Meet the candidates in Ward 18 – Alta Vista

Alta Vista

There are four candidates running for councillor in the ward of Alta Vista. Incumbent Jean Cloutier has announced he will not be seeking re-election in the ward.  The ward of Alta Vista includes Alta Vita neighbourhood, Ridgemont and the area around the Ottawa Hospital General Campus and CHEO.

• 2018 municipal election voter turnout: 41.73 per cent
• Projected 2022 population: 47,938
• Projected 2026 population: 48,561

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).

Marty Carr

Political experience: As president of the community association for close to four years, have extensive experience delegating to city committees and as a public service director have had experience working with Ministers and their staff. 

Professional experience: Director in the Federal Public Service, 22 years of Federal government experience, 16 of which has been in a management role

How long have you lived in Ottawa? 23 years

Favourite Ottawa location/landmark?  Along the Rideau River

Describe your platform in 280 words or fewer: I have made 12 specific, measurable and doable commitments at martycarr.ca that are structured around four priority areas. These include improvements to local transit and active transportation connectivity, as well as a ward-wide approach to temporary traffic measures. I will also work to restore our tree canopy, improve food security and make sure our residents have suitable recreational facilities. I have also committed to ongoing and active engagement with all residents in the community through increased councillor presence as the City undertakes a Zoning Review and develops an updated Transportation Master Plan. 

Carolyn Kropp

Political experience: Supported and participated in community level advocacy work on Boards and organizations for the past 30 years in the community

Professional experience:  6+ years working and managing a community office for the MPP of Ottawa South which contains Alta Vista Ward. 20+ years volunteering in the community and leading grassroots organizations such as school councils, a nursery school board, an Indigenous/non-Indigenous not for profit as well as being on the Perley Foundation Board.

How long have you lived in Ottawa? Born and raised in Alta VIsta Ward and continue to live in the ward while raising our 4 children.

Favourite Ottawa location/landmark? The Rideau Canal. I played Colonel John By in my 6th Grade play (the lead) and I know the history of the Canal. I love skating on it in the winter, biking and running along it in 3 other seasons. I've even swam in it for a triathlon (Dow's Lake) and kayaked it. There's a reason it's a UNESCO World Heritage site. It's one of Ottawa's jewels. I also love the lock system along its full length and remember as a child when you could visit each lock station and get a passport booklet stamped at each lock all the way into Kingston.

Describe your platform in 280 words or fewer:

I am a lifelong resident of Alta Vista ward and my husband and I are raising our 4 children here. I have led many grassroots and Alta Vista focused volunteer organizations over the past 20 years.

My priorities:

• I will commit to open a community office.
• I will ensure fiscal responsibility and progressive policies are at the heart of my decision making. 
• I will work collaboratively with Council and City staff. 

I am continuously talking to residents, listening to their concerns and identifying possible solutions. These many conversations have formed the basis of my vision for a safe, prosperous, and thriving community. 

I will pursue innovative urban planning approaches and defend community needs through all stages of a project proposal to ensure community interests are always put first.  

I will actively help tackle the climate emergency and champion increasing our tree canopy, energy retrofits, and recycling and waste reduction initiatives. I will push for investments in road repairs, balance the needs of drivers and cyclists, and advocate for solutions that put safety first.  

Council needs to rebuild trust in our transit systems. I will work hard to ensure our residents benefit from a reliable and well functioning transit system.  

I will safeguard our essential services, and advocate for our hard working first responders. 

I will continue to work with frontline organizations and individuals to find solutions to the root causes of our City’s problems and find ways to sustain progress. 

I care deeply about our community. Alta Vista deserves a Councillor who knows its past and can see its future and is willing to work hard and collaboratively in the present to get us there. I am that person.

Bob Perkins  

Political experience: No Political Experience.  I have been the President of three Ottawa Community Associations (Board of Directors of 4 Community Associations), President of two local Business Associations)

Professional experience:  I have been an Advisor in Commercial Real Estate for over 30 years having participated in over 40 projects in Ottawa as well as advising 10+ Municipalities across Canada.  I have participated in the last four official plans for the city of Ottawa as well as being an advisor to numerous tasks forces and advisory committees from the City of Ottawa.  Was a member of Ottawa Community Housing Board of Director Committee for three years.

How long have you lived in Ottawa?  56 years. I have spent 41 years living as a resident in Alta Vista.

What's your favourite Ottawa landmark?

Too many favourites to pick just one. I give Ottawa bicycle tours to residents and visitors during the summer and our city has so many landmarks which are remarkable. If I had to pick one it would be a tie between Rideau Hall grounds and the Cancer Survivors Park.

Describe your platform in 280 words or fewer:

Public Safety – A material increase in crime has occurred and needs to be addressed/solved  - localized crime has increased substantially and needs a plan to address.  I have a 4 point action plan to address this important item.

A Proactive approach to Growth/Development - Alta Vista has been identify under the new official plan with aggressive growth "targets". We need to have the most experienced advocate in place to execute a proactive plan to help manage this growth so that it is building in a manner and in areas which is least disruptive to the character of the neighbourhood.

The fair provision of City services- ensure that Alta Vista is getting it's value for money for all City Services.  This includes policing and road/transportation infrastructure. 

For City wide (including Alta Vista)

Reliable/affordable public transit - LRT has not proven itself a accretive to the City yet and we must have better more accessible public transit.

Affordable housing - The waiting list of 10,000 has been in place for decades, we need to have more available to those in need and protect those units which are currently in place.

Affordability of living - Residents are being hit with higher taxes, higher costs of accommodation, inflation for basic goods.  As a City we must look for curbing cost for those services which are available through the City.   A decrease in the overall City budget should be the goal and not an automatic increase. 

We need to work harder to ensure we are providing the best/most affordable services to residents.  Value for money!

Angelo Gino Scaffidi

Political experience:

Professional experience:

How long have you lived in Ottawa? 

Favourite Ottawa location/landmark?

Describe your platform in 280 words or fewer:

As an elected councillor for Alta Vista Ward 18, I plan on carrying forward constituent concerns and issues that have emerged in 2020.

In the context of a private citizen, I’ve engaged in "deep dive" research with respect to municipal, provincial and federally established guidelines designed to protect the rights and interests of our tax paying constituents.

Research and analysis reveal systemic gaps and inefficiencies in decision-making processes that have led to consequences negatively affecting the taxpayer.

As your councillor, I will be resolute in standing for the concerns of the majority and object to decision-making processes that override issues and concerns of the constituent majority.

Decision making authorities must remain vigilant of any decisions that may lead to the inequitable treatment of our taxpayers.

Elected officials must ensure that decisions are exercised with equitable proportionality, absent of favour to any one group of citizens and disadvantaging others.

Failures in achieving these objectives only lead to creating "tribalism" and unwittingly plants seed of dissent among our citizens.

For example, a recent article ….

"We might not have bought here if we had known the LRT would be in our front yard. Nobody knew how bad this was going to be."

The taxpayer is entitled to fair and just treatment. It is incumbent on elected officials to dedicate efforts in ensuring that this outcome is achieved.

I will stand for Transparency, Accountability, Democratic Principles

These are essential elements required in the continuing development and evolution of one of the finest Cities on our planet.

Without Transparency, Accountability, Democratic Principles as essential active elements in free democratic processes, the social system ends up in a place best described and articulated by Frederick Douglas ….

 

"Find out just what a people will quietly submit to, and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them, and these will continue till they are resisted."