Embattled city councillor Rick Chiarelli not seeking re-election
Embattled long-time Ottawa city councillor Rick Chiarelli will not be seeking re-election this fall.
Chiarelli did not register to run for a new term in College Ward ahead of the 2 p.m. deadline Friday for candidates to register for the October municipal election.
The former Nepean councillor has been a city of Ottawa councillor since amalgamation, serving Baseline Ward and College Ward. Chiarelli was first elected to office in the 1980s, the youngest person ever elected to council in Nepean.
During this term of office, Chiarelli was found to have violated the city's Code of Conduct for elected officials following two investigations by the integrity commissioner into alleged inappropriate conduct towards staff members and women applying for jobs in his office.
In December 2019, Chiarelli underwent open-heart surgery at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. He was readmitted to hospital due to a serious bacterial infection in his chest in January 2020.
Mayor Jim Watson reacted to news of Chiarelli not seeking re-election Friday afternoon, saying "good riddance."
"He brought shame to City Hall and to the city of Ottawa, became a national story, his vulgar and disgraceful behaviour towards women, the Integrity Commissioner's report speaks for itself," Watson told Newstalk 580 CFRA's Ottawa Now with Kristy Cameron.
"It's laughable that he thinks he could win the election. Who in their right mind would support someone who's behaved so poorly over the course of the last several years."
Chiarelli will be eligible for a "transition allowance" of one month's pay for each consecutive year of service, up to a maximum of six months. The severance package is offered to all elected officials who decide not to seek re-election or are defeated on Election Day.
Chiarelli will receive $55,555 transition pay for his service.
Mayor candidate Mark Sutcliffe called on Chiarelli to either turn down the severance package or donate it to a charity.
"@Rick_Chiarelli - given you violated the city's code of conduct, you should turn down the $55,000 severance package you're eligible to receive. Better yet, donate it to a charity that supports vulnerable women," Sutcliffe said.
There are five candidates on the ballot in College Ward: Laine Johnson, Granda Kopytko, Wendy Davidson, Pat McGarry and Delvas Vilteau.
Johnson released a statement after the 2 p.m. deadline for candidates to register, saying Chiarelli's decision not to seek re-election means College Ward can "move forward with a new positive, hopeful direction."
"I am pleased that this election will no longer be a referendum on the scandals of the current City Councillor, but that we can focus on the many issues that have been coming up at the doors," Johnson said.
Chiarelli's decision not to seek office means there will be at least 12 new elected members on Ottawa City Council for the four year term. Nine councillors are not seeking re-election, Somerset Coun. Catherine McKenney is running for mayor, and a 24th ward is being added to council for the new term.
Watson is also not seeking re-election, following three terms as mayor of Canada's capital.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Explosion at train station leads to discovery of stolen car on Montreal's South Shore: police
Police are investigating after a BMW exploded in the St-Lambert Exo train station parking lot on Montreal's South Shore.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
There's progress reported in Gaza truce talks, but Israel downplays chances of ending war with Hamas
A delegation of the Palestinian militant group Hamas was in Cairo on Saturday as Egyptian state media reported "noticeable progress" in cease-fire talks with Israel, though an Israeli official downplayed the prospects for a full end to the war in Gaza.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
A candidate for Germany's key party was beaten up while campaigning for European elections
A candidate for Chancellor Olaf Scholz's center-left party in next month's election for the European Parliament was beaten up and seriously injured while campaigning in an eastern city, the party said Saturday.