Beacon Hill-Cyrville: Gray — Ottawa should be, first, a place for people

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The Citizen invited candidates in the Oct. 24 municipal election to share their thoughts:

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Since 2016, I have been very active in discussions on policy changes big and small across Ottawa. I have devoted hours to understanding the proposals, listened to discussions and provided my own feedback. Now I want a vote on council to help move Ottawa forward as a liveable, affordable city for all.

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This election will determine the future of the city. The new council will make major decisions on budget; taxes; climate-change resilience; affordable housing; transportation choice; policing. It will not be painless.

We need to have the courage to talk openly about the rough spots in the city. Yet we must not fall into the trap of studying endlessly. Council will need to act boldly and recognize that change is hard.

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I am running for Ward 11 Beacon Hill-Cyrville because this ward has so much to offer. It has a strong base of communities and businesses. In the next decade, we will gain more neighbours. We must act to preserve the best parts and generate more gems for all to enjoy.

Yet every ward has beautiful spots and great people. We need to stop competing between wards to build a city for all. We don’t need ward councillors, but city councillors.

City councillors must represent all the people of the city today and the future. It isn’t us against them. It is us now and the future us.

City councillors are called to make decisions that impact rural, urban or suburban wards. They must be willing to listen to residents from other wards and other councillors to build policies for all. Additionally, they have to be able to listen to the whispers of the future city we are growing into.

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I believe in quality public consultations where community voices are promoted over the voices of corporate lobbyists. We must make it easy for all residents to speak their truth to those of us in power. It will not be comfortable to hear but we need to listen. Our first question for all decisions is who will be harmed by the decision or by not deciding. Only after we consider the harm, can we turn to look to who benefits.

All leaders need empathy to understand how other people live on low income; to plan for those who live in different types of housing; those who travel around the city in a variety of ways, etc. Leaders who understand that their experience is not the experience of others. They must understand that the future will not look like the past.

We need a different path than the one we are currently on. Small tweaks will not get us where we need to go. The next term of council must take action to care for the least, the lost and lonely. They too are part of my Ottawa. I want to be part of the city council that makes Ottawa first a place for people.

Thanks,

Miranda Gray, candidate for Ward 11 Beacon Hill-Cyrville. twitter: @mirgray
Voting day is October 24, 2022