Mayoral candidates spar over transportation, convoy in CBC Ottawa's debate

Four candidates vying to become Ottawa's next mayor exchanged heated back-and-forthsduring a special edition of CBC Ottawa News at 6 Tuesday.

Bob Chiarelli, Nour Kadri, Catherine McKenney and Mark Sutcliffe appeared on a panel moderated by the CBC's Omar Dabaghi-Pacheco.

Here are some highlights from the mayoral debate.

Transportation

Dabaghi-Pacheco pushed McKenney on how their transit plan wouldappeal to people who live in Navan, Kanata and other rural or suburbanareas, as well as people living in the core.

"My transportation plan will get you out of traffic," they said. "If you need to drive or you choose to drive by getting more people onto transit, you get more people out of traffic. That benefits everyone."

WATCH | The plans for travel in the city:

How would these mayoral candidates improve transportation in the city?

2 years ago

Duration 8:12

Ottawa mayoral candidates Nour Kadri, Catherine McKenney, Mark Sutcliffe and Bob Chiarelli sparred on transit issues during Tuesdays debate on CBC Ottawa News at 6.

Sutcliffe took aim at McKenney's plan to build bike lanes,which McKenney has said would befinanced through a $250-million green bond.

"With the added interest that's going to cost $450 million, almost half a billion dollars,"Sutcliffesaid.

He added the debate around transit needs to respect residents living in rural areaswho can't bike their children to hockey practice or a doctorsaying many he's spoken with decrythe condition of cityroads.

"They find the state of our roads deplorable. I will also fix public transit and LRT," Sutcliffesaid. "We can't just do bike lanes."

Kadrisaid he'd review transit scheduling to optimize routesand retaindrivers and mechanics to improve reliability and increase ridership.

Chiarelli talked about how a new mayor and council willneedtocomplete anassessment of the system.

Police and the convoy

In one of the most pointed exchanges, Chiarelliraised concerns about the Ottawa Police Services Board's goal to hire a new police chief by the end of the current council term and took aim at Sutcliffe's potential conflict of interest.

Chiarelli and McKenney sent a joint letter asking the civilian police oversight body to investigate the potential conflict on TuesdayCoun. Eli El-Chantiry, head of the police services board which will select a new police chief, is an honorary co-chair of Sutcliffe's campaign.

"El-Chantiry is pushing to hire a new police chief before the new mayor and council are in place," Chiarelli said. "After totally inadequate public engagement."

Sutcliffe is the only leading mayoral candidate who supports the move.

McKenney positioned themselves as supporting residents during the truck convoywhile pressing Sutcliffe about a column he penned in theOttawa Citizenon Feb. 14 about a need for understanding the protesters, although the exact quote McKenneycited isn't found within the text.

WATCH | Policing after the convoy:

How can Ottawas next mayor rebuild trust in the citys police service?

2 years ago

Duration 6:04

Amid the public inquiry into the federal governments use of the Emergencies Act during last winters convoy protest, several Ottawa mayoral candidates weighed in on how to restore trust in the citys police service.

Inflation and cutting costs

Each of the candidates wasasked to chooseone city service they would protect at all costs.

Chiarellisaid he wouldprotect peopleon social assistance and experiencinghomelessness. McKenneyechoed Chiarelli, sayingthey'd make it a priority to endchronic homelessness.

Kadrisaid he'd maintain the number of city employees as opposed to Sutcliffe who has promised to cut 200 city jobswhileSutcliffetalked aboutdoing a line-by-line review to findefficiencies and savings in non-essential areas.

"Catherine is trying to present themselves as a fiscal conservative. It's simply not true,"Sutcliffesaid.

"And Catherine is attacking my responsible fiscal plan as a way of distracting from the fact that Catherine is a spender who will not be able to keep expenses under control at City Hall."

Hesaid their financial plan would deplete the city's reserves.

WATCH | Strategies for managing inflation:

How would you tackle inflation if elected mayor of Ottawa?

2 years ago

Duration 8:20

Several of Ottawas mayoral candidates weighed in on how to soften the blow of inflation on city expenses while maintaining services for residents.

McKenneypushed back.

"My priorities have always been people. My priorities are transit, my priorities arehousing, my priorities areclimate action," they said.

"That is what is in my plan. We have a fully costed plan, we've got a solid plan, and we have accounted for inflation across the entire budget."

Seeing an opportunity,Kadritook aim at the frontrunners.

"Sutcliffe's plan is not progressive. Catherine's plan is not pragmatic."

Donor lists and Watson 2.0?

Residents have grown used to adivided council, often split between those who support Jim Watsonand those who don't.

"Bob Chiarelli and Mark Sutcliffe both are competing.Who's going to be Jim Watson 2.0?" Kadri said."OK, perhaps one of them is Jim Watson 2.0. The other one is not a fully fledged version. [They're]Jim Watson 1.5."

Sutcliffepushed back againstChiarelli's suggestion that his campaignhad "corporate backers."

"I said very clearly atthe beginning of the campaign that I would not accept donations from developers, and I've not accepted donations from developers,"Sutcliffesaid.

"We'll see the numbers later,"Kadriresponded.

WATCH | Who has given money to candidates?

Mayoral candidates spar over releasing campaign donor lists

2 years ago

Duration 4:46

Ottawa mayoral candidate Mark Sutcliffe denied taking campaign donations from developers and corporations several times during Tuesdays debate after attacks from fellow candidates Nour Kadri, Catherine McKenney and Bob Chiarelli.

McKenney challengedSutcliffeand thetwo candidatesto release their donor lists.McKenneyhas already released their donor list.

"It would be easier if you just showed us your donors list," they said.

WATCH |Watch the full mayoral debate on CBC Ottawa News at 6:

Watch the full mayoral debate on CBC Ottawa News at 6

2 years ago

Duration 53:54

Mayoral candidates Nour Kadri, Catherine McKenney, Mark Sutcliffe and Bob Chiarelli responded to questions on transit, housing, inflation and more during a Tuesday evening debate on CBC News.