OTTAWA -- Councillor Catherine McKenney says “once again the urban core is shut out” of major roles on committees at Ottawa City Hall.
McKenney made the comment after the Finance and Economic Development Committee and Nominating Committee recommended Councillors to fill vacancies on city committees and boards.
Among the changes:
- Innes Ward Councillor Laura Dudas was nominated for vice-chair of the Finance and Economic Development Committee.
- Stittsville Councillor Glen Gower was nominated as Member at-large of the Finance and Economic Development Committee and Vice Chair of the Planning Committee.
- Orleans Councillor Matthew Luloff was nominated for Chair of the Ottawa Public Library Board.
Council will consider the nominations at its meeting on Feb. 26.
The committee met one week after Council approved Tim Tierney’s move to chair of the Transportation Committee. That decision prompted Councillor Shawn Menard to criticize the “Watson Club” for picking Tierney to chair the committee over current vice chair Jeff Leiper.
Earlier this week, Councillors McKenney, Menard, Jeff Leiper, Mathieu Fleury and Rawlson King issued a letter from the “urban Councillors”, requesting proper representation on Council committees.
In the letter, the Councillors said “the City of Ottawa’s urban Councillors – and by extension, the residents we represent” have been locked out of key positions within City Council. This lack of representation is more acutely manifested in the current make-up of the Finance and Economic Development Committee.”
The urban Councillors recommended McKenney be named as the at-large member of the Finance and Economic Development Committee, move Leiper to vice chair of the Planning Committee and add Menard to the Planning Committee.
On Friday, Councillor McKenney said “once again the urban core is shut out” of the committees, adding “it is disappointing for residents” that Leiper was not named vice chair of the Planning Committee.
