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.
Recent media reports have highlighted the Ottawa Auditor General’s findings that describe the redirection of red-light camera revenue since 2019 to the City’s general revenues and to the Ottawa Police Service.
I have to say I’m feeling disappointed that we repeated this same decision-making, despite my best efforts, even as recently as four months ago.
I spoke out during the 2025 budget deliberations in December because we voted again to redirect revenue from road safety measures, this time from automated speed enforcement (ASE) revenues, collected now and moving forward.
That’s right. This isn’t just a 2019 decision under the last term of Council: this Council voted to make the same decision in 2024!
On March 31, 2025 the City of Ottawa launched the consultation on the Transportation Master Plan (TMP) Capital Infrastructure Plan, and we want to hear from you! Have your say on the future of transportation in Ottawa and share your input by completing the online surveys available on the Transportation Master Plan project page.
The draft Capital Infrastructure Plan identifies the transit and road projects that are needed to accommodate planned growth to the year 2046 and achieve the City’s mobility objectives. It also identifies a subset of projects that should be prioritized for implementation. This phase of TMP consultation also includes prioritization of the active transportation projects that were approved by Council in April 2023.
Ottawa has grown into a city of one million residents. Over the next two decades, Ottawa will gain approximately 400,000 new residents and 160,000 new jobs. With that kind of growth, we need to plan for a flexible, dependable, safe and efficient transportation network.
Get involved!
Surveys will be open until May 12. To participate and learn more, visit the Transportation Master Plan project page.
Your input matters! Transportation decisions impact everyone, no matter how you move through the city.
On March 26, 2025, I will table a motion at Council which calls on the federal government to ban Nazi symbols.
College Ward is home to Ottawa’s largest Jewish community and we have seen a sharp rise in antisemitism here. Groups and individuals now brashly displaying this terrible symbol of hate on their vehicles, clothing, and signs.
18 countries have banned this symbol and I believe it is time for Canadians to do so as well.
I have been working with B'nai Brith Canada, who currently have a campaign to encourage the federal government to ban Nazi symbols such as the Nazi hooked cross (Hakenkreuz). It is sometimes called a swastika, which is a Sanskrit word we're not using out of respect to the Hindu community, where this has been an ancient holy symbol for hundreds of years.
My motion, which Mayor Sutcliffe has kindly seconded, calls on Council to write to the federal government in support of B'nai Brith Canada's campaign. It also calls on the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (where I'm a member of the National Board of Directors) to consider a similar motion.
I expect the motion to be debated and voted on at the following Council meeting on April 16, 2025.
Countries where Nazi symbols are banned
Non-governmental organizations that support the ban
Canadian jurisdictions that have endorsed the B’nai Brith Canada campaign to ban Nazi symbols
Province of Saskatchewan
Region of Durham
City of Pickering
Town of Whitby