Issues
Transit
2009 was not a good year to be a transit user in Ottawa. We had a 7 week bus strike in the dead of winter that caused incredible inconvenience to people and little to no progress towards the modernization of our system. Ottawa's transit track record looks bleak, successive city councils have cancelled, restarted or changed the Transit Master Plan and we have even lost a lawsuit levied against us for cancelling contracts. Improving transportation is a major plank of my platform and a serious requirement for revitalizing the entire city.
The following are two Bay Ward specific initiatives in 2010 regarding transit that I will be talking to constituents about when I go door to door.
a) The West Transitway Extension (Bayshore to Moodie Drive)
b) The West Transitway Extension (Lincoln Fields to Pinecrest)
Transit should be affordable, safe, sustainable and above all functional. Be sure to visit this page over the course of the campaign for updates on what residents are saying about these Ward initiatives, and other concerns I'm hearing door to door related to transportation.
Affordable Housing back to top
Affordable housing is a fundamental building block of a healthy and complete community. In 2001, the Province transferred the responsibility for social housing to municipalities. The City has legislated obligations as Service Manager under the Social Housing Reform Act.
The city of Ottawa's current strategy for social housing can be accessed here:
http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/housing/housing_strategy/executive_summary_en.html
I believe that improved access to housing support services are one of the most cost effective ways we can improve access to affordable housing in our city. I will be speaking to constituents about their thoughts when I go door to door.
If you have any positions on this issue please send me an email. Click on 'contact' in the menu above.
Jobs and Local Businesses back to top
Do you remember JDS Fitel? Nortel? Cognos? Newbridge? I remember a time in Ottawa when the private sector was the largest employer in our city. We truly were silicon valley north. At its height Nortel alone employed over 17,000 people in Ottawa, and I know many people in the Bay Ward who began their careers working for that company.
Municipal government cannot resurrect these giants, and smaller companies have taken their place in many respects, but what we can do is create an environment favorable to small business, entrepreneurship and creativity. Jobs requiring professional education and creativity will be the well paying jobs of the future and although our role in producing these jobs is small, our roll in encouraging them can be significant.
As vice president of a small business myself, I understand how hard it can be when you are trying to keep your head above water. I look forward to meeting with constituents across the ward, learning about their concerns or struggles and sharing my plan on helping to reinvigorate Ottawa and Bay Ward's private sector.
Police, Community Safety, Fire & Paramedics back to top
There is nothing more important than living in a safe community. According to the most recent data available from the Ottawa Police, crime in the Bay Ward has been on the decline for many years, however, anything above zero is still unacceptable. Two strategies I am a proponent of that will help decrease crime are, "Youth on the Move!", an anti crime partnership between the City of Ottawa Parks and Recreation, Ottawa-Bylaw and the Ottawa Police Service and secondly, the Neighbourhood Watch program. "Youth on the Move!" keeps young people who might otherwise find themselves in trouble busy, active, forming friendships and enjoying their adolescence. I know, from first hand experience, that these programs are effective ways of keeping youth out of trouble. Also, both "Youth on the Move!" and Neighborhood Watch are inexpensive means of decreasing crime. Far less expensive then hiring additional police officers.
I will be going door to door in Bay Ward asking constituents how they feel about crime in our community, as well as their thoughts on policing issues and fire services. Be sure to check this page frequently as the campaign progresses for more up to date information. If you have thoughts of your own, click on "contact" in the menu above.
Taxes & Fiscal Responsibility back to top
I have yet to meet a human being who looks forward to paying taxes, but the idea of freezing taxes is unrealistic, particularly as inflation is not 0% year over year. It is very easy to spread rhetoric about low taxes, low spending and getting everything for free, but most people realize that there is no such thing as a free lunch.
Ideally, as a goal, I would not want taxes to increase in any given year at a rate higher then inflation. However, it is important to remember that Ottawa is, in many ways, unique. Ottawa, unlike other municipalities, is required by the Provincial government to fund a share of social services (social assistance, social housing, child care, long term care) and public health. In other provinces these programs are totally funded by the Provincial government. This is one of the realities I will lobby to change.
In addition, cities such as Edmonton and Calgary have owned or currently own large utility companies (telephone and electrical distribution and generation) from which they receive significant dividends or endowment fund earnings. For Edmonton alone these earnings total over $200 million dollars a year. In comparison Ottawa budgets a paltry $14 million in Ottawa Hydro Dividends every year. The bottom line is that not all municipalities have access to the same sources of revenue.
Am I am in favor of low taxes? What politician will tell you otherwise? However, taxation is a complicated issue, full of detail and nuance. Much like purchasing a car, if the terms you are hearing seem too good to be true you are likely purchasing a lemon, or in our case, hearing something that is less then accurate. I look forward to talking to constituents in great detail about their tax concerns and my plan for improving our situation vis-à-vis other municipalities.
Bay Ward Community Associations back to top
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Ambleside One, CCC #28 |
Carlingwood Community Association |
Lincoln Heights-Parkway Community Association |
If you have any thoughts you would like to share with me on this subject send me an email. Click "contact" in the menu above.