Bay: Kavanagh — I'll take a climate lens to all City of Ottawa policies

Ottawa council has been through a rough term — but it has also had significant successes. I believe in a positive future for this city.

The Citizen invited candidates in the Oct. 24 municipal election to share their thoughts:

I am running for re-election in Bay Ward and yes, I admit there have been challenges during the past four years that were not forecast, and were enough to turn anyone off municipal politics.

In 2018, I had a pretty good idea of what I was getting myself into, including upcoming Stage 2 LRT construction and development issues. However, this past term has brought forward issues that were not anticipated, including a pandemic; severe weather such as floods and a derecho;  seeing the investigation of a councillor for inappropriate requests to their staff of a sexual nature; and a truck convoy occupying our downtown.

There has been the disheartening challenge of palpable tension at the council table that went beyond a difference of opinion. What evolved at council was disrespect. I felt like I was part of a dysfunctional family. The animosity to each other left residents across Ottawa losing confidence in city council. No one expects 24 elected officials to agree all the time but they expect them to work together and move forward on behalf of city residents. Most of the time, they do work together yet the reputation of council remains marred.

Throughout my term, my own philosophy is to put an emphasis on collaborating and finding solutions to keep the lines of communication open. No solution is perfect but we need to reach out to each other. I would continue to emphasize this approach in a new council.

There have been many positive moments, such as working together on passing motions to make affordable housing and climate change action priorities for our city. Council came together to craft a new Official Plan to make our city more walkable and livable, with the goal of 15-minute neighbourhoods throughout our city.

It’s one thing to write a plan and another to put this vision into action. I am committed to look at all we do through a climate lens, that is, to ensure we are working to fulfil our goal to reduce greenhouse gases. This includes having reliable, affordable transit and an improved cycling network.

I was proud to be a board member of Ottawa Public Health as Dr. Vera Etches got us through the unknowns of a pandemic to keep us up to date on what to do and eventually to help us get vaccinations. It has also been my privilege to be the first City Council Liaison on Women and Gender Equity and to oversee a direction that will bring equity to our services and our internal functions as a city. These are the priorities that make me want to run again.

I am excited at the prospect of continuing to make our city a better place and believe in a positive future. Bumps along the road and even potholes will happen but there is a lot of satisfaction in working to make communities wonderful places to live, play and work.

— Theresa Kavanagh, candidate for re-election as Bay Ward councillor; council Liaison on Women and Gender Equity.