From the April 5th, 2006 issue of the...

Treasury Board President John Baird, Nepean-Carleton MP Pierre Poilievre and newly elected Nepean-Carleton MPP Lisa MacLeod were among those who congratulated the Rural Council on its work since its inception in March 2004.

Keynote speaker Baird said "it is tremendously important for the rural part of the city and in rural Ontario to play an active and important role in the public policy process." He said citizen's groups like the Rural Council have kept key issues on the public agenda, and he urged them to educate urban Canadians about the "huge and profound concerns that are being expressed in rural Canada." The "Farmers Feed Cities" campaign, he said, is a good example of how to take the rural and agriculture messages "right out to the Canadian people."

Hon. John Baird, President of the Federal Treasury Board

He said the Harper government is "one of the most rural-dominated caucuses of any government in Canadian history," pointing to Tory successes in rural ridings in every region of the country. Safeguarding property rights in the public policy process is a priority of the new government because "there is no value more important to the people of Canada than the right to own property."  Stepping outside the federal sphere, Baird blasted the McGuinty government for rezoning land in northern Ontario and the green-belt in the Hamilton-Toronto-Durham region without "a single, solitary thought of compensation." He said "made in Toronto" policies are emerging from Queen's Park because of a preponderance of cabinet ministers from that city. Baird also criticized the recent Ontario budget as unfriendly to farmers and their plight because it cut the agricultural budget by $200M.

Kirkpatrick also announced a pilot project to establish a farmers' market at Lansdowne Park this summer featuring locally grown produce. "There is a strong desire in the urban area for this type of market," he said.

With regard to wetlands, Kirkpatrick said a stake­holder group, including landowners, has been convened to sort "real wetlands from land flooded from bad drainage and maintenance issues. I'm personally very committed to resolving this, and I'm confident we can fix the problem in Ottawa."

Additional training of frontline staff will mean "better answers, shorter waiting times and more accountability" for rural res­idents dealing with city service staff, said Kirkpatrick. Rural business­es can also expect better access to city contracts once procurement bylaws are amended by City Council in May. Toll-free calling throughout Ottawa could happen by next January, and access to broadband internet for every rural resident and business will be a reality by 2008.

Rideau Ward Counsellor Glenn Brooks said he was "very impressed with the city manager's willingness to take the extra three or four steps to make sure those issues that came out of the rural summit will work."

Rural Council’s 1^st AGM attracts political interest

By Karen Secord
Ottawa Valley News

The Rural Council marked its first Annual General Meeting with an event that attracted the attention of municipal, provincial, and federal politicians.

“Our mandate is to improve working relations with the city,” said newly acclaimed Rural Council president Bruce Webster. “We believe that the Rural Council brings to the table ideas and initiatives that will benefit the city.”

Speaking in front of a room of about 70 of its 160 members, Webster listed some of the issues the Rural Council has been involved in – such as the Village of Richmond pipeline, Goulbourn wetlands, and Chat’s Falls Boat Bypass.

Founding members Bob McKinley (not present), Don Steeves, Adele Muldoon, Bill Buckland, Bev Millar, and Richard Bendall were introduced and thanked for helping to make rural needs part of the city’s agenda.

Present for the AGM were City of Ottawa councillors Eli El-Chantiry, Glen Brooks, and Doug Thompson; city manager Kent Kirkpatrick and his assistant Gabe Miller; M.P.P.’s Pierre Polievre and Lisa McLeod; councillor candidate J.P. Dorion; mayoral hopeful Alex Munter; and M.P. John Baird.

Webster credited Kent Kirkpatrick’s personal commitment to the city’s rural areas for the improved relations between the two. 

And Kirkpatrick reciprocated.

“A big part of the Rural Summit’s success was because of the participation of the Rural Council,” Kirkpatrick told the audience. “From an administrative perspective there is a commitment to the Rural Council. There has been a commitment to definitive change in how services are provided and how the city relates to rural areas.”

“We are going to make sure rural views influence decisions on rural issues,” continued Kirkpatirck.

He pointed to training for frontline staff, the development of a rural website (mid-August launch), access to broadband for rural residents and businesses by 2008, toll-free calling across the city, and the hiring of local livestock valuers as indication that the city is taking rural needs seriously.

“I hope that you’ll be able to say that your experience with the city in 2006 was better than in 2005.”

Conservative M.P.P. Polievre was clear that his party will continue to work towards its long-term goal of entrenching property rights in the constitution. He also said that he would be speaking to Kirkpatrick to “see how we can move those issues forward (from the Rural Summit) that require changes in provincial legislation.”

The evening at the North Gower Community Centre finished with dinner and a band.