Sutcliffe: I’m running for mayor to make Ottawa a safe, affordable and trustworthy city for all

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When my wife, Ginny, and I told our children that I planned to run to be the next mayor of Ottawa, my 13-year-old son, Jack, asked me, “Why do you want to be mayor?”

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It is an important question. First of all, a political campaign is a big commitment for a family. So there had better be a good reason to do it. But more importantly, the people of Ottawa deserve to understand why I put my name forward as a candidate.

The simple answer is that I love my city and want to make it better.

Ottawa welcomed each of my parents as immigrants to Canada. I was lucky enough to be born here, to have a career as a broadcaster, writer and businesswoman, and to meet and marry Ginny and raise a family together. I have always been grateful to live and work in Ottawa, and have tried to support that gratitude by volunteering, donating money, and serving on the boards of local organizations that do great work in our community.

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I have had many amazing opportunities. But the work I’ve always enjoyed the most is partnering with other people to try to make our community better, fairer, and stronger. All I have ever wanted was to make a difference in this amazing city that has been so good to me and my family.

That was a good start, but it wasn’t enough for Jack. “But what do you want to do if you are mayor?” he asked me.

The answer is that I want to bring new leadership to the city. I am excited about our potential but worried about our future.

Ottawa has always been a great place to live and work. But I hear from people all the time that they are anxious about rising costs and inflation. They find it more difficult to move around the city, whether in their cars, on their bicycles or on public transport. They are concerned about safety on many levels, including crime and our approach to policing, protecting the vulnerable, and ensuring our roads and sidewalks are safe. And they are concerned that we are not doing enough as a city to protect our environment and green spaces, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and mitigate the impacts of climate change.

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I want to help make Ottawa safe, reliable and affordable.

I want to bring fresh eyes and an outside perspective to critical archives, including light rail. In previous columns in the Ottawa Citizen, I have argued for better oversight and scrutiny of the project. We need to listen carefully to the research recommendations, fix the issues with Phase One, and fight hard for funding to get the trains to Kanata, Stittsville, and Barrhaven.

And I want to bring a different style of leadership to City Hall: the same balanced, collaborative, nonpartisan, nonideological approach to politics that I’ve brought to everything else in my career. I have spent 30 years listening to the people of Ottawa as a talk show host, columnist, and small business owner. I believe the best solutions are found by bringing people together from across the community, across the political spectrum, and moving away from partisanship and politicking.

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In the coming weeks, I will present my platform, with ideas and commitments on how we can build a better Ottawa together. In the meantime, I’ll be listening to as many people as I can, to understand their challenges and hear their ideas.

I have a simple promise for the people of Ottawa. As your Mayor, I will work hard, every day, to make Ottawa a safe, reliable, and affordable place for you, your family, and everyone.

Jack had more questions and I’m sure you do too. I look forward to having great discussions in the coming weeks as we work together to improve Ottawa.

mark sutcliffe is a candidate to be the next mayor of Ottawa. You can read more in markutcliffe.ca.