By Kate Heartfield
While the two leading mayoral candidates are postioning themselves to attract the Centretown vote, their silence on some key issues could lead voters to question whether either candidate has a strong urban platform.
While urban issues like development and community policing, have been on the agenda, the issues of most concern were largely ignored as the candidates focus on collecting the most celebrity support and on reassuring business about private investment incentives.
In the months leading up to the campaign, Gloucester Mayor Claudette Cain had several well-known supporters, including Ottawa mayor Jim Watson.
However, regional chair Bob Chiarelli now seems to be ahead. While Cain kicked off her campaign with about 60 supporters at a barbecue on Sept. 16. Chiarelli, attracted about 500 people to his campaign kick-off on Sept. 17.
Among Chiarelli’s supporters were city Coun. Elisabeth Arnold, and regional Coun. Diane Holmes.
“He has supported the things that people in the downtown core care about, from women’s shelters, to homelessness funding, to drop-in shelters, to traffic calming, to more transit funding. He’s also very interested in trying to keep development costs down. That’s why I’m supporting him.”
But David Gladstone, vice-president of Centretown Citizens Community Association, says his organization will probably not support any candidate.
“Neither candidate has said anything so far that’s all that good for Centretown.”
Both candidates emphasized infrastructure issues in their first official debate. Chiarelli suggested selling 10 per cent of the newly amalgamated hydro utility to finance transportation infrastructure, while Cain wants to find use development fees and other sources of revenue.
Gladstone says development is the right issue to emphasize, but that both candidates are going about it the wrong way. While they focus on attracting high-tech and improving transportation to the outskirts of the city, the downtown core is becoming a ghost town, with dwindling affordable housing, fewer schools, and fewer jobs.
“There seems to be an inability to realize that growth should be good for us [in Centretown] and not just good for others.”