You know things are changing when former mayor Larry O’Brien writes about the protesters in New York (and all across the USA now) are on the right side of history.  From Warren Buffet down, I think the privileged class is starting to realize that the system is not working fairly.  And more importantly, some government policies need to shift to bring this fairness back into line.
Great piece of writing Mr. Mayor!
Read his blog here: THE WALL STREET PROTESTERS ARE RIGHT!

Larry O’Brien today posted on his Facebook page his thoughts on public union rights.  Picking up on the trend in some of the US states to limit what public unions can bargain for, O’Brien believes that similar modifications need to be brought to Ontario.  Here is his Facebook in its entirety:
When will Canadian provinces catch up with U.S. States and start reining in the municipal and provincial public sector Unions?
States like Ohio are joining Wisconsin in rescinding outrageous rights enjoyed by the Public service. I will of course be vilified …

I’ve always said that Jim Watson would be a good mayor, maybe even an above average mayor because of all of his political experience, but I still have doubts about him being a great mayor.  I feel he is not thinking big enough to be the visionary that will qualify him as great mayor.
Why do I say this?  Well, the most recent indicator is his rush to spend $400,000 to bring FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2014 and FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015.  It’s a good plan to bring a …

Recently, Ottawa mayor Jim Watson proposed a non-controversial budget, which was approved and applauded unanimously by Council.
The budget included a 2.45 percent tax hike for urban residential and commercial properties and a 2.4 percent hike for rural properties. The tax increases will mean an average hike of $75 for urban residential properties, $60 for rural properties and $111 for commercial properties. The total tax-supported budget for 2011 will set operational spending at $2.4 billion and allocate $622 million for new capital projects.  This honeymoon budget underscores Watson’s commitment to his …

It has been said that political campaigns are about promises and governance is about making decisions and progress.  Sometimes it is hard to connect the dots between promises and action in a functioning and healthy democracy. Initiating the revitalization of Lansdowne Park is a good example of that difficulty.
Along with keeping taxes low, securing funding for the downtown transit tunnel and completing the new convention centre, fixing Lansdowne Park was another major campaign promise I made in 2006 that I was committed to getting done.  I even had an interactive …

I received this comment on my blog about Councillor Rick Chiarelli (Is Rick Chiarelli the judge on how things are done at City Hall?):
Mr. Batson,

I think you should listen back to Councillor Chiarelli’s interview. Your article is a misrepresentation of his comments, twisted to suit your agenda. I am shocked that you would put words into the Councillor’s mouth and then print them as if they were fact. This is not journalism, it’s the ramblings of a failed candidate from ’06 who is still bitter and holding a grudge …

I hope Councillor Rick Chiarelli listens back to his interview on the Rob Snow show from yesterday.  My take on his position is that he and other long term councillors believe that they are judge and jury on how things should work at City Hall.  And by works, I mean, works to their benefit for re-lection purposes not for the benefit of the Ottawa resident.
If you haven’t heard the interview, you can listen to it here: CFRA Interview with Rick Chiarelli
The interview was in response to the Larry O’Brien Ottawa …

There have been two interesting articles published this week so far that shed light on how City Hall works and the challenge that lay ahead for the new councillors and Mayor Jim Watson.  Change will not be easy.
First, on Monday, the Ottawa Business Journal published an article by former mayor, Larry O’Brien, O’Brien: the difference between business and politics.  In this article, O’Brien discusses the politics of preservation superseding the interests of the voters.  One example cited is the 2009 budget deliberations where the mayor’s desire to review the budget …

The Stacy Bonds case has stunned residents of Ottawa.  From Premier Dalton McGuinty to Chief Vern White, all have expressed their shock in the videos released by the Ottawa Citizen.  But the question remains.  What really happened that night when Ottawa Police Officers arrested Stacy Bonds?
Ottawa Citizen writer Gary Dimmock has written a gripping story of what happened to a local Ottawa girl who seemingly was arrested and wrongly roughed up by Ottawa Police officers.  In the latest instalment of the story, Mr. Dimmock now introduces the potential racism may …

I read today’s Ottawa Sun’s editorial (Time for Doucet and Haydon to call it quits) on the mayoral top contenders and couldn’t disagree more with it.
First of all, Andy Haydon and Clive Doucet cannot withdraw of the race now.  That decision had to be made by 2pm on September 10, 2010.  If they “pull out” now, their names will still remain on the ballot therefore on voting day, such an announcement by either or both will make no different.
The editorial should have focused on telling its readers what the differences …