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I was a lousy mayor, but not anymore, 0'Brien says
'I probably made every single major political mistake that was possible,' mayoral incumbent says in startling apology
By Mohammed Adam, The Ottawa Citizen October 5, 2010
Mayor Larry O'Brien Monday apologized to Ottawa residents for being such a disaster in his first two years, and pleaded for a second chance, saying he has learned from his mistakes.
In an unprecedented mea culpa, O'Brien told the Citizen editorial board that while he can't say he is the worst mayor ever -- because he doesn't know all of them and their records, he said -- he was "pretty bad" in his first two years. For that, he is very sorry.
"People believe and recognize that the first two years of my mayoralty were a complete -- and quite frankly, self-diagnosed as a complete -- disaster. I probably made every single major political mistake that was possible. ... I think I even made quite a few mistakes that, quite frankly, were impossible to replicate," he said. "I just want to tell the citizens of Ottawa that I am sincerely sorry for the first two years. I completely regret some of my decisions and some of my actions."
O'Brien, however, said he has learned a lot from his failures, and would make a good mayor if Ottawa residents renew their faith in him.
"I am going to be asking them on a very personal level to give me a chance, to believe in me again. I am a changed man. The old Larry is gone, probably never to come back again -- and probably a good thing," he said.
"I say to them, 'The next four years won't be a replica of the first four years.' We are going to get things done. We are going to move forward," O'Brien said.
The mayoral incumbent appeared before the editorial board to answer questions and articulate his vision. He spoke about his desire to make Ottawa an important part of the new economy, by thinking big about the future and not shying away from big projects that define a city. Light rail, a ring road and Sparks Street renewal, big projects he's championed or proposed during the campaign, all fit into that vision, though he is not asking that these projects be undertaken in the next four years.
All he wants is to get a ring road back into the city's official plan, and make Sparks a city priority, he said. O'Brien also made it clear that he is not promising a zero tax increase.
"I've never committed during this campaign to achieve zero. I've been very careful and straight on that," he said.
O'Brien said his commitment is that he would present a draft budget to council with a "zero spending increase," for a final decision by council after a public debate. Councillors can add spending if they want, he said, but they'll do it in the full light of day.
But it was his apology that stood out because it was the first time the mayor, perhaps any mayor, has acknowledged publicly that he did a terrible job in an office he is still seeking. O'Brien, who was first elected four years ago, has been criticized widely for not having a clue when came into office, and particularly for breaking his promise not to increase taxes in his first term. But he has always vigorously defended himself, often laying the blame on councillors and on the political and bureaucratic culture at city hall.
His apology comes in the middle of a tough re-election battle in which a steady stream of polls show former Ontario cabinet minister Jim Watson leading the race.
The latest poll of the race, from Holinshed Research Group, shows Watson with the support of 36 per cent of decided voters, and O'Brien trailing with 17 per cent. Andy Haydon has the backing of nine per cent, and Clive Doucet, six per cent. Nearly a third of respondents -- 30 per cent -- are undecided. The poll, of 396 respondents between Sept. 28 and Oct. 1, has a margin of error of 4.9 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
O'Brien says the poll reflects what he's been sensing on the campaign trail: lingering voter discontent with his first two years. O'Brien said he went into the last mayoral campaign as a novice without any real expectation of winning. Once in office, his biggest mistake was not taking time to learn how City Hall works, and how to get things done there, he said. The mayor said he has since learned -- the hard way -- and become a better man and leader. He has banished the old "cocky" O'Brien and become more measured and thoughtful as he grew into the job.
O'Brien said his apology, coming only three weeks before the end of the campaign, is not too little or too late to change minds. Many people are now tuning in, and he thinks they can be swayed. O'Brien said the election will no doubt be a referendum on his job as a mayor, and hopes the people who backed him four years ago will renew their faith in him.
"This election is going to be about confidence in O'Brien. The ballot question is: 'Do we want to give Larry O'Brien another four years to get the job done?' "
'I probably made every single major political mistake that was possible,' mayoral incumbent says in startling apology
By Mohammed Adam, The Ottawa Citizen October 5, 2010
Mayor Larry O'Brien Monday apologized to Ottawa residents for being such a disaster in his first two years, and pleaded for a second chance, saying he has learned from his mistakes.
In an unprecedented mea culpa, O'Brien told the Citizen editorial board that while he can't say he is the worst mayor ever -- because he doesn't know all of them and their records, he said -- he was "pretty bad" in his first two years. For that, he is very sorry.
"People believe and recognize that the first two years of my mayoralty were a complete -- and quite frankly, self-diagnosed as a complete -- disaster. I probably made every single major political mistake that was possible. ... I think I even made quite a few mistakes that, quite frankly, were impossible to replicate," he said. "I just want to tell the citizens of Ottawa that I am sincerely sorry for the first two years. I completely regret some of my decisions and some of my actions."
O'Brien, however, said he has learned a lot from his failures, and would make a good mayor if Ottawa residents renew their faith in him.
"I am going to be asking them on a very personal level to give me a chance, to believe in me again. I am a changed man. The old Larry is gone, probably never to come back again -- and probably a good thing," he said.
"I say to them, 'The next four years won't be a replica of the first four years.' We are going to get things done. We are going to move forward," O'Brien said.
The mayoral incumbent appeared before the editorial board to answer questions and articulate his vision. He spoke about his desire to make Ottawa an important part of the new economy, by thinking big about the future and not shying away from big projects that define a city. Light rail, a ring road and Sparks Street renewal, big projects he's championed or proposed during the campaign, all fit into that vision, though he is not asking that these projects be undertaken in the next four years.
All he wants is to get a ring road back into the city's official plan, and make Sparks a city priority, he said. O'Brien also made it clear that he is not promising a zero tax increase.
"I've never committed during this campaign to achieve zero. I've been very careful and straight on that," he said.
O'Brien said his commitment is that he would present a draft budget to council with a "zero spending increase," for a final decision by council after a public debate. Councillors can add spending if they want, he said, but they'll do it in the full light of day.
But it was his apology that stood out because it was the first time the mayor, perhaps any mayor, has acknowledged publicly that he did a terrible job in an office he is still seeking. O'Brien, who was first elected four years ago, has been criticized widely for not having a clue when came into office, and particularly for breaking his promise not to increase taxes in his first term. But he has always vigorously defended himself, often laying the blame on councillors and on the political and bureaucratic culture at city hall.
His apology comes in the middle of a tough re-election battle in which a steady stream of polls show former Ontario cabinet minister Jim Watson leading the race.
The latest poll of the race, from Holinshed Research Group, shows Watson with the support of 36 per cent of decided voters, and O'Brien trailing with 17 per cent. Andy Haydon has the backing of nine per cent, and Clive Doucet, six per cent. Nearly a third of respondents -- 30 per cent -- are undecided. The poll, of 396 respondents between Sept. 28 and Oct. 1, has a margin of error of 4.9 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
O'Brien says the poll reflects what he's been sensing on the campaign trail: lingering voter discontent with his first two years. O'Brien said he went into the last mayoral campaign as a novice without any real expectation of winning. Once in office, his biggest mistake was not taking time to learn how City Hall works, and how to get things done there, he said. The mayor said he has since learned -- the hard way -- and become a better man and leader. He has banished the old "cocky" O'Brien and become more measured and thoughtful as he grew into the job.
O'Brien said his apology, coming only three weeks before the end of the campaign, is not too little or too late to change minds. Many people are now tuning in, and he thinks they can be swayed. O'Brien said the election will no doubt be a referendum on his job as a mayor, and hopes the people who backed him four years ago will renew their faith in him.
"This election is going to be about confidence in O'Brien. The ballot question is: 'Do we want to give Larry O'Brien another four years to get the job done?' "
