By Annika Graf
A new actor on Ottawa’s local political stage will challenge current Somerset Ward Coun. Elisabeth Arnold in next fall’s city council elections.
Sixty-year-old Bill Driver, a former labour union activist, filed nomination papers in early January, but says it is too early to reveal his platform.
“I am a doer, not a talker, so I am concentrating on solutions not problems,” he said in an interview. He said the city’s problems are well-known but would not give details as to which issues he will focus on.
“In terms of policies per se, Elisabeth and I are not far apart. I define myself as a social capitalist, as opposed to the market capitalism of corporations. The most important asset for me is people.”
Driver said he was motivated to get involved in local politics in the mid-70s.
“For years, I was satisfied with my representative. That’s why I didn’t exercise my opinion.”
He has never run for public office but says he has been involved in local politics through several community associations such as Sandy Hill Action and the Hintonburg Community Association. He is currently a member of the Dalhousie Community Association. In the late 1970s, he was active in the Centretown Citizens’ Community Association.
“The city needs community associations. They represent the interest of the tax-payers of the ward,” he said.
Driver says there is a simple explanation as to why he is running for city council at this time.
“The next three years are going to be very important for the political maturity of the country. Positive things are going to happen on the local, provincial and national level, and I want to be part of it.”
Driver expects high synergy effects between all levels of government in Ottawa.
“They better start co-operating with each other now that they have the wealth to provide solutions.”
Driver moved to Ottawa from a small town in Northern Ontario in 1966. After working for a bank, he was employed by a trust company.
From 1968 to 1980, Driver worked in public waste management in Ottawa. During this time, he says he was heavily involved with the Canadian Union of Public Employees.
Driver has been working for temping agencies after quitting his job in waste management in 1980. He has been unemployed since Dec. 7 and is searching for another job.
“My job has never been important for me. Most of my interests are outside of my work context.”
Besides his union membership, Driver was a member of the NDP in the ’70s and the Liberal party in the ’90s.
“The reason why I am not in a party any more is that I address the concerns of all political parties. There would be an interest conflict. I am a generalist.”
Driver says his work experience in several sectors, having financial and labour skills, as well as knowledge of the housing industry in Ottawa qualifies him to be a city councillor.
“I have the job skills to be an efficient politician,” he says.