2022 Ottawa Municipal Election

[rocketphish]

Why I'm running to become Ottawa's next mayor

Bob Chiarelli
Jun 10, 2022 • 4 hours ago • 3 minute read



With the provincial election behind us and public attention now turning to the municipal election, I am asked a lot why I’m running to lead our great city — again.

I feel I’ve accomplished a lot in life. So I’m not stepping forward to boost my ego or pad my résumé. I’m a citizen like any other citizen of Ottawa. Like me, I believe many of you are feeling our city has been moving in the wrong direction. Key issues have been mismanaged including transit, housing and policing.

What’s holding us back? Acrimony and vitriol at city hall. Councillors are not pulling in the same direction. In the city of Ottawa there is an abusive lack of transparency to the public, councillors and news media.

I like helping people. That is who I am; that’s my brand. I look forward to the opportunity of again helping from a position of leadership. I know that together we can build a better future for our city.

When I first decided to run for mayor of the amalgamated city of Ottawa, I knew there would be challenges. But all of them pale in comparison with those facing the next mayor.

Pardon the pun, but the city has somehow managed to get off-track. This was never more evident than when, last summer, trains derailed on the Confederation Line. This was the tipping point for the troubled LRT, leading to the province calling a judicial inquiry into its troubled history, against the wishes of the majority of council.

Next week the first witnesses will be called and we can only hope the judge gets to the bottom of this mess.

Public transit, as we have always known it, is in crisis. The LRT and other public/private partnerships such as Lansdowne have not worked as promised. The Ottawa Police Service, an organization that has always been held in the highest of regards, is no longer respected the way it once was.

Our roadways have become a series of potholes connected with asphalt, and in a few years, we will have no place to dump our garbage. And did I mention we are pretty much broke? The last couple of councils have been spending money so quickly and borrowing money so broadly that the next council will have exceptionally little financial leeway.

The situation we find ourselves in as a community is precisely why I decided to run for mayor again.

Councillors are not pulling in the same direction or dealing with pending challenges. We saw it with the truckers’ protest that paralyzed downtown, hitting businesses hard, and putting taxpayers on the hook for millions of dollars; and diminishing Ottawa’s reputation on international television. We need better leadership at city hall.

I know I can bring a new council together. I have done it before. I know I can achieve their trust.

Over the next few months, I will be laying out my platform. But more importantly I will be engaging the citizens of Ottawa for their advice and guidance. I will be asking residents to vote for me as mayor. But to be honest, that is the least of it. I will be asking for their help in getting the city back on track.

It’s not going to be easy to straighten things out. But we showed in our newly amalgamated city we met difficult challenges head-on by working together. We will set our sights high and deal with a cross-section of major challenges with collaborative work, creativity and innovation.

Bob Chiarelli is a former chair of the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton, mayor of Ottawa (2000-2006) and Ontario cabinet minister.

https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/ch...was-next-mayor

[waterloowarrior]

https://twitter.com/jchianello/statu...puk579hsDaboiQ

Diane Deans not running for mayor or councillor

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

https://twitter.com/jchianello/statu...puk579hsDaboiQ

Diane Deans not running for mayor or councillor

Must have realized, she doesn't stand a chance after her role in the Convoy crap.

[rocketphish]

Diane Deans ends mayoral bid, won't seek re-election as councillor
28-year council veteran says she couldn't commit to serving more than one term

Trevor Pritchard · CBC News
Posted: Jun 23, 2022 4:17 PM ET | Last Updated: 15 minutes ago

Coun. Diane Deans has ended her bid to be Ottawa's next mayor and will also not run for council again in Gloucester-Southgate ward.

In a statement Thursday, the longtime city councillor said she was setting aside her run for "personal and professional reasons," among them that she felt she couldn't commit to being more than a one-term mayor.

"After careful consideration, I have concluded that the next mayor will need to make an eight-year (two-term) commitment to do the job," Deans wrote.

"Four years will not be sufficient to get this city on a better path."

There are currently seven candidates who've filed papers to replace Jim Watson as Ottawa's next mayor, including Somerset Coun. Catherine McKenney and former mayor Bob Chiarelli.

Two others have put their names forward to represent Gloucester-Southgate ward.

Deans has spent nearly three decades around the council table, having first been elected in 1994.

She's served in a number of high-profile roles in that time, including recently as the chair of the Ottawa Police Services Board — a position she was ousted from in a controversial, vitriolic shakeup of the board that occurred during this winter's Freedom Convoy protests.

In her statement, Deans said divisions on city council have "exacerbated" issues like rising municipal debt, a shortage of affordable housing and a transit system "plagued with problems."

"Ottawa residents need their council to come together and put the needs of community first," she wrote. "The next mayor must bridge all of Ottawa's unique communities — rural, suburban and urban ⁠— and find a balance that can end the divisions we see today."

Deans also fought ovarian cancer in 2019, returning to the council table one year later. That experience galvanized her to run for mayor, Deans said when she announced her bid last December.

Ottawans head to the polls to choose their next city council on Oct. 24.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottaw...ayor-1.6499481

[Truenorth00]

Is there any polling yet on the mayoral race?

[waterloowarrior]

Ottawa broadcaster, entrepreneur Mark Sutcliffe to run for mayor: Sources
https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/ottawa-bro...rces-1.5967793
CTVNewsOttawa.ca

Updated June 29, 2022 10:24 a.m. EDT
Published June 29, 2022 10:02 a.m. EDT

Longtime Ottawa entrepreneur, broadcaster and author Mark Sutcliffe will be running for mayor of Ottawa, sources say.

This comes amid a major change at Ottawa city council, with Mayor Jim Watson and several current city councillors not seeking re-election.

Sutcliffe has been a prominent figure in the Ottawa business community. He founded the Ottawa Business Journal in 1995, spent many years as a radio host on Newstalk 580 CFRA and 1310 News, hosted a TV program on CPAC, wrote for the Ottawa Citizen, and served on the boards of numerous organizations in Ottawa. He currently hosts the Digging Deep podcast.

Sutcliffe said he is holding a news conference Wednesday at 1 p.m. to make an announcement "related to the mayoral race in the City of Ottawa."

Sutcliffe will be on the ballot alongside seven other candidates: Brandon Bay, Bob Chiarelli, Bernard Couchman, Graham MacDonald, Catherine McKenney, Ade Olumide, and Param Singh for the Oct. 24 election.

[J.OT13]

Sutcliffe I feel will be another candidate with a lack of vision. He's always been mostly opposed to the train and never understood the reasoning for a tunnel (which was badly needed). If we can split the suburban minded votes between Sutcliffe and Chiarelli so that McKenney comes out victorious, than that's fine by me.

[J.OT13]

Entrepreneur and broadcaster Mark Sutcliffe entering Ottawa's mayoral race: sources

OBJ Staff, June 29, 2022



Well-known Ottawa entrepreneur and broadcaster Mark Sutcliffe has officially entered the race to be the city’s next mayor, sources have confirmed to OBJ.

Sutcliffe registered as a candidate on Wednesday morning, a move that comes as city council is set to undergo a major shift in the next term. Longtime Mayor Jim Watson announced late last year he won’t be running for re-election, and several other current council members have also said they won’t be returning to the table this fall.

Sutcliffe, a founder and former publisher of OBJ, has deep connections to Ottawa’s business community. The father of three hosted a successful talk show on Newstalk 580 CFRA and 1310 News and has served on the boards of multiple non-profit organizations, including a stint as chair of the Ottawa Board of Trade. He has also hosted a national political program on CPAC and currently hosts a podcast, Digging Deep.

While he’s best-known to the public as a broadcaster, Sutcliffe is a seasoned entrepreneur and business mentor. In addition to being an adviser to startup founders at Invest Ottawa, Sutcliffe also chairs a local chapter of TEC Canada, a peer advisory group of small business owners and CEOs in the Ottawa area.

Sutcliffe is holding a news conference in Kanata at 1 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, where he is expected to announce his candidacy for mayor.

Other candidates who’ve already entered the race include Brandon Bay, former mayor and MPP Bob Chiarelli, Bernard Couchman, Graham MacDonald, current city councillor Catherine McKenney, Ade Olumide and Param Singh. The election will take place on Oct. 24.

Whoever heads Ottawa’s next council will be overseeing an agenda top-loaded with city-building initiatives and issues that are laden with controversy. The next set of councillors will be grappling with complex topics such as the next phase of Ottawa’s light-rail project, the $330-million proposal to renovate Lansdowne Park, the Ottawa Senators’ bid to build a new arena at LeBreton Flats and the ongoing push for more affordable housing among other hot-button issues.

While Watson’s final term in office has been marked by division and in-fighting among councillors, a longtime friend of Sutcliffe who is involved in his campaign told OBJ the broadcaster and businessman will be a “centrist” leader who will attempt to seek input and support from all sides of what are sure to be contentious debates at City Hall.

“He understands all aspects of the city,” said the source, who’s known Sutcliffe for more than 30 years. “He’s been involved with many organizations, from the business community through to the non-profit community. He’s very sensitive to all sides of the political equation.

“He is not someone who is full of himself. He’s willing to listen and understand different points of view.”

Still, Sutcliffe, a relative neophyte in the world of municipal politics, will be going up against a slate of candidates that includes seasoned City Hall veterans such as Chiarelli – a former regional chair who served two stints in the provincial legislature totalling nearly 20 years and was the first mayor of the amalgamated city of Ottawa from 2001-2006 – and McKenney, who was first elected as councillor of the downtown Somerset ward in 2014 and was re-elected in 2018.

But the source told OBJ Sutcliffe’s lack of political experience is more than offset by his business acumen and strong ties to the community.

“Although he doesn’t have that experience at the council table or in politics, I honestly believe that the experience that he’s had in life will allow him … to get the confidence of the other councillors,” he said.

“He’s going to go into (the campaign) with a lot of goodwill. I cannot tell you the number of people that I know that have been looking for this type of candidate and … be in a position to support him or her. I think his campaign will be extremely well-supported in the community.”

More to come…

https://obj.ca/article/local/entrepr...l-race-sources

[J.OT13]

Kind of want to search for his past articles on municipal issues.

Looking at some recent articles, he's a big supporter of Lansdowne 2.0 and the LeBreton arena. Maybe I was a bit quick to judge; maybe he would be good to push some of these big projects.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/sutcl...sion-a-new-one

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/sutcl...-city-building

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local...not-an-expense

Can we rebuild and/or reset the poll?

[YOWflier]

I look forward to hearing what his vision is for Ottawa. I remember him as a moderate with solid business and political acumen.

He should be feared by the other candidates.

[Williamoforange]

Originally Posted by FlyYOW

I look forward to hearing what his vision is for Ottawa. I remember him as a moderate with solid business and political acumen.

He should be feared by the other candidates.

Considering Horizon Ottawa is already slinging mud, something tells me at least one candidate has taken notice.

[J.OT13]

Ottawa broadcaster, entrepreneur Mark Sutcliffe running for mayor

CTV News Ottawa, June 29, 2022

Longtime Ottawa entrepreneur, broadcaster and author Mark Sutcliffe is running to become the next mayor of Ottawa.

Sutcliffe officially registered Wednesday.

"I am excited and grateful today as I officially register as a candidate to be the next mayor of Ottawa – the best city in Canada, and a place I’m proud to call my hometown," Sutcliffe said in a news release announcing his candidacy. "Ottawa has always been considered a great place to live and work. But we are on the verge of some new and significant challenges. Our city is in an affordability crisis. Inflation is on the rise, and there is significant fear that a recession is just around the corner. We are facing a reliability crisis in our public transit system, and we need to improve our roads. On these issues and more, we need new leadership in Ottawa."


This comes amid a major change at Ottawa city council, with Mayor Jim Watson and several current city councillors not seeking re-election.

Sutcliffe has been a prominent figure in the Ottawa business community. He founded the Ottawa Business Journal in 1995, spent many years as a radio host on Newstalk 580 CFRA and 1310 News, hosted TV programa on CPAC and Rogers TV, wrote for the Ottawa Citizen, and served on the boards of numerous organizations in Ottawa. He currently hosts the Digging Deep podcast.

In his platform online, Sutcliffe says, if elected, he would "adequately [fund] our police, fire, and paramedic services and being tough on the causes of crime ... restore confidence in our public transit system, improve our roads..." and "[keep] taxes, recreation fees, and other costs as low as possible."

Sutcliffe will be on the ballot alongside seven other candidates: Brandon Bay, Bob Chiarelli, Bernard Couchman, Graham MacDonald, Catherine McKenney, Ade Olumide, and Param Singh for the Oct. 24 election.

Chiarelli, a former mayor of Ottawa, said on Twitter that he welcomes any entrant into the mayor's race and looks forward to "a positive campaign to the benefit of our citizens."

https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/ottawa-bro...ayor-1.5967793

[Proof Sheet]

Originally Posted by Williamoforange

Considering Horizon Ottawa is already slinging mud, something tells me at least one candidate has taken notice.

Mark Sutcliffe is sure to get our favourite trustafarian all riled up.

[rocketphish]

Broadcaster, entrepreneur Mark Sutcliffe enters Ottawa mayoral race

Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen
Jun 29, 2022 • 1 hour ago • 3 minute read

Entrepreneur and broadcaster Mark Sutcliffe positioned himself as a non-partisan choice for mayor in announcing his candidacy Wednesday afternoon in Kanata.

With his wife Ginny and their three children standing beside him, Sutcliffe, 53, called for “a fresh set of eyes” to restore confidence in public transit and to help people afford living in the nation’s capital.

“The work I’ve always enjoyed most is when I’ve teamed up with other people to try to make our city better. All I’ve ever wanted is to make a difference in this incredible city that has been so good to me and my family,” Sutcliffe said, choking up as he delivered his prepared remarks under a gazebo in Brookshire Park.

Earlier in the day, Sutcliffe submitted his paperwork to run in the Oct. 24 municipal election, confirming rumours that have been circulating in recent weeks that he was interested in the mayor’s job.

He jumps into the mayoral contest with Catherine McKenney, the current councillor for Somerset Ward, and Bob Chiarelli, the former mayor and Liberal MPP.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the mayoral ballot also included Brandon Bay, Bernard Couchman, Graham MacDonald, Ade Olumide and Param Singh.

Mike Maguire, who last ran for Ottawa mayor in 2014 and won about 18 per cent of the vote, also registered Wednesday to run for mayor in the 2022 municipal election.

Mayor Jim Watson isn’t seeking re-election.

Sutcliffe hosted radio shows on CFRA and 1310 News and was a TV host on CPAC. At Rogers TV, he moderated many municipal election debates. In recent years, Sutcliffe has been interviewing leaders as part of his Digging Deep podcast. He has been a columnist for the Citizen and was at one time, the newspaper’s executive editor.

Sutcliffe co-founded the Ottawa Business Journal and been involved in owning or investing in several other businesses.

Now, he wants to be a politician.

But why?

“A few months ago I didn’t think it was going to happen, but more recently I have realized that we need new leadership at Ottawa City Hall,” Sutcliffe said.

“I’ve always been deeply committed to community service. I love my city and I want my kids to grow up in a city that is safe and affordable and reliable. That’s the kind of city I grew up in. I’m a little bit worried that’s not the city that we live in now, that it is becoming too expensive, it’s harder to get around, there are issues of public safety. I care deeply about the people of Ottawa and I want to make sure we solve these challenges.”

Asked why he made his announcement in Kanata, Sutcliffe said, “I want to make sure every part of this city is represented. I care a lot about the people of Kanata and the people in the suburbs and the rural areas of this city, as well as the urban area.”

He said residents are unsure if LRT is ever going to get to Kanata, “so I want make sure that people know that we’re listening to them.”

Sutcliffe said he’s worried about the city’s future as it emerges from the COVID-19 public health crisis and enters “an affordability crisis.”

“We must make life more affordable for everyone by keeping taxes low, recreation fees and other costs low as well,” Sutcliffe said.

There’s also a “crisis in confidence in our public transit system,” he said, pointing to the evidence collected during the ongoing LRT inquiry that suggested “mistakes that were made” in procurement and implementation of Stage 1.

“We need to restore the reliability of light rail and the confidence in our public transit system and we need to fix our roads,” Sutcliffe said.

Nominations for city council and school board positions close on Aug. 19.

[email protected]
twitter.com/JonathanWilling

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local...ment-wednesday

[J.OT13]

'LAME DUCK?' Council's time is running out for new spending

Jon Willing, Post Media
Publishing date:Jul 04, 2022

Lame duck rules will kick in next month if fewer than 18 members aren't seeking re-election for any council office in the Oct. 24 municipal vote.

The council meeting on Wednesday has more significance if the number of members confirming their departure from city hall triggers “lame duck” rules.

While council is scheduled to make decisions on additional Stage 2 O-Train spending, a tax break program for development at the Ottawa International Airport and a strategy to protect the city from the impacts of climate change, members could also be thinking about their last opportunities to influence municipal priorities before the election.

Lame duck rules will kick in next month if fewer than 18 members aren’t seeking re-election for any council office in the Oct. 24 municipal vote.

The rules under the Ontario Municipal Act restrict some of council’s ability to manage money and the municipal workforce if three-quarters of council aren’t returning.

The municipal election ballot will be final at 2 p.m. on Aug. 19. Council hopefuls need to sign up by then, and those who already signed up have until that deadline to withdraw. Only then will the city know for sure if it’s entering a lame duck period.

There is no scheduled council meeting between Thursday and Aug. 19, with city hall taking the traditional summer break from the legislative agenda.

It means Wednesday’s meeting could be the last chance for council members to make spending changes on the fly before becoming lame duck.

So far, seven of the 24 council members have publicly said they aren’t running again.

Mayor Jim Watson, Barrhaven Coun. Jan Harder, Knoxdale-Merivale Coun. Keith Egli, Gloucester-Southgate Coun. Diane Deans, Rideau-Vanier Coun. Mathieu Fleury, Alta Vista Coun. Jean Cloutier and Rideau-Goulbourn Coun. Scott Moffatt have said they won’t seek re-election.

All other councillors have registered for the election, except for College Coun. Rick Chiarelli and West Carleton-March Coun. Eli-El-Chantiry.

Chiarelli has said he “expects” to run for re-election, while El-Chantiry, as of Sunday, hadn’t decided if he’ll seek another term.

Somerset Coun. Catherine McKenney is running for mayor.

While the number of wards is increasing by one in the 2022 election, it doesn’t factor into the calculation of determining a lame duck council.

There are four council actions restricted by the lame duck provisions under provincial law.

A lame duck council can’t: appoint or remove from office an officer of the municipality (clerk, treasurer or auditor general); hire or dismiss an employee of the municipality normally subject to council approval; dispose of real or personal property of the municipality valued over $50,000; and spend or incur a liability over $50,000.

With the threat of a lame duck council looming, members will likely be checking their files this week to make sure ward projects are properly funded, especially heading into an election. For members on their way out of city hall, it could be the last chance to find money for a legacy project not already funded by the annual budget.

It wouldn’t be strange to see several walk-on motions on the agenda at the end of the meeting.

A second risk of council becoming lame duck happens on election day, but the same rules apply. If fewer than 18 council members are going back to city hall, the lame duck rules kick in.

However, a post-election lame duck period in 2022 would be shorter compared to previous election years. It would last until the new council term begins on Nov. 15; in past election years, the new terms began on Dec. 1.

https://ottawasun.com/news/local-new...1-675bea624b9d

[rocketphish]

Here are the 9 people currently vying to be Ottawa's next mayor
Nominations close Aug. 19, election day is Oct. 24

CBC News
Posted: Jul 03, 2022 4:00 AM ET | Last Updated: July 3

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson's announcement in December he won't be extending his record-long time in the job kickstarted the race to replace him.

With fewer than two months until nominations close and fewer than four months until election day, here's who has registered to run.

There were 12 candidates in 2018 and eight in 2014.

Candidates are taken from the city's official list and follow in alphabetical order. Nominations close Aug. 19 and election day is Oct. 24.

Brandon Bay

The software developer and manager counts housing, tourism and investing in post-pandemic improvements to communities among his priorities.

Bob Chiarelli

The former Ottawa mayor and provincial cabinet minister says he can get council to work together and criticizes city debt and projects going overbudget.

Bernard Couchman

Couchman says he's running in memory of his sister, who passed away in December. His platform promotes a unified city where local companies can thrive.

Graham MacDonald

MacDonald, who has worked in the funeral industry, has seven key issues on his website including creating a mental health officer for the city who could help police respond with mental health workers and tackle the opioid crisis.

Mike Maguire

Maguire registered June 29 and doesn't have an email or website listed.

Catherine McKenney

The Somerset ward councillor since 2014 has a platform centring on building "the healthiest city in Canada" through investment in transportation and the environment.

Ade Olumide

Olumide, with a background in taxpayer advocacy, is releasing his platform gradually. It includes capping tax and fee increases and weekly garbage pickup.

Param Singh

Singh has been an Ottawa police officer since 2002 and wants to create more affordable transit and housing, along with investing in post-COVID economic growth.

Mark Sutcliffe

The former journalist and current business advisor also registered June 29. The city doesn't have any other information, but a news release that same day promotes a "safe, reliable, affordable" message that mentions dependable transit and keeping city fees and taxes down.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottaw...tion-1.6506977

[J.OT13]

Chiarelli is like an Opposition Party, complaining about the current administration without offering any solutions. Sutcliffe, I'm on the fence. Low taxes and increasing the police budget (for sure paramedics need a boost, not sure about fire, police need reform, not more money). Mentions reliability of transit (but no improvements) and road, but no cycling, nothing in regards to the environment. I'm leaning more back towards McKenney.

[J.OT13]

Sutcliffe distinguishing himself from Watson by not accepting donations from developers or their families. Mckenney, no surprise, is also not accepting money from developers. Chiarelli is taking cash from anyone.

RACE FOR NEW MAYOR: Mark Sutcliffe joins says he won't accept developer donations

This newspaper reached out to all other mayoral campaigns with contact information on the city's official list of candidates to ask about their intentions regarding developer donations

Taylor Blewett
Publishing date:Jul 12, 2022

Mark Sutcliffe, the latest big-name candidate to enter Ottawa’s mayoral race, has pledged not to accept campaign donations from developers.

It’s a significant move, according to some critics of the industry’s level of influence in municipal politics, and a break from the approach taken by Ottawa’s last victorious mayoral candidate.

The entrepreneur and broadcaster announced his run for the mayor’s office on June 29, and has written on the donation page of his campaign website that “to ensure there is no real or perceived conflict of interest, and out of respect for both groups,” his campaign won’t accept contributions from unions or developers.

Ontario election law now prohibits corporations and trade unions from donating to municipal candidates, but individuals who live in the province are good to give up to $1,200 to a single candidate, to a cap of $5,000 in contributions to any number of local municipal campaigns.

On union and developer donations, Sutcliffe said anyone who’s an owner, an executive, or a family member of an owner or executive is “encouraged to participate in other ways, like making a contribution to the local charity of their choice.”

Two-term Somerset Ward Coun. Catherine McKenney told this newspaper in January they won’t take money from developers in their mayoral campaign. But by deadline Monday, they had not responded to emailed questions seeking to confirm this commitment and asking how it would be actioned.

Bob Chiarelli is another high-profile contender in the race to replace outgoing mayor Jim Watson. He’s accepting any and all individual donations allowed by election law. He will, however, be limiting their amount to $500.

“I am running an inclusive campaign and will not shut out any person from taking part in the democratic process,” said Chiarelli, in an emailed statement.

Bob Chiarelli, Catherine McKenney and Mark Sutcliffe are all running for mayor of Ottawa in the 2022 municipal election.
Bob Chiarelli, Catherine McKenney and Mark Sutcliffe are all running for mayor of Ottawa in the 2022 municipal election. PHOTO BY POSTMEDIA FILES
This newspaper reached out to all other mayoral campaigns with contact information on the city’s official list of candidates for mayor to ask about their intentions regarding developer donations.

Param Singh, running for election after a nearly two-decade career with the Ottawa police, described a case-by-case approach: “If a developer comes and he says, ‘You know, I own this company, but I believe in your cause and I want to donate,’ right, he’s an individual, he’s donating, and I’m not going to stop him from donating,” said Singh. “However, if the developer comes and he says, ‘Look, we want to contribute and, you know, we would like to be on your side as long as there’s quid pro quo’ … I don’t play that game.”

Graham MacDonald, CEO of Ottawa Mortuary Services, said he will accept donations from developers. “My campaign is not interested in turning down money that could be helpful in my pursuit of creating a city with strong economic growth, infrastructure and enhancing public safety,” he wrote.

Software developer Brandon Bay said he’s yet to receive a developer donation and won’t be actively soliciting them but is willing to accept them. He said he doesn’t believe a campaign contribution “creates an immediate obligation or conflict of interest, and a donation from an employee or family member of a developer is as any other donation. As mayor, I would not give special treatment to any of my donors, supporters, or voters.”

Ade Olumide, who describes himself as a “democracy rights defender,” said he sees no reason to exclude developer donations, adding: “My principles are public, they will not change because of a donation.”

Bernard Couchman declined to provide a response on the issue and contact information for Mike Maguire was not available.

While it’s entirely permissible for developer funds to flow to municipal candidate campaigns through individual donations, including from family and employees, York University department of politics professor emeritus Robert MacDermid contended that their acceptance can leave voters with a certain impression about the politicians receiving them.

“Do all candidates want to be seen as taking a lot of money from developers? Because that ultimately looks to many citizens from the outside as if they … owe their election to the development industry. Although that may not strictly be true, of course, but it certainly looks that way from the outside.”

And the fact is, municipal politicians are critically important to developers. “They are a crucial cog in the creation of a profit for the development industry through the rezoning of land,” said MacDermid, and grant the planning permissions that allow projects to move ahead. At the same time, municipalities are dependent on the industry for the delivery of real estate and the expansion of the property tax base their budgets rely on.

For MacDermid, a commitment to work to address the city’s dependence on development in this way would be a nice-to-see accompaniment to the swearing-off of developer donations. But even the latter pledge is a break from the path taken by many a successful municipal candidate.

A report on Ottawa’s 2018 municipal election by progressive organization Horizon Ottawa found that more than $432,000 or nearly half of the campaign contributions to winning candidates came from people they linked to the development industry (this definition was quite expansive, extending, for instance, to people who are or are related to contractors who do business with the residential and commercial construction industry).

Those developer-related contributions exceeded $200,000 for Watson’s mayoral campaign, or 52 per cent of funds collected, with about $32,000 – eight per cent – linked by Horizon to 27 executives at developer Taggart and members of their families (a spokesperson for Watson did not provide comment on this report by deadline).

Discussing his continued acceptance of developer donations, Watson told CBC during the 2018 campaign that “it’s a bit of an urban myth that city hall is controlled by people outside of city hall,” and that he couldn’t think of a single example “where someone has given someone a campaign donation and then they flip their vote because of it.”

Horizon has long been pushing for municipal politicians to reject developer donations, said board member Sam Hersh. Seeing this addressed in the mayoral race is “an important first step,” and he encouraged Sutcliffe to review the database Horizon has created of developer-linked donors to ensure he’s living up to his commitment and not accepting contributions from them.

But following the argument against developer donations through to its conclusion, what’s the long-term solution? That everyone connected to the development industry is barred from making political donations?

File photo: Sam Hersh of Horizon Ottawa.
File photo: Sam Hersh of Horizon Ottawa. PHOTO BY TONY CALDWELL /Postmedia
Hersh acknowledged that it’s “obviously problematic” to entirely restrict someone from donating to a campaign. Longer-term, he sees lower contribution limits and more public financing of municipal elections as ways to take “the influence of money out of politics.”

Candidates in Ottawa’s mayoral and council races have until Aug. 19 to submit their nomination papers. Voting day is Oct. 24.

Hersh said if they have the capacity, Horizon intends to produce another report tracking developer donations to candidates once 2022 donor lists are released.

“Obviously, it also matters what you do while you’re at city hall,” he added.

[email protected]

https://ottawasun.com/news/local-new...c-fc950124cedc

[Jay31]

I'm not sure if it's getting much attention in traditional media (TV, radio, etc), but the "Free transit" study is getting attention in the campaign on Twitter, with Mark Sutcliffe coming out strongly against the idea. I suspect he (or his team rather) have identified it as a good wedge issue that the majority of Ottawa voters - particularly suburbanites(who don't take transit) will be strongly on his side. Judging by my facebook suburbanite reactions, he's probably right.... it's likely a good strategy. Though personally, it comes off to me as "let's not give the poor/students/elderly a break".

[J.OT13]

Everyone is focused on the "free" transit aspect, but completely ignoring the other options presented. Sutcliff has done a lot of talking so far, but has not offered anything in terms of solution. Though we could say that about all the candidates at this point.