2011, Joanne Chianello, Ottawa Citizen, March 24, 2011) confirm the arrogance of city council’s recent vote to continue with development of the hospital link section of the Alta Vista Transportation Corridor (AVTC). OC Transpo plans indicate that the General Hospital campus will now only be serviced by one bus, the 106, and this bus will operate a reduced schedule.


It hardly seems credible that the provision of a lightly scheduled shuttle bus service between the General and Hurdman (10 minutes at peak and 15 off-peak) justifies construction of a $62M, 1.2 Km road unless there is an ulterior motive. Notwithstanding comments from Mayor Watson that he does not support the AVTC development and similar comments from Alta Vista/Riverview Park Ward Councillor Hume it is clear that the city intends that this road will eventually be constructed in its entirety.

Recommendations to develop the AVTC were made by contractors who will eventually benefit in a significant way from its construction. It is clearly time to eliminate the possibility of corporate influence from city management and council decisions. New rules need to be applied at both municipal and provincial government levels to eliminate corporate financial support and influence in the electoral process.

Interestingly if council were to cancel plans to construct the hospital link and to remove the AVTC from the master plan, there would be more than adequate funds available to finance OC Transpo with no need for radical changes to bus services nor for increased taxes.

Letter to the editor from RPCA President

Dear Editor,


Eleven Community Associations of Ottawa (representing 100,000+ residents), and the 850 citizens from across our lovely city, who are working to stop the development of the Alta Vista link road, applaud your recent editorial critiquing the City’s plans to implement an outdated solution via the Alta Vista Link Road.

 

We would now like to offer a few clarifying facts:

• the City planned spending on the link road is actually $65 million ($55 “new money” plus the funds previously allocated to this project) and the spending plan for 2011 is $12.1 million;
• in 2006 City Council voted against implementing the entire Alta Vista Corridor except the currently proposed 1.2 km link (between Riverside and the hospitals) which is now being considered by Council;
• Mayor Watson along with our Councillors Peter Hume and Chernoshenko have all publicly stated that they are against building the full Alta Vista Corridor;
• the construction of the proposed “link” road will flow traffic from the 417 to the hospital only and will not resolve any traffic issues on Alta Vista Drive, simply shift them a few blocks; the development of this link road will preclude future light rail in the corridor - a rather short sighted and environmentally unfriendly decision (note: Council only fleetingly considered light rail for this corridor); the NDMC lands will not be available for redevelopment until sometime in the next decade; and finally
• the link road will destroy neighbourhood greenspace.

 Given these facts and facing rising gas prices, we believe that City Council should be seeking a public transportation solution in line with the Ottawa 20/20 planning principles, which encourages a modal shift away from cars. It’s time to listen to the citizens of Ottawa.

 

Karin Keyes Endemann
President, Riverview Park Community Association

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Letter to the Ottawa Citizen

A Riverview Park resident sent this letter to the editor.  It appears in today's paper.  The on-line edition also incorporates a video http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/todays-paper/pave+backyard+yours/4388778/story.html.  There is also an interesting post on the Spacing Ottawa blog site by another Riverview Park resident http://spacingottawa.ca/2011/03/04/back-to-the-60s-council-votes-on-retro-road-for-southeast-commuters/. 

Don't pave my backyard, or yours

The question of what will happen in the Alta Vista Corridor has been a hotly debated topic at the city level over the last 10 years. Because of strong opposition from city residents, Ottawa city council promised several years ago that the old-style 1950's plan to build a commuter highway through the middle of residential Alta Vista would be permanently shelved. Apparently this is not so, because once again we are discussing road-building in the AVC.


A $55M price tag for a 1.2 km stretch of roadway is absurd if the only goal is to make a better connection between Riverside and the Ottawa Hospital General Campus. There are two existing connections (at Industrial and at Smyth) which are only three city blocks apart on Alta Vista. The connection between Riverside and Smyth could be upgraded, with traffic directed north at the intersection of Smyth and Alta Vista - then a much less expensive connecting road from Alta Vista to the hospital ring road could be constructed through the NDMC lands. This solution would re-route traffic past office buildings, rather than residential properties, and would still make an efficient bus and car connection to the hospitals.

Unfortunately, the proposed $55M link seems to be a back-door way to begin construction on an Alta Vista Parkway - something the city promised that it would not do. The charges of NIMBY-ism are misplaced. The group opposing the construction of a commuter highway through residential neighbourhoods definitely doesn't want a highway in their backyards - but they don't want one in your backyard either (or the side, or the front). People who live in city center neighbourhoods have chosen to pay a premium to live in smaller houses closer to their work and other amenities, so they don't have to drive their cars everywhere. People who live farther from the city center need to get to work, but they don't need to drive there one by one in their cars. The city says it values a clean urban environment, and that it wants to grow in a green way, with transit, cyclists and pedestrians first - let them show that by the decisions that they take with the AVC.

Let's not pave over anyone's backyard.

John and Sheila Bell

Letter to Councillor Peter Hume

Re: Group opposes Alta Vista corridor plans, Eddie Rwema, Your Ottawa, Feb 3, 2011


Councillor Hume,

I am writing in response to your statements concerning the planned AVTC development as reported in Your Ottawa. Unfortunately your statements are not supported by the facts. Further, you fail to acknowledge the strong opposition to the development of the AVTC by residents and community associations across the municipality over many years.

Firstly, your statement that “The opposition to the hospital link is mostly concentrated within the executive of one community association...” is inaccurate. A large percentage of Riverview Park residents is in opposition to this development and they have made their views and concerns know to the Alta Vista Community Association (AVCA). Further, past members (individuals and community associations) of Citizens for Health Communities (CHC) who campaigned against development of this road for many years remain opposed to the development. I have no doubt that you will be hearing more from them during the budget review process.

You go on to say that other community associations in Ward 18 are supporting the project because they believe in the greater good of the city and that “they know that the people of Ottawa will need a proper road and transit route to the Ottawa Hospital as it grows.” You also say that “the easy position would be to oppose that hospital link and offer my full support to that position. However, the easy decision is not always the right decision....There are times when elected officials must think beyond the boundaries of their constituency and take what must be the unpopular decision. I've learned that you can't please everyone all the time but you can't go wrong when you do the right thing.”

It is my recollection that you sat on the fence for many years as the environmental assessment phase progressed, at the same time giving residents and CHC members the impression that you opposed the development. However, when it came time to vote on the issue it is no surprise you respected the wishes of the developer community who have provided substantial financial support to you past election campaigns. You did the right thing for the developers, not the Ward 18 residents. This line of thinking is also reflected in many of your past actions, city wide, as chair of the city's planning and environment committee as well as in your present role as chair of planning committee.

I request that you respect the concerns of Riverview Park residents and others by asking city council to delay any budgetary allocations for this project pending a full and open review of the detailed plans for this road with members of the community. There are many practical and less costly alternatives that need to be considered before proceeding with this development.

Yours sincerely,

Colin Hine

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!