Tomorrow is election day in Ottawa: we get to pick a new mayor and city council. This is the first time I’ve ever been undecided the day before the election. I’ve been busy moving and unpacking, and haven’t paid enough attention to what’s going on. Plus I moved to River Ward, so I’m not familiar with my candidates.
I was planning to vote for Alex Munter for mayor, but now I’m not so sure. My son says Munter’s blatantly misrepresenting statistics and facts in his campaign advertising on the buses. For example, his advertising states that Ottawa has the highest bus fares in Ontario (or was it Canada?). James says it’s simply not true: Ottawa has the highest cash fares, but only 5% of bus riders pay cash. Toronto bus passes cost over $100 compared to $72 in Ottawa, and higher ticket prices too. James also says that Munter’s advertising says Chiarelli wants to “rip out the O Train,” which is also blatantly deceptive. James says, “He’s already trying to deceive me and he’s not even in power yet. I just don’t trust him. He’s too much of a politician.”
James, who is a lefty at heart, is voting for Larry O’Brien, who I see as a right-wing candidate. My concerns about O’Brien are that his social policies seem aggressively slanted against the poor and disenfranchised. He wants to eliminate the crack kit program, and ‘streamline’ the organizations that provide services to the poor. He wants to “fully enforce” the Safe Streets Act, a piece of legislation designed to bully and control street people and hide them from the tourists. James says O’Brien sounds anti-poor on the surface, but he’s not. Done right, his approach could work.
In my ward, I was thinking of voting for Maria McRae for City Council, mainly because she’s a supporter of Christie Lake Camp, a summer camp and year-round recreation program for low-income kids. But in looking at her campaign literature, I see a strong emphasis on addressing crime through increased policing. My own emphasis would be crime prevention through social development – creating employment and recreational and social programs that provide legitimate alternatives to crime. So now I’m re-thinking my vote for councilor too.
So anyway, as part of my last-minute research, I’m throwing it out to you: I’m hoping a couple of you might tell me who you’re voting for, and why.
We’re in the same ward. How surprising! You must live further south than I thought.
I tend to support Maria. She’s been very reliable and responsive when you ask her a question or for help. On the other hand, she is pro LRT as the project stand now. Whereas I’m not certain about it. I would not have thought we need it and I think ripping out the O-train and selling it off for less than 10% of its original value is awfully wasteful. In looking for increased policing, she is trying to respond to the concerns of her constituents. The ward has a big variety of residents.
I agree with you in the concerns about O’Brien, and I suppose I’m somewhat leftist like your son. I believe in social development, but I believe that even the weakest, poorest citizens have to take responsibility for their own behaviour
I’m voting for Alex Munter essentially because of his history of working to marriage equal for all. I’m always going to vote for NDP leadership despite my deeply held mistrust of politicians – Munter may be too much of a politician already, but I’d rather have an NDP politician than a Conservative one. Larry O’Brien is inexperienced but he’ll quickly catch on to spouting political rhetoric effectively, I’m sure.
Go with your heart! I think you may end up where I am. Voting for Munter. I don’t believe that James is the only family member who is a lefty at heart (am I right?). This mayoral race is so close that every vote will count. In any case, I will see you 3 weeks from Thursday at Stuart’s when we can second guess the whys and wherefores of the results over a great meal. See you then.
Chiarelli’s plan for light rail calls for shutting down the existing O-Train and replacing it with buses for the duration of the construction project. That is, for several years.
I voted for Alex Munter in an advance poll. I think John is right: follow your heart.
I voted for Munter in the advance poll, too. The city needs a change and at least Munter has extensive experience. A city with O’Brien at the helm frightens me….his lack of any plan, for anything makes me extremely worried about our future…
But I mostly wanted to say, thanks for the intro to the more knitting sites. I’m addicted.
Thanks very much to all of you for responding – it’s helping. I’m leaning back towards Munter now, but I’m still not absolutely decided.
John, you’re right, I’m a lefty at heart.
Parasol: excellent points, and welcome to the blog.
Deb: You too! O’Brien’s vagueness worries me too.