Yesterday afternoon I had the pleasure of speaking with Clinton Cowan. Clinton, a long-time Alta Vista resident, is running in Alta Vista/Canterbury/Riverview Ward to ensure that our next city council includes respect for residents and their issues. He is focused on unifying our unique community neighborhoods and ensuring they are informed and involved in shaping the city towards a brighter future.
He speaks every day with ward residents and expects to meet with everybody in the ward before the October 25 election. Clinton says that an increasing number of Ottawa residents feel that during the past four years, the city has not worked in favour of it’s citizens. He says that over the coming months he will continue consulting with community residents to discover what are the top issues affecting Ward 18.
Clinton is running to preserve our neighborhoods, protect our values and promote our issues. His Fresh Start campaign is aimed at uniting our neighborhoods and bringing respect for the community back to city hall.
Clinton Cowan has worked in the public, private and non-profit sectors to help build vibrant communities. Raised in Ottawa, Clinton is a husband and father with a determination to improve the quality of living that Ottawa has to offer. His vision is to build an inclusive and accessible city that respects its citizens, and to ensure that essential services are delivered effectively and efficiently.
Clinton is a leader in the field of labour relations, and his ongoing success in dispute resolution and conflict avoidance practices continues to build lasting solutions for complex issues. His education experience includes Carleton University - Public Administration and University of Ottawa - Communications. His skills in these areas will provide great value in understanding the merits of programs and policies at City council, and establishing a real two=way dialogue with residents.
Clinton already serves the community in many volunteer roles including:
South-East Ottawa’s Community Health Centre;
Ottawa Valley Autistic Homes;
Voiceprint, providing the visually impaired with in depth news information;
Byward Market Safety and Security Committee;
CHEO;
The Ottawa Food Bank; and
The Salvation Army.
I found Clinton to be respectful and easy to talk to. His pleasant outgoing manner encourages one to engage in conversation. It quickly became clear that he understands the important issues at city hall and in Alta Vista, Canterbury/Riverside and he has some interesting/exciting ideas.
You can find out more about him on his website http://www.clintoncowan.ca/. His platform will be unveiled progressively on his website over the coming weeks.
He can be contacted by E-mail clinton@clintoncowan.ca,
by phone at 613-680-7601
by mail:
Clinton Cowan Campaign
2706 Alta vista Drive, Suite 310, Ottawa, ON, K1V 7T4
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Terry Fox Drive Fiasco
Congratulation to Ottawa Citizen letter-writer Ted Cooper (Turtle walls will symbolize Terry Fox fiasco, April 21, 2010) for highlighting the superficial steps being taken by City of Ottawa “environmental experts” to mitigate the impact of the project on wild life and rare species that exist in the area.
In his letter Ted point out the sheer folly of the steps proposed; particularly in light of the fact that the habitat at the other side of the proposed road will eventually be bulldozed for ongoing development. This is yet another example of the city and its expert planners making token gestures, and taking short cuts, in their anxiety to capture time sensitive money from the federal government.
It also highlights a serious flaw in Canada’s Economic Action (stimulus) Plan. The tight and inflexible completion date for projects funded under this initiative encourage municipalities and others to take risky decisions that they, communities and tax payers will have to deal with for years to come.
In his letter Ted point out the sheer folly of the steps proposed; particularly in light of the fact that the habitat at the other side of the proposed road will eventually be bulldozed for ongoing development. This is yet another example of the city and its expert planners making token gestures, and taking short cuts, in their anxiety to capture time sensitive money from the federal government.
It also highlights a serious flaw in Canada’s Economic Action (stimulus) Plan. The tight and inflexible completion date for projects funded under this initiative encourage municipalities and others to take risky decisions that they, communities and tax payers will have to deal with for years to come.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Smart Meters
Letter writer Sue McLean is right on the money with her comments on Hydro Ottawa’s proposed off-peak hours for smart meters (Not so smart savings, Ottawa Citizen, Letters to the Editor, April 20, 2010). An off-peak period, starting at the late hour of 9:00 pm, certainly won’t leave working people much time to do their laundry at economical rates.
Where do these overpaid executives get their ideas from? They certainly don’t seem to live in the same world as their customers!
Where do these overpaid executives get their ideas from? They certainly don’t seem to live in the same world as their customers!
Monday, April 12, 2010
Why all the admiration for Peter Hume?
I was surprised to read so much admiration by members of the Ottawa Citizen’s editorial board for Councillor Peter Hume in his run for office in the 2010 Ottawa municipal election campaign (“No self-immolation”, The Ottawa Citizen, April 9, 2010 and “No guts, no glory also true in Politics”, Randall Denley, Ottawa Citizen, April 6, 2010).
The April 9 editorial piece observes that because Hume acknowledges he would likely not win the mayoral competition he has wisely decided to run as councillor again in Ward 18; otherwise he would likely be jobless. This suggests, what some already believe, that Hume is in the competition for the job and not because of any personal convictions. If Hume really believes he would make a change as mayor, he should step forward. Even if he loses it is unlikely he will be out of a job for too long, given the depth of his personal contacts in the Ottawa development community.
As the incumbent in Alta vista, he stands a very good chance for reelection. Someone observed to me yesterday “One always hears the comment ‘Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t know’, but nobody ever says ‘Better the devil you know than the angel you don’t know.’” It’s really time somebody else was given a chance in Ward 18.
Hume has been in the media a lot recently, it’s worth noting some of his comments:
On the issue of homelessness Hume is proposing a question on a citywide funding initiative with the goal of ending chronic homelessness in Ottawa by 2014. Several people have commented recently that Hume fails to note that homelessness is really a symptom of larger issues: abuse, poverty and lack of physical and mental health care for people of low income. All levels of government must be brought to the table and people who have a better level of understanding must be consulted. Simply investing in low income housing will not solve the problem. Interestingly there is a candidate running in Ward 18 who has a far better understanding of issues surrounding poverty and homelessness than “Red Tory” Peter Hume.
In the April 3, 2010 release from Hume’s office he states that “My work in Ottawa is not yet finished…Intensification and infill building proposals are heating up in Alta Vista…I want to make sure that the highest quality urban development occurs – the City of Ottawa and Alta Vista deserves no less.” I’m not sure that all residents of Ward 18 would agree that Hume’s stewardship over development in the Ward under his tenure deserves many accolades. If what Hume means is to turn quiet neighborhoods into combined industrial/residential ones that are so noisy as to make life uncomfortable for residents who have lived here for years then Hume simply proves that he is not a man of vision and care but rather an opportunist seeing an open spot on a map and saying “That would be a good spot to develop” with little or no understanding of the effects of development on communities.
It was also interesting to watch his recent rant on CBC TV over Via Rail plans to develop their property around the Ottawa Train Station. He appears to be upset that neither he nor his beloved planning and environment committee have been consulted about Via Rail’s plans; sour grapes? His own failure to effectively consult his local community is one of the reasons that local residents have some serious concerns about the haphazard way that the community is being developed. As an example, objections to and concerns about current O.C. Transpo plans to expand the new bus garage on Industrial Avenue adjacent to Riverview Park communities have largely fallen on deaf ears of Hume, City Council and O.C Transpo.
Then there’s Lansdowne Park! The current design competition that Hume helped negotiate is a long, long way from the original proposal he supported in cooperation with Councillor Clive Doucet - shame on Hume for his about-face on this issue.
The April 9 editorial piece observes that because Hume acknowledges he would likely not win the mayoral competition he has wisely decided to run as councillor again in Ward 18; otherwise he would likely be jobless. This suggests, what some already believe, that Hume is in the competition for the job and not because of any personal convictions. If Hume really believes he would make a change as mayor, he should step forward. Even if he loses it is unlikely he will be out of a job for too long, given the depth of his personal contacts in the Ottawa development community.
As the incumbent in Alta vista, he stands a very good chance for reelection. Someone observed to me yesterday “One always hears the comment ‘Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t know’, but nobody ever says ‘Better the devil you know than the angel you don’t know.’” It’s really time somebody else was given a chance in Ward 18.
Hume has been in the media a lot recently, it’s worth noting some of his comments:
On the issue of homelessness Hume is proposing a question on a citywide funding initiative with the goal of ending chronic homelessness in Ottawa by 2014. Several people have commented recently that Hume fails to note that homelessness is really a symptom of larger issues: abuse, poverty and lack of physical and mental health care for people of low income. All levels of government must be brought to the table and people who have a better level of understanding must be consulted. Simply investing in low income housing will not solve the problem. Interestingly there is a candidate running in Ward 18 who has a far better understanding of issues surrounding poverty and homelessness than “Red Tory” Peter Hume.
In the April 3, 2010 release from Hume’s office he states that “My work in Ottawa is not yet finished…Intensification and infill building proposals are heating up in Alta Vista…I want to make sure that the highest quality urban development occurs – the City of Ottawa and Alta Vista deserves no less.” I’m not sure that all residents of Ward 18 would agree that Hume’s stewardship over development in the Ward under his tenure deserves many accolades. If what Hume means is to turn quiet neighborhoods into combined industrial/residential ones that are so noisy as to make life uncomfortable for residents who have lived here for years then Hume simply proves that he is not a man of vision and care but rather an opportunist seeing an open spot on a map and saying “That would be a good spot to develop” with little or no understanding of the effects of development on communities.
It was also interesting to watch his recent rant on CBC TV over Via Rail plans to develop their property around the Ottawa Train Station. He appears to be upset that neither he nor his beloved planning and environment committee have been consulted about Via Rail’s plans; sour grapes? His own failure to effectively consult his local community is one of the reasons that local residents have some serious concerns about the haphazard way that the community is being developed. As an example, objections to and concerns about current O.C. Transpo plans to expand the new bus garage on Industrial Avenue adjacent to Riverview Park communities have largely fallen on deaf ears of Hume, City Council and O.C Transpo.
Then there’s Lansdowne Park! The current design competition that Hume helped negotiate is a long, long way from the original proposal he supported in cooperation with Councillor Clive Doucet - shame on Hume for his about-face on this issue.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
How does the heritage consultant’s report really contribute to the future of Lansdowne Park?
An article in today’s Ottawa Citizen (Lansdowne, a big-box forerunner, report says, Maria Cook, March 23, 2010) reports that John Stewart, a heritage consultant hired by the city, describes Lansdowne Park as “the forerunner of what we call the big-box store,” and that stores such as Chapters bookstores and grocery stores would be acceptable uses for the site.
He goes on to indicate that Lansdowne has been a venue for the display of advancements in agriculture, livestock and manufacturing. And that many new initiatives such as the telephone, electric stove, radio broadcasting and first views of a plane in flight were first introduced to citizens of Ottawa here. Last evening I was very confused when I heard Councillor Peter Hume in a short piece on CBC News at Six extolling the virtues of such events as justification for development of retail space a Lansdowne.
It is unclear to me exactly what these wonderful events have to do with developing a large retail space on the grounds of Lansdowne Park. Having exhibition space in the park is one thing. Developing a large retail shopping complex is quite another. Councillor Clive Doucet is right on the mark when he says “…This is all about privatization. It makes no sense in terms of the park’s history…”
He goes on to indicate that Lansdowne has been a venue for the display of advancements in agriculture, livestock and manufacturing. And that many new initiatives such as the telephone, electric stove, radio broadcasting and first views of a plane in flight were first introduced to citizens of Ottawa here. Last evening I was very confused when I heard Councillor Peter Hume in a short piece on CBC News at Six extolling the virtues of such events as justification for development of retail space a Lansdowne.
It is unclear to me exactly what these wonderful events have to do with developing a large retail space on the grounds of Lansdowne Park. Having exhibition space in the park is one thing. Developing a large retail shopping complex is quite another. Councillor Clive Doucet is right on the mark when he says “…This is all about privatization. It makes no sense in terms of the park’s history…”
Thursday, March 4, 2010
The thin end of the wedge
I am disturbed by the recent decision by Ottawa council’s corporate services and economic development committee to lift a bylaw that prevents consultants from providing services to the city and to a private developer on the same or related project (Committee OKs bylaw change, Ottawa Citizen, March 3, 2010). This decision, if approved by full council, will set a dangerous precedent.
It is particularly troublesome that such a decision has been taken so soon after the mammoth council debate over the Lansdowne Park transportation study that resulted in Delcan Corporation, OSEG’s consultant on the Lansdowne Live proposal agreeing to stand down from a consulting role for the city because of perceived conflict of interest.
As well as avoiding possible conflicts of interest, having an alterative contractor perform the work on behalf of the city is always a wise strategy. Mistakes or oversights are frequently made and it is wise to have an independent consultant act on behalf of the city. I find the argument that there are insufficient qualified consultants available to undertake this study difficult to accept and I doubt there will be a steep learning curve involved if a new consultant does the work.
No matter how small or straightforward the project, reversing the bylaw once will make it easier to turn it down next time, and so-on ad-infinitum. Hopefully city council will turn down this recommendation when it comes up for a vote.
It is particularly troublesome that such a decision has been taken so soon after the mammoth council debate over the Lansdowne Park transportation study that resulted in Delcan Corporation, OSEG’s consultant on the Lansdowne Live proposal agreeing to stand down from a consulting role for the city because of perceived conflict of interest.
As well as avoiding possible conflicts of interest, having an alterative contractor perform the work on behalf of the city is always a wise strategy. Mistakes or oversights are frequently made and it is wise to have an independent consultant act on behalf of the city. I find the argument that there are insufficient qualified consultants available to undertake this study difficult to accept and I doubt there will be a steep learning curve involved if a new consultant does the work.
No matter how small or straightforward the project, reversing the bylaw once will make it easier to turn it down next time, and so-on ad-infinitum. Hopefully city council will turn down this recommendation when it comes up for a vote.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Holding the urban boundary and other council debates
Yesterday (Feb 24) council voted not to revisit their earlier compromise decision to accommodate a 222 hectare change in the urban boundary rather than by the 842 hectares originally recommended by city staff. The vote was quite decisive 17 for and 3 against. Dissenting votes were registered by Mayor O’Brien and Councillors Hunter and Thompson.
Unfortunately I confused local residents in my community last evening when passing on details of the decision. During the CBC NEWS: OTTAWA 6:00 pm TV news broadcast Hannah Thibedeau reporting live from City Hall, identified councillor Peter Hume as one of the three dissenting votes. This was very disturbing as Hume had previously indicated to residents that he and other councillors were working not to revisit the decision. Also it was Councillor Hume’s motion to defend council’s orignal decision. There was considerable relief when the situation was clarified.
The Hold the Line rally outside city hall at noon was well attended, especially considering the weather. There were some excellent speakers. Special thanks to members of Our Ottawa and Ecology Ottawa for organizing this event. I noted a couple of councillors in the audience. It is disappointing that more members of city council did not take the time to hear the opinions of citizens of Ottawa on this issue. It will be a subject of much further discussion once OMB becomes involved.
During the morning session of council various motions to audit or review OC Transpo’s operations, organization and projects were debated. They eventually supported a motion by Councillor Eli El-Chantiry that the American Public Transit Association (APTA) conduct a peer review of OC Transpo's bus programs and strategies, including areas such as bus operations, customer service, staffing, training and recruitment. Auditor general Alain Lalonde will examine the review panel's work and assess its recommendations.
I was disappointed by Coucillor Alex Cullen’s comments on the OC Transpo issue. He went to some lengths detailing various individual audits of particular projects, services and operations that have taken place over the past few years. However, it is many years since a full audit of this operation has taken place and we are right to expect excellence in service and operations from them. I do not understand why as chair of Transit Committee he finds it necessary to defend OC Transpo.
Unfortunately I confused local residents in my community last evening when passing on details of the decision. During the CBC NEWS: OTTAWA 6:00 pm TV news broadcast Hannah Thibedeau reporting live from City Hall, identified councillor Peter Hume as one of the three dissenting votes. This was very disturbing as Hume had previously indicated to residents that he and other councillors were working not to revisit the decision. Also it was Councillor Hume’s motion to defend council’s orignal decision. There was considerable relief when the situation was clarified.
The Hold the Line rally outside city hall at noon was well attended, especially considering the weather. There were some excellent speakers. Special thanks to members of Our Ottawa and Ecology Ottawa for organizing this event. I noted a couple of councillors in the audience. It is disappointing that more members of city council did not take the time to hear the opinions of citizens of Ottawa on this issue. It will be a subject of much further discussion once OMB becomes involved.
During the morning session of council various motions to audit or review OC Transpo’s operations, organization and projects were debated. They eventually supported a motion by Councillor Eli El-Chantiry that the American Public Transit Association (APTA) conduct a peer review of OC Transpo's bus programs and strategies, including areas such as bus operations, customer service, staffing, training and recruitment. Auditor general Alain Lalonde will examine the review panel's work and assess its recommendations.
I was disappointed by Coucillor Alex Cullen’s comments on the OC Transpo issue. He went to some lengths detailing various individual audits of particular projects, services and operations that have taken place over the past few years. However, it is many years since a full audit of this operation has taken place and we are right to expect excellence in service and operations from them. I do not understand why as chair of Transit Committee he finds it necessary to defend OC Transpo.
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