Another week, another Bay Ward candidate
It was only 12 short days ago that I mused about Ward 7 in Ottawa following the lead of Ward 7 in Toronto (What’s up with Bay Ward?). The story is about where an incumbent decides to run for mayor but then when it doesn’t look likely they can win, he jumps back into the ward race. I was half kidding when I wrote that because I believed that Alex Cullen was more than a politician who was in it for himself. I believed him when he said that it was “up or out” when he decided to seek the job of mayor.
To be fair, he has made no formal announcement yet as to his plans to run for re-election in Bay Ward so I hope he is still considering his options.
Here are my two cents:
Shifting from the mayor’s race to the ward race is short sighted, both for the ward and for Cullen himself.
First off, the ward has been served well under Cullen’s tenure for the most part but clearly times are changing and a new vision is needed. In the past year or so, we have seen crime rise in the ward to the level of national prominence given the recent terrorist arrests. And rising property taxes, bus fares and other service fees have spiralled in the last four years. Cullen has to accept part of the blame for this and realize his expertise needs to be placed somewhere else now.
The notion that he fears a “candidate who shall not be named” victory, that doesn’t say too much about the smarts of his former ward residents. They’re not smart enough to choose one of nine other official candidates but they are smart enough to vote for Cullen, himself. I don’t buy that. If Mr. Cullen really wants to guard against a wayward candidate’s victory, then Cullen should work for a candidate he believes will serve the ward well and encourage his supporters to support that candidate.
And secondly, running for councillor cuts off any chance of Cullen successfully running for any other level of government in the near term. He won’t be able to win a municipal election in October 2010 and then seek the nomination and then campaign for the NDP as its candidate less than a year after a municipal election. It would cost Ottawa taxpayers a by-election if he is then successful.
Yet, the 2011 provincial election holds the best hope in a long time for challengers to Liberal seats. Cullen would run against Yasir Naqvi in Ottawa Centre. Given the growing disdain for Dalton McGuinty and his Liberal government, even strong candidates like Naqvi are vulnerable and Cullen would be the natural alternative in that riding given its voting history. So if Cullen misses that opportunity to run for provincial politics, his window of opportunity maybe closed forever.
So my advise to Mr. Cullen is to stay in the Mayor’s race for all the reasons for which he decided to run in the first place. Failing that, use his free time campaigning for the candidate (or candidates in others wards) who he believes will breathe some fresh air into a stale council. With a record number of candidates running across the region, there are many good options he can back.
Therefore, I am urging Alex Cullen not to prove me right and not to turn an already chaotic ward race into a circus. Cullen is seen as a rather brilliant person. I hope he does not put that theory up for debate by entering the Bay Ward race and proving he is more short-sighted that brilliant.
Note: Blog title was suggested to me by Bay Ward candidate GJ Hagenaars
George Guirguis will win. He is the Front Runner in Bay ward. It does not matter, if Alex run or nor. George Guirguis will be the next Councillor in Bay Ward.
- Did not Cullen get his BUTT kicked out of the prov Liberal party under Peterson could be corrected I do not think the Liberals or NDP would want him at Queen’s park did he not lose his N. D .P .’s seat also at Queens park.
I plea with Blake. Mr.Cullen should take the high road and wait for the mmp position in Ottawa Centre. I know Yasir is a great mpp and it would be a dogg fight to beat but I also think this is the most appropriate course of action for Mr. Cullen.
running and losing in Bay Ward will cost mr. Cullen dearly.. The chance of losing in Bay ward is very posssible. especially against Mark Taylor. Who I think is the best fit for Bay Ward.
Hey Blake,
So shall he “breathe some fresh air” to the extreme left – I mean you would not expect him to help out moderate candidates now do you ..or are you turning LEFT?
I feel Alex Cullen has done to Ottawa what Dalton McGuinty has done to Ontario! Ok maybe not that bad!
But bay ward please! For the love of Mary, vote for any other candidate but Alex Cullen.
Vote splitting will favour candidates with name recognition. As much as you may not like it, my bet is that Cullen will be re-elected if he runs. Little has a very good chance as well. Kilrea has no chance.
There are many good candidates running in Bay ward and hopefully all of them will contribute to their ward and community after the election.
Hi Blake:
This piece is right on. Alex had indicated that he wanted “up or out” and that he didn’t want to serve Bay Ward any longer. He had also endorsed me as his successor. This was due to my long term residence, active involvement in ward & city affairs and a general sharing of attitudes & values. It would be highly unfair for him to tumble down to this race and split the pprogressive vote.
Greg Ross, Candidate for Councillor in Bay Ward http://www.gregross.ca
Interesting. I just received a newsletter in my mailbox called “Bay Ward Report”. It’s been YEARS since I last saw that. Alex Cullen’s face on the front, talking about all the things that he wants us to believe he has done for Bay Ward, including how the crime rate has dropped here, and other fairy tales.
Interesting furthermore that here we have a councillor who is very very vocal about NOT accepting donations from businesses because to him that automatically means that anyone who does that is then owned by these businesses, but who thinks nothing of using the city office budget for blatant self promotion.
But I guess there’s no chance of anyone thinking that Cullen will ever be on the side of tax payers, is there?
It’s good to see “Values appropriate for Bay Ward” in action.
–GJ–
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