Trashy's World

So, Alex Cullen left his Bay Ward Council seat because he didn’t want to do that anymore. He wanted to be Mayor.

But now he has changed his mind and wants to be re-elected in Bay Ward as the Council member.

BUT, he doesn’t rule out a run at the Dipper federal nomination for Ottawa Centre at some time during his tenure as Bay Ward Councillor – thus necessitating an appointment or a costly by-election some time mid-term.

Wow. The guy has chutzpah - I’ll give him that.

I wonder who else will join the race before the cut-off for nominations on the 10th? Here is the list so far:

Ward 7 – Bay

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I see that Rick Chiarelli has announced he will be seeking re-election in College Ward.

This is too bad as it means that newcomer Julia Ringma has a rougher road ahead of her as she seeks this Council seat. It’s not impossible, but definitely more difficult.

But I truly believe that the events over the past few years (the OC Transpo strike, the thoroughly messed up and convoluted Lansdowne debate, underground tunnels, train garages, etc., etc.) have caused folks in this fine borough to rethink the strategy of re-electing incumbents year after year. So challengers may indeed have a shot at some seats.

Julia is one of those challengers and has some great ideas about the growth and expansion of our City and the importance of our libraries. As a planner, I do appreciate her planning insights (Jane Jacobs rocks!) and as a lover of literature, I applaud her stand on libraries.

While some on Council will always vote for unhindered and sprawling development while bowing at the shrines of Minto and the like and some may not consider our libraries as a core service, Julia would be different.

She is a new face with new ideas. And, like the OCDSB, the Ottawa City Council is also in need of new faces and new ideas.

If you live in College Ward 8, I hope you give her a chance to prove herself on October 25.

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As much as I love to rail on the Harperites and their version of a Comedy of Errors, I’m going to shift the focus of the political part of this blog (um, OK, so it really is 95% political… as much as I like to write the odd “daddy-blogger” entry here and there) to the Ontario municipal races – especially here in Bytown. I’ll likely keep with the practice of scribbling my Friday Miscellany notes and will vent my anti-DeceptiCon rants in that space.

Why refocus? Because I was/am a student of local government and despair that this level of government – the level that is closest to the people who vote for them – is largely ignored and widely misunderstood. Voter turnouts for municipal elections are in the 40-55% range and this pitiful level of civic engagement shows little sign of improving any time soon.

I think it important to encourage a focus on local issues because these are what touch us directly. Our emergency services, schools, road maintenance and snow clearing, libraries and waste management are all the responsibility of our Council and School Boards. Decisions are taken by our local Council and School Boards on how our communities are planned, the protection of our natural environment, and where and our children are educated. Local decisions made by local people like you and I.

Local government is vital. It is in our backyards. And it is largely ignored. That is unfortunate.

So – just for old times sake, here is a candid shot I took of John Baird during last spring’s session of Parliament. I think he is making a point of order.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to make a point of order..."

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Further to my post yesterday about the state of Harper’s health, it seems though I am not the only one who thinks that he may be spending more time lunging a windmills than he should be. Inventing his own reality of the day seems to be the direction that Steve and his henchmen have taken.

I mean, how else can you explain a number of recent decisions taken by the CPC government? A lot of them simply did not and do not make sense and have seemingly little value from a political vantage point. Harper et al have been masters at seeing and exploiting  political advantages. Even I admit this.

But suppose for a second that something is seriously wrong with the PM. I am NOT wishing this on the guy – as much as I cannot stand him or his policies, I would never wish illness on him. He is a fellow father after all. Yet, if he is ill and hiding it from all of his caucus, some of the back-benchers must be whispering amongst themselves by now about how the Boss just does not make bad judgments when it comes to strictly political decisions. It’s out of character and damn, he looks like shit. Is he OK?

Even if his inner sanctum is “in the know” about there being something amiss, they sure as hell aren’t going to say anything about it. These guys know that when the lead wolf in the pack is hurt, the rest of the alphas sense this and take advantage. Some of the alphas MacKay, Prentice, Flaherty want to be the lead wolf and would love to see an ill Harper try and run an election campaign this fall when he is not up to it and the party itself is tanking in the polls. After all, anything less than a majority would mean that the ol’ Dead eyes would be left to buzzards.

But the rest of the wolves should not get sick to the Vested One – even if he is sick, he is still dangerous.

Maybe I’m seeing things that aren’t there. But what if I’m correct?

This will bear watching.

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As the summer trudges along, the Iggy bus is making it’s stops in Ontario with reports of several dozens of well-wishers along the way.

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff delivered a feisty election-style speech during a mainstreeting stop in Stratford Sunday.

He took aim at Prime Minister Stephen Harper over plans to change affirmative action programs in the public service sector and ridiculed the Conservative plan to do away with the long-form.

“I never thought in my political life in this country I’d have to defend knowledge, I’d have to defend information against a government that seems to want less of it, that prefers ignorance to knowledge,” Ignatieff said.

Righteously indignant sounds he. But the line “defend information against a government that seems to want less of it, that prefers ignorance to knowledge” does resonate with me. Unfortunately for M.I., I doubt if the Timmies crowd really gives a rat’s ass about knowledge. They prefer the Robot, who, in the words of someone I overheard on the bus last week “is at least doing something…”

Grrr… I hate that.

Meanwhile, back at the factory, the Chief Robot is nowhere to be seen – leaving his minions to to the dirty work for him. A bit cowardly, of course, but what does one expect from this guy anyway?

Any bets on how many times Clement says the words “jail-time”? I say 11. Any takers on the over/under?

The hearing today might be interesting as we may, just may get some of the truth out in the open. Especially the part about the experts not wanting anything to do with the ideologically-driven decision to shorten the form…

And here’s hoping the Grits pounce on this. But I’m not holding my breath.

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UPDATE

Yup, he’s running… it’s official.

In an election where there isn’t a single burning issue, the campaign will likely come down to a question of leadership, and leadership is personal.

“I hope it is about leadership because leadership is about getting things done,” O’Brien said. “If you want milquetoast and calmness and the chief of protocol, then you know who you can vote for.”

Yeah – I’d hate the Mayor to be calm… rather have him or her running around in a panic… that would get things done.

Municipal election season is underway.

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So Ottawa Mayor is holding a press conference today to announce his intention that he will fight for his Chains of Office again in this fall’s municipal elections.

I think I have been clear about where I stand with this guy… not really his biggest fan in spite of the fact that he is a fellow BBC adherent.

But I hope he runs! I’d never vote for him – haven’t decided yet who I will support as Mayor of Bytown – but he makes GREAT blog fodder! Between him and that nitwit at the head of the ATU, I have penned some of my fave posts!

Go Larry!

Oh, I’ll be attending the BOLO event at Irene’s next week. Come on out for an evening of laughter and good times!

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Did you know that this week is Kindness Week in Ottawa?

I didn’t either.

Over at kindottawa.ca, kindness is in the air! Hostilities have ceased! Flowers are blooming and hugs abound!
“Celebrating the kindness that exists and encouraging the kindness that can be.” that’s the motto.

There are even different levels of kindness. One can accept the challenge of a bronze, silver or gold level of kindness. Hmmmmm…. Sounds kinda Olympian… The kindness folks should watch out for the IOC police.

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Um. Apparently the kindness club hasn’t heard of spellcheck…

Kindness is being touted everyone – but only now am I noticing. The signs in the bus ask “what do you choose to do?” and have the catchy text lingo banner “choose 2bk.” Wow. That’ll inspire the teens!

All kidding aside, I guess it isn’t a bad idea for the city to encourage it’s citizenry to be kind. What with the great service we receive from city-provided services like OC Transpo, for example, we should be kinder to those ever so pleasant drivers! And why not hug a Councillor today? Or give a flower to the by-law dude who just plunked a $50 ticket on your windshield because you were 5 minutes late getting out of the dentist!

Hell ya! Kindness for all!

But what if I don’t feel like being kind today? I am kind of grumpy. I didn’t sleep well last night. I have another one of those post-concussion headaches. And my right knee’s meniscus is acting up. What will happen if I’m not kind at all… maybe even UNKIND??

What if I tell the surly bus driver to get a life? What if I kick my Councillor square in the butt? What if I grab that by-law guy by the throat and….

No, no no. I won’t do that. The website implies that those things would be wrong.

After all, the man behind this intiative has lofty goals:

As spiritual leader of the congregation Machzikei Hadas and a well-known community leader around Ottawa, Rabbi Bulka is often approached to lend his name, wisdom and support to many community causes. On more than one occasion, he has been asked to participate in activities against anti-Semitism and other initiatives aimed at fighting injustice and intolerance.  “All very important causes,” the rabbi thought, “but I’d rather fight FOR something POSITIVE, than be AGAINST something NEGATIVE.”

So he set about meeting with other community leaders all around the city and across all sectors, engaging them in this common dialogue: what if we could make Ottawa a kinder community? Would we need to spend so much time on anti-bullying, anti-racism, issues of mistrust, and other nasty stuff?

So the theory is that by concentrating on the positive rather than the negative in a sense of building up kindness “capital”, then the bad stuff will go away. Nice idea, and I’m sure that the Crips or the Bloods will totally buy into it…

Yet, I’ll try to be kind. I really will…

But Harper or one of his robots is SURE to do something this week that will piss me off! And I will likely be a bit unkind in my remarks! Should I postpone my unkindness to sometime after the 19th?????

Must be kind. Must be kind. Must be kind.

So be kind Ottawa!

Dammit!

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Here in Ottawa, the landslide of Mayoral wanna-be nomination papers has begun to swamp City electoral staff… so far there is a grand total of TWO declared candidates!  But Ottawa is Ottawa and we can expect a number of sincere and not-so-sincere candidates to step up to the plate before the cut-off date. Some will be eminently qualified, and some not so much.

And that is where I come into the picture.

It is true that I served for a term on a municipal council in a small community located in Central Ontario. It is also true that I ran (sigh, unsuccessfully) in a bygone General Election. But really, this is not Smallville, Ontario. And running in one major election campaign hardly qualifies me for such a high-profile and important post.

Or does it? Let me think about this for a sec… Hmmmm… maybe I am qualified…

OK – what would be the positives and negatives if I were to take a run at this – and (shucks) furthermore, what if I won?

Upside: I could give a little of myself back to the community that I have called home for the past 12+ years – the community that two of my three kids were born in.
Downside: Over the top way to “give back” Batman! I mean, I sit on the Board of my son’s daycare and I could do more – like volunteer at a soup kitchen or something – without having to go all über-giving-like!.

Upside: The money is good – about $160 K a year.
Downside: Yeah, but I already get paid quite well already and the extra money/extra work ratio would be off the chart.

Upside: I’d be in charge of one of Canada’s largest cities. The sense of power would be pretty cool.
Downside: The power would likely go to my head. I would lose my valued perspective and start decreeing every Sunday as The Simpsons Day in Ottawa And change the City’s logo to the silhouette of a bald guy with a goatee. I would also try to annex Montréal.

Upside: People would respect me more.
Downside: An equal number of people would hate me and want me dead. And besides, the people from whom I actually want respect already respect me. I think.

It’s pretty clear, I guess. The downsides outweigh the upsides even before I start to consider:

• I would have to take an unpaid, leave-of-absence from work for at least 6 months.

• I don’t have any beginnings of a politically-connected network in this city – ergo, no campaign funding

• I’m a relative newcomer to the City and some folks would frown at this.

• Campaigning means long hours. And I have a real hard time staying up past 10 pm!

All that being said, if anyone wants to drop about, oh, 50K on my lap as a gift to make up for lost salary (so my kids will be able to eat while I’m going door-to-door), offer to volunteer  as my full-time campaign organizer (it would help greatly if you already had a firm and obedient politically-connected network in place), and think that Trashy would do just fine as Ottawa’s Mayor, I’m ready to listen!

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Composting:

Small government and who-gives-a-crap-about-the-environment (often they go hand in paw) folks in Ottawa are all a-steaming about the roll out of the new curbside composting program which is being launched this week.

The complaints are as varied as there are pebbles on a beach. It costs too much. Composting isn’t effective. Why weren’t we consulted. I already have a compost bin in my backyard, so this is a waste of taxpayer dollars…

• Costs too much – at about 77 bucks per household, the start-up costs are far less than what is currently paid for recycling – which is far less beneficial, environmentally, than composting. Much of the operating costs of the program will be offset by compost sales. And program costs should fall slightly as time goes on and more see the program’s benefit by diverting from landfill what can be 40-50% of a household’s waste, by weight.
• Isn’t effective. Not only can a household divert much of the waste they generate from disposal, but there is a bigger impact from an environmental perspective. Less energy is required to transform organic materials into something useful – most of the work is done by micro-organisms. Dry material recycling takes energy to bind paper into bundles, crush cans and to sort our all of the materials. Composting works.
• Why weren’t we consulted? Um, you were.
• I already have a bin. This is a bit trickier. Yes, perhaps the City should have gone door to door asking residents if they already had a bin that they used. But the problem with this approach is that people move and the compost bin should stay with the dwelling. If I told the City in advance that I already composted, didn’t receive a bin, then sold my house to someone who didn’t want to backyard compost, then the new resident may be SOL… but still, yeah, the City might have been wise to do some advance scouting.

Bottom line is that composting – including curbside pick-up – is the best way to divert waste from landfill, aside from not generating it in the first place. And when landfill tipping fees increase dramatically over the next decade, Ottawa will look back at this initiative and say “Hey! we did something right! How about that!”

Tunnels:

Big surprise. Some are saying that the proposed tunnel under the Ottawa city core will run into cost overruns and engineering difficulties. And all this way before a single shovel has hit the pavement.

Well, duh! Of course there will be cost overruns and other problems! Can anyone honestly point me to a major engineering project that has NOT run into these glitches? Hell no!

Carry on – even though I’ll be dead and buried before I see this thing running!

Mayors:

Alex Cullen is the first candidate to declare his intention to run for the honour of being the Mayor of Ottawa.

According to the Shitizen, he promises to raise taxes, oppose Lansdowne Live, support a downtown transit tunnel, and stop the flow of sewage into the Ottawa River.

Run on raising taxes? Hell ya! Nice to see some honestly! Much of the infrastructure in this City is quickly deteriorating due to mayorlarry’s unrealistic promises to not raise taxes. Check out some of the ramps off the 174, the potholes downtown and the sad state of many of the City’s facilities

I especially like this quote:

Cullen criticized his expected opponent, O’Brien, as a “weak mayor” and said that O’Brien’s recent vow — to pre-emptively lock out O.C. Transpo workers if faced with the possibility of another winter strike — was “amazing, astonishing, and absolutely repugnant.”

Yeah, and mayorlarry himself  is amazing, astonishing, and absolutely repugnant!

Bring on the ballot boxes!

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Am I surprised to hear that there are some questions around mayorlarry’s company, Calian Technologies; the one on which he still serves as a member of the Board of Directors.

According to the MotherCorp:

Calian Technologies has seen the value of its contracts with the City of Ottawa skyrocket since the company’s founder was elected mayor in 2006.

Mayor Larry O’Brien still sits on the board of directors for Calian, which supplies technology staff to governments and corporations.

According to City of Ottawa records, the company received $1,837,175 in city contracts for technology staff in 2008 — up more than 10-fold from $167,250 in 2006.

Yes, he does declare a conflict whenever an issue comes up around the Council table that might involve his company, but c’mon, this is just a symbolic gesture. I remember that during my time as a municipal councillor, there were several times when I or one of my fellow Councillors would declare a conflict and leave the room during discussions. Great, but that would not have stopped any one of us from being involved in the discussions in an informal, off-the-record manner. I don’t think any of us ever did anything untoward, but the opportunity was certainly there.

Will mayorlarry be brought under some scrutiny for this – yes, probably. But will he lose his job before his term is up or be subject to a criminal investigation? No way. As was seen during the Kilrea trial, mayorlarry has many resources and knows many folks in this burg. And this will discourage anyone from launching anything serious.

We’re stuck with this joker for a while longer. I can only hope that the voters of this town remember this. And the Kilrea thing. And the transit strike. Etc.

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