Cullen comes clean

When he was asked about this on August 31st, he called the question "unfair." But now Bay Ward councillor and candidate Alex Cullen says it's time to put the rumour to rest:

Cullen not to seek provincial nomination next year

Ottawa City Councillor and candidate for re-election in Bay Ward Alex Cullen today announced that he will not be seeking a provincial nomination as candidate in next year's provincial election, scheduled for October 6, 2011. Councillor Cullen, who had been elected as M.P.P. Ottawa West in 1997, had been rumoured as a potential candidate for the 2011 provincial election. Said Councillor Cullen: "While I had not decided to run provincially, the rumour of me considering this possibility has become an election issue in Bay Ward. The reality is that nominations for candidates for the October 2011 provincial election will likely occur early in 2011 when the new City Council would be dealing with the 2011 budget. In my view it would be impossible to do justice to the City budget while pursuing a provincial nomination at the same time. My priority is to ensure that the concerns of residents in Bay Ward regarding services and taxes are well-represented in the budget process. Therefore, to eliminate any uncertainty I am committing to doing my job as City Councillor for Bay Ward and therefore I will not pursue any provincial nomination for candidate for the 2011 Ontario provincial election."

Not content to leave it there, Cullen continues:

"...municipal government has traditionally been a recruitment ground for both federal and provincial politics. At present three Ottawa-area M.P.P.s - Bob Chiarelli (Ottawa West-Nepean), Madeleine Meilleur (Ottawa Vanier), Phil McNeilly (Ottawa Orleans) - and one M.P. - Royal Gallipeau (Ottawa Orleans) - have previously held municipal office. On the current Ottawa City Council there are 9 members of City Council who have previously sought either federal or provincial nominations for candidates - Rainer Bloess (Innes), Glenn Brooks (Rideau-Goulbourn), Rick Chiarelli (College), Alex Cullen (Bay), Diane Deans (Gloucester-Southgate), Clive Doucet (Capital), Gord Hunter (Knoxdale-Merivale), Jacques Legendre (Rideau-Rockcliffe), Marianne Wilkinson (Kanata North)."

Cullen doesn't say what he'll do (or won't do) if he ISN'T elected.