Soapbox by Kristen Vernon
In recent years, the National Capital Commission has angered many with a shroud of secrecy surrounding its corporate activities.
But with its recently launched Web site, the NCC has the opportunity to change its closed-door approach.
Critics complain about muddled planning and a lack of public consultations.
The NCC is a Crown corporation governed by a 15-member board of directors from across Canada. Until recently, it has held all its meetings in private.
The commission owns almost 10 per cent of the land in the national capital region.
Its mandate: to develop and protect the capital region for all Canadians, and to organize activities, such as Winterlude and Canada Day celebrations.
NCC events are well regarded by many, but the same can’t be said of its development projects.
Repeated delays with the LeBreton Flats, Champlain Bridge and Daly site projects, as well as plans to revamp Sparks Street have raised the ire of many.
To help address its image problems, in April 2000 the NCC commissioned Sussex Circle consultant Glen Shortliffe.
Last December, the NCC adopted Shortliffe’s 11 recommendations.
The NCC held an annual public meeting — the first of which was in September — and will hold two other public meetings a year, where it will hear presentations and accept written briefs.
The NCC hired Guy Laflamme, former marketing director with the Hull Casino, as vice-president responsible for corporate marketing, media and public relations, and relations with local government.
It’s also setting up an advisory committee made up of NCC chairman Marcel Beaudry, mayor Bob Chiarelli and Gatineau mayor Yves Ducharme.
Another recommendation was to develop a corporate Web site, which the NCC did this fall.
While there’s still room for improvement, the NCC is finally starting to grasp the potential of the Internet.
If used properly, the Internet can be a democratizing force, allowing the NCC to inform the public and to get their input.
The NCC launched a Web site in 1996 to promote its tourist events and activities.
But NCC business, aside from the Champlain Bridge project, wasn’t published online.
All that changed in September. The NCC used the new site to Web cast its public meeting.
The commission also published Beaudry’s speech, a summary of the meeting’s question and answer period, participant feedback and results of a telephone survey.
The NCC, which is subject to the Access to Information Act, has also posted access requests made to the NCC over the last two years on its Web site.
There have also been lots of e-mail comments and queries, says pokesperson Laurie Peters.
The Web site is “evolving,” says Peters, adding the NCC recently put a section on the Web site about LeBreton Flats, which it will try to update regularly.
While it’s helpful to have summaries and updates posted online, the Internet is the perfect opportunity for the commission to demonstrate its commitment to openness.
If the Web site is to be a true information source, the NCC must publish the agendas, supporting documents and minutes of board meetings, committee meetings and advisory meetings.