Meet the candidates in Ward 17 – Capital

Capital

There are three candidates running for councillor in Capital ward, including incumbent Shawn Menard.  The ward includes the Glebe, Old Ottawa East, Old Ottawa South and the area around Carleton University.

• 2018 municipal election voter turnout: 52.13 per cent
• Projected 2022 population: 42,091
• Projected 2026 population: 43,115

CTV News Ottawa invited all registered candidates to answer a questionnaire and submit a video introducing themselves to voters. (Some candidates submitted the requested 280 characters to describe their platform, while others submitted 280 words – CTVNewsOttawa.ca accepted both).

Rebecca Bromwich

Political experience:

Professional experience:

How long have you lived in Ottawa?

Favourite Ottawa location/landmark?

Describe your platform in 280 words or fewer:   (Editor's note: The first 302 words of the document follow)

I am running for Ward 17 (Capital Ward) Councillor because I want to help the heart of the city of Ottawa not just survive but thrive. What I am hearing at the doors in our Ward is that people are tired, people are looking to build a renewed, restored Ottawa as we emerge from the pandemic. Businesses, families, people in the community are all looking to revive in new ways as we build up Ottawa.  That is my mission for Capital Ward: that we all thrive.

The past term of Council was marked by combativeness and dysfunction. The acrimony and fighting between factions within City Council is understandable given the Wards’ different interests but it also took energy and got in the way of effective results.  We are one city. When Heron Park and Old Ottawa East lack infrastructure, and where the Glebe and Old Ottawa South have community facilities but need support to expand community programming, we are all invested in improving community resources, across the city.  We need better, more reliable transit. No more ghost buses.

Seeing this dysfunction via Zoom by watching City Council meetings, I realized my training in mediation, negotiation and conflict resolution positions me well to bring value and creative problem solving to the Council table.  As a mediator and a Carleton adjunct professor, teaching conflict resolution at Sprott School of Business, I have understandings and experience helping people solve complex problems so everyone wins. With my twenty year career as a lawyer working in litigation and then in law firm management, I have significant experience with negotiation. I have seen the benefits of growing the pie rather than seeking to simply divide it, creating value in addition to claiming it, and moving parties away from entrenched positions to finding common ground based on shared interests.

Shawn Menard 

Political experience:

• Former Public School Board Trustee, Capital and Rideau-Vanier Wards
• Past Vice-Chair Pedestrian and Transit Advisory Committee, City of Ottawa
• Current City Councillor for Capital Ward

Professional experience: 

• Small Business Owner
• Federal Government Public Servant, Department of Justice Canada
• Manager, Government Relations, Federation of Canadian Municipalities

How long have you lived in Ottawa? 40 years

Favourite Ottawa location/landmark?  Windsor Park, a hidden gem beautiful park in Ottawa

Describe your platform in 280 words or fewer:

• Ensure quality of life improvements with affordable housing and corporate developer subsidies reined in.
• That we act on climate change by preserving tree canopy, retrofitting our buildings and transform our streets for more active transportation.
• Extend pool times and public washroom availability.

Daniel Rogers

No response from candidate