Which "Party" Did You Party With?

MUNTER and his socialist crew got together tonight for a campaign launch (or as they call it, a sit in right?) at ultra-chic The Mercury Lounge. KILREA and his more conservative friends gathered at The Ottawa Congress Centre for a few casual cocktails as well. And with these two parties the race for the mayoral seat is underway. What is still missing is for incumbent CHIARELLI to give any real indication that he is actually trying to retain his seat as Mayor of Ottawa.

Yes, The Hall Monitor has learnt that Bob is getting ready to launch with a new campaign team/co-chair (more on that to follow at a later date....not such a great choice to get someone on board who may have a few skeletons in their Liberal closet), and a platform. But as February draws to a close and November 2006 gets one month closer, the relative reactive approach that Bob and his "team" continue to play is not only becoming boring, but it is leading to his defeat.

Doesn't Look Like A Mayoral Run

Deans.ca, sure deosn't have that "I'm going to run for the top job" look to it. But then again, neither does Bob's. I hope we get a race here soon, a Munter lead City of Ottawa has all the makings of a Bob Rae Ontario.

I Know How To Solve The Problem...Have a Convention

So the historic plan to expand the Ottawa Congress Ctr. has officialy gone to the recycle bin. Not such great news for Ottawa business, but the reality of this decade(s) long plan is that to many interest groups with different intersts could not get all their common goals in one easy to present basket. And so, we the capital of Canada are now left back at square one, with very little convention space. Should we be proud? No. Upset? No. Surprised? Without a doubt NO.

So what should we do? My response, leave it to Quebec...in recent years they have been impressive in filling the gaps that Ottawa political and business leaders have left untapped. Casino...nice and profitable...Casino with big Hotel and convention center....cash cow. Until the leaders on this side of the river can learn to get their collective acts in gear, Gatineau will be the entertainment capital of The National Capital Region.

Enough Already

Will someone, anyone, fire our head librarian. Barbara CLUBB continues to show her lack of respect for public tax dollars, while managing at the same time to tarnish the image of The Ottawa Public Library. Granted, some of these comments were no doubt taken out of context, however the base idea of trying to deny access to how a public account is spent is a cause for public anger and disgust.

It's time to "check" Barbara CLUBB out of the head librarians chair. Why not share your thoughts on this issue by dropping CLUBB a line, and as a courtesy to Royal GALIPEAU add him on as a cc.

Accept My Resume

Please accept this as my formal interest for the position of "openess commish" within The City of Ottawa. I'm not quite sure who is advising DEANS to promote these "ideas", but I think it would be wise for her to pull a Harper and replace whom ever it is. We know you aren't running for mayor (see previous posts at bottom), but at this rate you'll have a hard time retaining your current council seat.

Monorail, Monorail, Monorail...Everybody Now...Monorail

Watching City Council on Rogers 22 today (yes, I am the one of three in this city that does), and it occurred to me that the Ottawa light rail project has quickly developed into an episode of The Simpsons titled Monorail. For those of you not familiar with this particular episode, the town of Springfield invests in a "state of the art" rail line which eventually turns out to be both an economic and safety flop.

I have never been a huge fan or supporter of this legacy building project. Our Transitway system is known around the world as one of the best. For this reason I cannot comprehend or believe that our brilliant elected officials are planning to virtually abandon it and build this choo-choo train across the better part of the city (over the next couple decades). It simply does not make sense, both economically or politically. Budgets will no doubt surpass what is being forecast, ridership will be lower than projected, and the long term commitment needed for a "success" will not materialize with obvious shifts in political leadership.

Getting back to city council today, what left me shaking my head was a lovely soliloquy by the always poetic DOUCET. DOUCET was arguing that the light rail project should have been studied to run on Diesel fuel rather than the proposed electric idea. DOUCET was arguing for DIESEL(that's the stuff that most cars run on right?)...it is clear that this project is going to cost you lots of money (tax hikes) and produce amusing theatrics at City Hall over the not so distant future.

Is The Rain Joining The Dark Side?

Corp Services Feb 21, 2006 Agenda, The debate on the Spain trip continued today(not only wasting time, but also your tax dollars...unlike this trip). I still contend that this is a non-issue, but regardless some of the regular "better than the rest of you" councillors decided to bring it to a vote today. Not surpising, the left leaning block voted against the trip, but what was shocking was that Innes Ward Councillor BLOESS voted with them. Could it be that BLOESS is turning to the dark side?

By the way for those of you interested, this will no doubt be raised on Wed at full council, the agenda is right here. Hopefully, the majority of those around the council table will realize that this is a non-issue and move on with real issues facing our city.

Cut Backs? OR Cut Forwards?

The Cut Backs of $10 M propsed by The City of Ottawa are a great start in my opinion. Quite frankly, this city is spending beyond it's means. I like others would rather avoid cuts to bus service, beaches, and client service centers but we as a collective city need to face our financial reality.

Infact, I think this should be the tip of the iceberg in terms of reducing programs. There are numerous "fat" and unneeded programs that this city is currently funding while core programs such as snow removal fall to the way side.

Not suprisingly, the regular chorus of socialist leaning councillors are publicly playing the "not on my watch" card. Realistically, these are the councillors that residents should be looking ( and actively campaigning against) to replace in Nov. 2006. Their constant complaints, and crying when any prospect of cutting a project is tabled by city staff not only shows their incompetence, but more importantly shows that they are in need of a new career.

Trying Hard To Shake The Left, But Not Hard Enough

MUNTER is trying to quash all fears that with him in the mayor's seat that the City Of Ottawa won't go broke. He has surrounded himself with prominent ex-conservatives, an expensive communications team, but the true hidden agenda lies in those that aren't being publicly advertised. A quick search of CanReg SEARCH-->(http://www.alexmunter.ca/) <-- reveals who the domain of MUNTER's website is registered too, PBleyer. Hmmmm...begins to raise thoughts on who is actually supporting this candidacy. You simply cannot have it both ways, you're either for more social spending or you're not. Make up your mind and stop playing these political shell games.

Now Time To Sue

Honest Harder, now the real fun should begin for Harder et. all; finding the source which started this circus and suing for libel. Word of advice to the daily publishing this story; do some homework before you publish material not suitable for The National Enquirer.

Please Get off The Graffiti

Bob To Babble, give me a break...are you being serious? Are the taxpayers of Ottawa actually going to pay for you to spend your days travelling to schools and dropping such informative lines as; "It will also let the kids know graffiti isn't a funny thing," Monette said. "It's an expensive thing." Fast forward 20 years to today, you are targeting the wrong audience. The children you will be speaking to are the converted. The people spray painting these "tags" on public property are out of school (by choice or by age). You are wasting your time and our money doing this. Please on behalf of ratepayers in Ottawa and for those of you in Orléans....find a new priority, possibly a "balanced 2007 budget"? If this is going to be your legacy, I urge all interested parties to pay their $100.00 and campaign against what I would call a wasted seat at the council table.

As for your graffiti problem, here I'll solve it in three simple steps:
i) Hire more front line police
ii) Lobby the federal government to enact tougher legislation against crimes against property
iii) Donate a portion of your office budget to the program to eradicate graffiti already in place

Just an idea, Bob.

So Councillor HARDER and some city staff are heading off to Spain to preview a waste facility plant. The trip is being paid for by the company which has already won the tender to build at The Trail Rd. site. My question is; who cares? All inclusive packages starting at , well not suprisingly the usual suspects such as CULLEN and soon to be councillor candidate, DEAN's do. They just can't believe that HARDER would accept a trip to tour a plant in another country, in another continent on non-taxpayer dollars (obviously the taxpayer's should have paid for it instead because that's the best way).

"I think it's about the perception,"DEANS stated....hmmmm ok go on next. "It's a whole issue of public integrity," CULLEN said. "I'm amazed and appalled"....right and that means the world coming from you. It's funny, the same folks are always telling others to take the high road. Maybe someone should check to see how high their roads really are.

Go on the trip, it's your job and it's your responsibility to know what is being built in the ward you represent. That's the job of a city councillor, and it's obvious that some of your colleagues still haven't read or understood their job description. Instead they are to busy working to increase their public profile.

Swinging From The Right

Mayoral Race 2006, good point....hopefully though they aren't implying Walter ROBINSON go for the top job. If the so called "right" is to have any shot at the mayor's seat they need to run someone who can appeal to the residents in all corners. In addition this candidate must have some political experience. To hand the mayor's seat to a political newbie/wannabe is not a wise financial move for the City of Ottawa.

Oh yeah and this is quite funny, The Kanata Taxfighter, MUNTER has a nice and expensive communications team on his side, but does he truly believe that people will believe that he is a "taxfighter"? His opponents are going to have a field day reading through old committee minutes, I would suggest paying close attention to his days on the HRSS (Health, Recreation and Social Services) as proof that Ottawa will be bankrupt with his hidden social planning agenda.

Munter To Run For Mayor

If you want a dramatic shift to the LEFT in the way the City of Ottawa is run then Alex MUNTER is your choice. Quite simply the City of Ottawa cannot afford to have MUNTER at the top. His policies will no doubt leave the city in a worse financial situation then it already is. My prediction for a winner in Nov. '06 is still with Bob.

Take a look at MUNTER's ideas and it is clear that The City of Ottawa will be in deep financial trouble with him at the helm. If there was ever a time in Ottawa to get involved in municipal politics, now is that time. MUNTER and the slew of candidates that he is said to be running will bring this city to it's economic knees.

Sun-MUNTER, pay close attention to the last three lines. DEANS, is she still running for mayor, or is she going to be supporting the MUNTER campaign. I'm not involved in organized gambling, but my prediction is that DEANS will be sporting a MUNTER 4 MAYOR shirt in a few short weeks.

P.S. If he wins I move beyond the city boundaries.

Housing, worth a read, and a good thinking as well.....

Blame the New Drivers

Blame. Only in Ottawa would a study be conducted to determine if driver experience played a role of buses not moving on ice. The real blame lies on the city staff that purchased these new buses. It's clear that they didn't consult with drivers and mechanics before purchasing these new 'state of the art' buses, and that's why they should only be blaming themselves.

The Sign Says

Sign Here-> , Let's not limit it just to a particular little area in one ward. Instead let's ban ALL portable signs from East to West, North to South. They are an eyesore and traffic hazard on most streets in Ottawa. You sure can tell when it's an election year....

Payback might be a B*^%^H!

Bet the person(s) who sent that annonymous e-mail against Harder weren't planning for this reaction Harder Hits Back. Sources tell me that political opponents are trying to distance themselves as far away as possible from this e-mail story. Do we believe she'll pursue legal action against the person(s) who sent this? YES. Do we think they will be exposed? OH YEAH. Finally, will she win again in November...NO DOUBT. This is just another example of some political partisian hack(s) trying to manipulate city hall.

Feb 8, 2006 Agenda

Feb 8, 2006, On the Agenda today. Time to see what the new guy will offer to city council.

All You Need is An E-mail Address?

123@whatever.com. If I read this correctly an e-mail from an unidentified source is making these "claims"? Guess I should get to work and create some e-mail addresses, I'm sure we all have some "claims".

Ottawa's Little (BIG) Secret

Do we not live in a democracy? Does the public (taxpayers at the very least) deserve to know what their money is being spent on, SSSSSSSSHHHHH? This is utter nonsense, we are talking 725 M$ that you and I do not get to know where is going...of course until it's spent.

725 MILLION OF YOUR TAX DOLLARS...DON'T YOU DESERVE TO KNOW?

Concert Hall or Maintain The Line on YOUR TAXES

Money in your pocket, or another lavish spend-a-thon which will more than likely go over budget, Do Re Mi Fa $6.1 M from City Hall, were we not just trying to balance a budget a few short weeks ago?

Letter; my response: The City of Ottawa has a need for this money in so many other areas. If you want a concert hall raise all the capital, the municipality should NOT fund this venture.

Me, Myself and I

Can someone please relay to the new guy to stop pretending that he is in a Seinfeld episode, Maestro. Refering to yourself in the first person isn't funny, it just sounds downright absurd. We know you're the "same as 1985"....that's why ratepayers should be worried (P.S. it's 2006)

Time To Stamp Out The Roaches

Congrats to Coun. McRae in her effort to exterminate tenants who aren't playing by the rules set out by OCHC, Roaches. It's about time that someone stood up and instead of pandering to those that fail to abide by the regulations set upon them, started to talk about stamping out the real problem.

Opportunity Knocks...A Second Time?

So......Mayoral Race. A challenge? Hardly, those pushing Robinson to run should not forget that in 2004 he was unable to secure a seat as MP in an area of town considered to be one of the hardest for Chiarelli to win.

Canadian Federal Election 2004 Results
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal:Marc GODBOUT
26,383
Conservative: Walter ROBINSON
23,655

(That's a 2728 vote difference for those of you without a calculator handy)

Good article for raising the prospect of Chiarelli having a challenger, but bottom line is Robinson is not a threat to the incumbent Mayor; The Incumbent.

1 of 4

1/4 to be broken
Nice election promise, but in reality all parties agree that it just won't fly.
Promise one of four soon to be abandoned.
By the way for your information a nifty project to reduce crime already exists:
Neighbourhood Watch