Councillor Catherine McKenney
For 28 days our city and, in particular, our downtown was illegally occupied by people, including many extremists. They demanded everything from ending public health mandates, to the overthrow of our federal government, to the imprisonment of the prime minister.
The incessant noise, toxic fumes from idling trucks, assaults, threats and trauma generated by this occupation will impact downtown residents for a long time and, particularly, the children who were kept awake at night and who feared walking to school in the morning.
Two questions must be answered: How did this happen? How can we prevent it from happening again?
Along with some of my colleagues, I am calling for a full public inquiry to examine the role of every level of government, including our police, in allowing a protest to become a month-long occupation by large trucks in our residential neighbourhoods. We must understand the mistakes that were made if we are to learn from them.
Ottawa is Canada’s capital. But it is also home to a million people, including almost 40,000 in the urban core. It’s where we sleep, shop, work, go to school and play.
Sometimes, the line between the capital of Canada and our hometown gets blurred, as it does on Canada Day when thousands of people stream downtown to celebrate. It gets blurred whenever there are marches or protests. Many of us take part in those celebrations and also in some of the marches and protests. Most of us accept this as part of living in our beautiful city and as part of the free democratic process.
The illegal occupation last month was a sign that we need to look at separating the city’s official role from our residential neighbourhoods. One way is to look at which level of government is responsible for Wellington Street.
I brought a motion to Ottawa City Council for city staff to meet with federal officials to begin a consultation about the future of Wellington Street between Bank and Elgin Streets. It passed unanimously.
Closing the street to vehicles is not a new idea. There have been several incidents of concern about the street. Subsequent federal studies, including reports by the auditor general of Canada, have recommended that this section of the street be transferred to federal ownership and security.
More recently, the NCC, City of Ottawa, and City of Gatineau have explored the inclusion of a tramline on this section to facilitate interprovincial commuting. As the consultation goes forward, there will be many opportunities for the public to have their say. In the end, I hope we see a space that is safe and fun for everyone.
Until this issue is resolved, this section of Wellington Street will to be temporarily closed to vehicles.
Broader issues
There are broader issues to be considered. As an example, What is the role of disinformation in our society? Who creates it? Who broadcasts it? Why?
Second. Why do so many people distrust our governments and officials? Why are conspiracies so easily accepted while science is rejected out of hand?
Third. Why are hate groups on the rise in our country freely flying flags that represent racism, violence and intolerance against people of colour, the LGBTQ2S+ community, Jews, women, and immigrants and refugees?
These aren’t easy issues but they are ones we must address. I moved a motion at City Council rejecting these symbols of hatred but we must do more.
One of the answers is that people who are economically disadvantaged become fearful of losing even more. If we balance our economy and ensure everyone has a share of the pie, we may be able to reverse these trends.
And we must look after ourselves. The occupation has been traumatic. Many times the sound of a horn makes people fearful and stressed. I’ve seen the look in the eyes of people who have become nervous when passing strangers on the street. I’ve talked to people whose children are still not sleeping well.
As individuals and as a community, we will heal. I am proud of our residents, who helped each other throughout the occupation and who stood up to the occupiers through legal action, in shouting matches and literally by standing in front of a truck. While our trust in institutions has wavered, our trust in each other has been strengthened.
See centretownbuzz.ca/comm_resources for a list of community resources you can reach out to for assistance.