Ten of Ottawa’s mayoral candidates squared off in a debate hosted by the Rideau River Residence Association (RRRA) on Sept. 25 in light of municipal elections taking place in October this year.
The debate, moderated by RRRA president Jacob Howell, focused mostly on student issues such as accessible housing, affordable tuition, and cannabis legalization.
Each candidate was allotted a minute for opening and closing statements, and a minute per question. Students were asked to send in questions for the candidates to RRRA executives prior to the debate. Due to time constraints, however, the two-hour long debate only got through four questions which included one minute per candidate for rebuttals.
Ten out of 12 registered candidates running for the election participated in the debate, with Ryan Lythall and James Sheahan missing.
The first question to candidates, asking how they would achieve increased accessible housing for students, became heated with most candidates taking quips at incumbent Ottawa mayor, Jim Watson—who is running for re-election this year after finishing his third mayoral term.
Hamid Alakozai, a legal advisor and former Canada Reserve Force member, answered first and said he would curtail this issue by bringing “prosperity” back to Ottawa through an increase in the city-wide budget.
“To have a good city, you [must] have prosperity and if you don’t have money, the people are just asking for assistance that nobody can offer,” Alakozai said.
Joey Drouin, a businessman in favour of consolidating Gatineau and Ottawa, said Alakozai’s answer is not enough, adding that he would like to create 20 per cent more inclusionary zoning for Ottawa residents.
“This is an issue that affects both sides of the river,” Drouin said. “We need to make sure people have affordable living conditions . . . it simply cannot go on.”
Clive Doucet, former city councillor for Capital Ward and current mayoral candidate, said this issue could have been easily resolved by Watson, who he said has instead spent his time on the “disgusting” $50-million, 350-bed Salvation Army homeless shelter in Vanier.
“We’re worse off in affordable housing now than we were years ago,” Doucet said, “Accessible housing has gone down year after year under Mayor Watson.”
But Watson, sitting on the other side of the stage, rebutted Doucet, saying that he had done nothing about this issue in his ward during his years as city councillor.
“Mr. Doucet, who talks a good line about housing, but as councillor for 13 years, there was not one single Ottawa Community Housing project in his ward,” Watson said. “Under the last two terms of my administration, we have invested a record amount of money in affordable housing.”
He added the best solution for this issue is the LRT—a proposed 12.5-kilometre rail system that would connect the city from corner to corner—allowing students to access more affordable housing further from the university but with shorter commute.
On the topic of affordable tuition, Alakozai said it is an issue for the provincial government and not the municipal one.
But, Bruce McConville, a lifelong Ottawa resident from Vanier, promised free transit passes for students that, he said, would alleviate students’ tuition rates on a municipal level. Doucet also promised lowered U-Pass rates.
Watson, however, rebutted the candidates’ promises, saying “It’s Sept. 25, not Dec. 25 . . . there’s a lot of Santa Clauses up here promising you the world.”
“I’d like to remind you not to vote for pie-in-the-sky ideas,” he said.
When asked about marijuana legalization, most candidates were in agreement that the city needs to play an increased role in decriminalization.
Bernard Couchman, an marketing company operator, said he thinks the issue needs to be dealt with in a “holistic” manner, adding the city should always consider mental health issues.
The debate ended with candidates making closing remarks by asking members of the audience to read more about their campaign promises on their websites.
The municipal election will be held on Oct. 22.
Carleton residence students can vote through an advanced poll in Fenn Lounge, in Residence Commons, prior to the official voting period.
Photo by Phalen Tynes
