I’m bringing a motion to Council today focusing on our citizen Advisory Committees and other volunteer bodies that advise Councillors on important issues.
The Council Governance report recommends staff review this, for the first time in 10 (or possibly 20) years. The current structure has existed since before amalgamation. The world is a very different place and our participatory processes should reflect our current reality...
I believe in citizen engagement. I believe that residents deserve to know how they are being listened to.
My motion has Councillors, not staff, take the lead on this review. It’s important to show that we value and respond to what the public has to say.
Aujourd’hui, je présente au Conseil une motion portant sur nos comités consultatifs de résidents et d’autres organismes bénévoles qui informent les conseillers et conseillères au sujet de questions importantes.
Le Rapport sur l’examen de la structure de gestion publique du Conseil recommande au personnel d’examiner cette question pour la première fois en 10 (ou peut-être 20) ans. La structure actuelle existe depuis avant la fusion. Le monde a beaucoup changé depuis et nos processus participatifs devraient refléter notre réalité actuelle.
Je crois en l’engagement des résidents. Je suis d’avis que les résidents méritent de savoir comment on les écoute.
Dans le cadre de ma motion, je propose que ce soit les conseillers et conseillères, et non les membres du personnel, qui dirigent cet examen. Il est important de montrer que nous accordons de la valeur à ce que le public a à dire et que nous y répondons.
Algonquin College has been hard hit financially on two fronts: an 11 year tuition freeze and a sharp reduction in the number of foreign student visas. Both of these factors have made Algonquin's finances untenable, and the college's response has been to cut some of their most successful programs:
Algonquin Centre for Construction Excellence (ACCE)
Sustainable Architectural Design
Horticultural Industries
Horticulture Techniques – Apprenticeship
Pembroke Campus (Pemb)
Business (Program still offered at the Ottawa Campus and AC Online)
Business Fundamentals (Program still offered at the Ottawa Campus and AC Online)
Computer Programming (Program still offered at the Ottawa Campus and AC Online)
Environmental Management and Assessment (Program still offered at the Ottawa Campus)
School of Advanced Technology (SAT)
Manufacturing Engineering Technician
Faculty of Arts and Media Design (FAMD)
Pathways to Indigenous Empowerment (New Indigenous Studies programs offered)
Applied Museum Studies
Design Foundations
General Arts and Science – Aboriginal (New Indigenous Studies programs offered)
Journalism
Music, Media and Film Foundations
General Arts and Science (except English for Academic Purposes)
Music Industry Arts
Illustration and Concept Art
School of Business and Hospitality (SOBH)
Bachelor of Culinary Arts & Food Science (Honours)
Bartending
Business Development and Sales
Hospitality – Hotel and Restaurant Operations Management
Tourism – Travel
Law Clerk
Event Management
Financial Services
Paralegal
School of Health Studies (SOHS)
Pre-Health Pathway to Certificates and Diplomas
Pre-Health Pathway to Advanced Diplomas and Degrees (Program still offered at our Pembroke Campus)
School of Wellness, Public Safety & Community Studies (SWPSCS)
Recreation and Leisure Services
Fitness and Health Promotion (Program still offered through AC Online)
A year before I was elected, the derecho changed everything. Thousands of trees downed, telephone poles and wires destroyed, and days without electricity for many residents. And then, after I was elected, we had an ice storm that again took down branches and took out hydro.
For a while, it seemed like we couldn't go a month without brown-outs and black-outs. And I raised questions to Ottawa Hydro. Why hasn't tree trimming been done? Why isn't the Bells Corners Substation complete and online? What can we do to make our electricity supply more reliable?
Hydro Ottawa answered. The Bells Corners substation was completed and is now online, helping with reliability for thousands of homes. Tree trimming has become a regular activity. And the number of blackouts in College Ward has been sharply reduced. Hydro Ottawa recently provided me with a slide deck to show what's changed. I hope you'll take a look.
Whitmore/Cline/Sherman Infrastructure Renewal: a Q&A
Much of Nepean’s infrastructure, including roads, sewer pipes, and drinking water lines, was built in the 1950s and 60s. As it gets older, the City routinely checks the condition of the sewer and water pipes and makes plans to replace them.
When that work is planned, the City also redesigns the road itself, since it has to be ripped up anyway. City policy is that, wherever possible, the new road must be built to a slower speed limit (30 km/h for residential neighbourhoods), with sidewalks.
Recently, I’ve received several questions from residents along Whitmore, Cline, and Sherman about these policies and the upcoming infrastructure renewal project. I thought it might be helpful to offer a Q&A to help set the facts straight: