Candidates in their own words: Ottawa-Vanier

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The Citizen asked the Green, Liberal, NDP and Progressive Conservative candidates from each Ottawa riding to write a short essay about why they’re running for the job — and why voters should choose them on June 12. Here are the candidates who responded for Ottawa-Vanier.


Madeleine Meilleur, Liberal

MADELEINE MEILLEUR, LIBERAL


First of all, I love what I’m doing and I love the people I represent. I’m a good listener; I work with my community; I take recommendations and suggestions from them.

My objective is always to solve the problem. I want to continue to work with my community: the business community, the social agencies, the cultural agencies. My heart is my community. I am always back every Thursday night in my community: I socialize here and we are present here.

I don’t take anything for granted: there’s no one in my riding who does door-to-door like I do. I’m out three times a day. My work is seven days a week.

And I’m not complaining: I enjoy what I do and I enjoy meeting with the people. Nobody should be elected if they don’t go door-to-door and see the reality in their community.


Martin Forget, PC

MARTIN FORGET, PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE


The top issue in Ottawa-Vanier is the declining affordability of life as jobs disappear. Homeowners are concerned about rising taxes and hydro bills. Once we have balanced the budget, one of our top priorities will be to reduce income taxes to continue boosting the economy and reward the shared sacrifice we are asking all Ontarians to make as we balance the budget.

Nothing has been more damaging to household budgets and to our economy than Ontario¹s soaring electricity prices. Heavily subsidized power contributes to already-high prices that are forecast to increase by 42 per cent over the next five years.

Years of expansion have left our schools struggling to meet their basic functions. We spend $8.5 billion more on education than we did ten years ago to teach 250,000 fewer students. Despite all the spending, our schools have only middling results. We can do better.

In health care, key decisions are too often made at the Ministry of Health or in so-called Local Health Integration Networks by bureaucrats who are not nurses and doctors and who never see a patient. We will put local health care decision-making in the hands of the front-line professionals.


Dave Bagler, Green party

DAVE BAGLER, GREEN


As your Green Party candidate, I am the only candidate that can assure you that I will put the residents of Ottawa-Vanier above party. Where the others will be whipped into lockstep with their leader, the Green Party is committed ensuring any Green MPPs are free to vote in a way that represents the wishes of their constituents.

The Green Party has identified building stronger communities and encouraging local job growth as top priorities and I am the only candidate in Ottawa-Vanier advocating for the merger of our Catholic and Public school systems — a plan that will save between $1.2 and $1.6 annually, reduce discrimination, and ensure better education for all students.

If voter turnout in our riding is any indication, the election results in Ottawa-Vanier have become more than a little predictable. Voters are not the only ones who have noticed; so have the parties. The Liberal Party takes Ottawa-Vanier as a given and the PC and NDP parties have all but given up. We are long over due for a change in Ottawa-Vanier. I can be that change and I hope to earn your vote.

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The Citizen asked the Green, Liberal, NDP and Progressive Conservative candidates from each Ottawa riding to write a short essay about why they’re running for the job — and why voters should choose them on June 12. Here are the candidates who responded for Ottawa-Orléans.


Prosper M’Bemba-Meka

PROSPER M’BEMBA-MEKA, NDP


After a decade of Liberal waste and scandal families are falling behind – paycheques haven’t increased but life keeps getting more expensive.

We’re facing this election because the Liberals failed to keep their promises.

This community needs transit investment; affordable child care; job creation; and health care investment. It’s time for a government that stands up for Ottawa – Orléans.

An NDP government will open 25 new 24-hour health clinics and hire 250 nurse practitioners to ease the burden on ERs.

We will provide dedicated transit funding, investing up to $600 million to support construction of the Confederation Line. As well our $100 million affordable child care investment will provide relief to working families.

The NDP’s solutions invest in Ontario’s families – not scandal and waste.


Marie-France Lalonde

MARIE-FRANCE LALONDE, LIBERAL


I don’t wish to tell any constituent why they “should” choose me. I hope to earn their vote. And I hope to earn it because I have a track record of getting the job done and bringing people together. I built a business from the ground up in our community that has employed hundreds of people.

I understand how business development works, I have relationships with the business community and I know what’s needed to attract new business and commerce to our community.

I also bring my people and leadership skills to the job.

I want to see our community unite together to get the big things done like growing our local economy, cleaning up the Ottawa River and Petrie Island, funding Light Rail to Orléans and getting shovels in the ground to build the Orléans Health Hub.

All of these things take a cooperative, experienced and steady hand, and I am offering myself to the constituents of Ottawa-Orléans.


Andrew Lister

ANDREW LISTER , PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE


This election, the choice in Ottawa-Orléans could not be clearer.

On one hand, we have a party that believes that spending more of our hard-earned tax money on failed programs in addition to borrowing ever more money each year with absolutely no plan to balance the budget is the right answer for the province.

On the other hand, the Ontario PC Party has a clear, bold and affordable plan to get Ontario working better, eliminate the deficit and concentrate on core government services such as health care, education and seniors.

I ran in 2011 because I was tired of the countless broken and costly promises that have prevented Ottawa-Orleans from reaching its full potential. I am running again in this election because I do not want to see our children and grandchildren take on the crushing burden of increased debt and unemployment simply because Ontario has been so badly mismanaged. Going door to door over the last two-years, I have heard the concerns of all residents of Ottawa-Orleans: soaring hydro rates, the need to fix Highway 174, record levels of debt and a desire for honest government.

As your MPP, I will focus on making government more affordable and on results that will create better services and jobs for Ontarians today and in the future.


Bob Bell

BOB BELL, GREEN


If the people of Ottawa-Orleans are as tired of political games, power plays, and make-believe promises as I am, they should vote Green in the upcoming election. If you vote for one of the three traditional parties, you¹ll get an MPP who is a loyal foot soldier for their party and will choose their party brand over local concerns every day of the week. If you vote for me you¹ll get a candidate who always puts the riding first, and will work tirelessly at Queen¹s Park to ensure your voice is heard. We need to breathe new life into politics in Ontario, return the focus to voter concerns, and stop bickering over ideology. Voters in Orleans have the opportunity to lead the way for a new era in Ontario politics and I would be proud to represent you as your MPP.

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[guest]

The Citizen asked the Green, Liberal, NDP and Progressive Conservative candidates from each Ottawa riding to write a short essay about why they’re running for the job — and why voters should choose them on June 12. Here are the candidates who responded for Ottawa Centre.




Jennifer McKenzie

JENNIFER MCKENZIE, NDP


I work hard for the people of Ottawa Centre and have a proven track record of delivering results.

Over the past eight years as your school trustee and for four years as the School Board Chair, I have met or exceeded my election promises. The school board has been transformed from a low performing to a high performing internationally-recognized board and we manage a budget of over $700 million while running a small surplus each year.

I have worked tirelessly in partnership with community leaders to ensure that provincial capital funding is diverted to downtown schools where none had been before since amalgamation and in particular to secure funding for the rebuild of Broadview Public School. Services to special needs students and those needing English as a Second Language and indeed all students has been significantly improved.

Environmental issues and Ontario Municipal Board reform would receive my immediate attention. The OMB tripled the amount of developable farmland around Ottawa by overruling a city council decision in 2011. I would ensure that good environmental and consultative practices are followed through all decisions including the next phase of the Ottawa River cleanup and transit plan.

There has been a lot of waste and mismanagement and politically based decision making at Queen’s Park in recent years. By contrast, I offer a proven track record of delivering results for Ottawa Centre.




Kevin O’Donnell

KEVIN O’DONNELL, GREEN


Can I convince the half of you that vote to vote for me and the other half that you should even bother?

I ask for your vote because we both care about the environment, the economy, and the future. I will be fair and say my opponents also care about these things – but doesn’t something always seem to get in the way of progress?

Our democracy has been allowed to deteriorate. Liberals prorogue like Conservatives. Conservatives take corporate money like Liberals. The NDP shift right and abandon their roots. All in the pursuit of a majority and power.

I have no such ambitions. I cannot properly describe how honoured I would be to sit in the furthest corner of Queen’s Park. I would not hold power but I would hold sway. I would be accountable only to you, the residents of Ottawa Centre, and I would demand better from every other MPP.

I would demand better because we all care about the environment, the economy, and the future. I ask for your vote because if you entrust me with it, I believe we’ll see some progress.

Convinced? Either way, don’t allow democracy to deteriorate any further. Please vote.


Rob Dekker

ROB DEKKER, PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE


On June 12th Ontario is faced with the most critical election in our provinces history and the choice is crystal clear. On one hand you can choose more of the same – scandal, lies, police investigations and waste of taxpayer dollars or you can choose change, I believe it is time for change.

Ontario has lost its way under the McGuinty/Wynne regime, they have doubled our debt, our hydro bills are skyrocketing and the confidence has been lost insofar as believing this government will do what they say they will do.

Ontario and Ottawa Centre deserve better, we deserve an honest and transparent government that respects taxpayers and a government that is prepared to make the tough choices in order to return to balanced budgets. We deserve a government that is focused on bringing good well-paying jobs and a stable economy back to Ontario. On June 12th I am asking for you to vote for change and to vote for Rob Dekker so I can get working on fixing the problems our province and riding faces.




Yasir Naqvi

YASIR NAQVI, LIBERAL


It has truly been an honour to serve as the MPP for Ottawa Centre. Over the last seven years I have knocked on every door in the riding, from Centretown, the Glebe, Old Ottawa South, and everywhere in between. It is those conversations at the door and throughout the community that gives me a chance to speak to neighbours, hear their ideas, discuss solutions, bring people together, and build partnerships to complete projects that are important to Ottawa Centre.

Together, we have achieved real results – from investing in local schools like rebuilding Broadview Public School and building a permanent addition at Mutchmor Public School, strengthening community health care with the new Hintonburg Hub, expanding public transit with Phase one of the LRT, and cleaning up the Ottawa River.

We have come so far and we can’t stop here. With your support on June 12, I will continue working hard for this community on phase two of the LRT, reforming planning rules for more community-inspired development, and giving school boards more tools to invest in our urban schools.

Let’s keep building a better Ottawa Centre.

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