Thank You for your Support

First and formost, Congratulations to Jim Watson for a well run Campaign and for becoming our next Mayor.  Jim is very desering of this victory and has my utmost support as he leads our city into the next four years.

I would like to congratulate all the other Mayoral Candidates who put their names forward for consideration.  It's important to remember that their participation is what keeps our democracy alive.

Thank you to all who supported me.  Because of you I feel my ideas and visions may be considered by the new city counsel.  For your viewing, below is an interview held on election night by Rogers 22.
Andy Haydon

Election Day Thoughts

Tomorrow I am asking for your vote.  I would like to see Ottawa pay off its debt and develop a pay as you go policy.
Below is a comment made by someone on my blog.

Anonymous said...

Constructing a low dam/wier and a causeway/bridge by the Deschenes Rapids using material excavated from the transit tunnel is an excellent idea. Stabilizing the level of Lac Deschenes, generating power, providing a road connection - great multiple benefits. This would also be great for cyclists as it would connect pathways on both sides of the Ottawa River.

The issue of waste management and landfill is a major issue. Using modern techniques to generate energy from waste is another excellent idea. A google search of this topic will show that it is becoming more common place in Europe. There appears to be several technologies being used, one of which is being pioneered at the Trail Road Site.

Children At Risk

This blog is not about elections but about children at risk. There are so many children with Autism Spectrum Disorders that need support in their homes.  The younger these children are helped the better the results.

Along with many other businesses, press and candidates running in this election, I was asked to carve a pumpkin. 

I did so.  Then I realized I was supposed to also give something to auction off  and I will do better next year.  This is all good to raise money for these children.  Please go to www.childrenatrisk.ca  to see all the different pumpkins that have been carved and the attached gifts.  Some of these pumpkins are spectacular and some have wonderful gifts attached.  Please put in a bid.

It doesn’t matter who’s pumpkin you choose, it matters that you offered a bid.

Andy

Remember This Before you Vote

CFRA, On Sept.17^th, interviewed Erin Kelly, the Executive Director for the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce.

When talking about the plan to take 30 years to build the transit plan, she stated “ The system needs to be available to where people live and our fear is if we don’t accelerate the expansion East & West, the people won’t use the system”.  She also said that her fear is that the ridership will go down because of having to transfer and in fact, take more traveling time.

The first phase of the Watson, O’Brien transit system is going to take at least 10 years and use up all the money.  There will be no money for going East and West.

She also said, when asked about the NCC allowing Tram Cars on the parkway, she said “it’s a vital question to be asking.  What we are basically saying is if you don’t have that answer, going ahead & building the first part of the transit system when you don’t know what comes next – she paused – its vital to have that answer.

I ask you – do you think the NCC will allow tracks and the ugly overhead wires on the Parkway?

Gord Hunter supports Andy Haydon

Statement from Gord Hunter, outgoing Councillor for Knoxdale-Merivale Ward

At the start of the municipal election campaign I expected that I would not take sides favouring one mayoral candidate or another.  With several days to go until voting day I am getting off the fence. All polls seem to indicate that the race is decided and Jim Watson will emerge as the winner.

Now is the time for all who are concerned about the light rail short line and expensive tunnel to speak with their votes and send a strong message opposing the $2 Billion project by casting a vote for Andy Haydon.

The LRT project from Tunney’s Pasture to Blair does not come close to meeting the needs or providing better service for our commuting transit users. The forced transfers for thousands daily at these two stations and Hurdman as well as the loss of express bus service will be a major step backwards for transit service in Ottawa. The disruption to bus service and to local streets during the several years of construction will only add to the commuters’ woes. The Haydon BRT proposal avoids all these problems.

There is also an ‘elephant in the room’ with the LRT tunnel project: financing. The BRT tunnel project is estimated in today’s dollars to be $841Million less expensive than the LRT proposal. The debt servicing charges for LRT will leave the city with no money for other capital works for many years to come. Either that or we’ll face a series of large tax increases to pay for the debt. The panel of experts that ‘peer reviewed’ the LRT proposal expressed surprise that there had been no cost benefit analysis done. It still has not been done.

Andy Haydon is considered a long shot in this election. Jim Watson seems to have it in the bag. Votes for Mr. Haydon will tell the new council that there are many in the public who do not accept the line that Ottawa needs an expensive LRT tunnel. By voting for Andy Haydon we can tell Jim Watson and the new council to abandon the expensive service-deficient idea that the outgoing mayor has been promoting.

CNN: Debt is Slavery!

How timely of CNN.  I encourage you to watch the video link below as CNN discusses the ramifications of debt.  This as our city is over 1 BILLION dollars in debt and about to go a further BILLION in debt.

Are we becoming slaves to debt as well?
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2010/10/21/bia.soaries.oct.21.cnn

Roger's TV Debate

My decision to run was made based on facts!

 I felt I had a duty to deliver these facts to the taxpayers. 

Mr. O’Brien chose to ignore them and Mr. Watson chose to dismiss them as he felt it was not what the people “wanted” to hear.

I presented a vision for the future of Ottawa:

- a second greenbelt

- diverting trucks off

King Edward Ave

;

- taking the Gatineau bus system off Rideau and Wellington;

- Garbage incineration with the production of electricity; and

- saving billions of dollars by eliminating an un-necessary  and extravagant streetcar system.

I have pushed and pushed BTR so much so that today’s Ottawa Sun indicates 24 percent of the people now realize BRT is the only fiscally responsible solution!

I encourage you to think long and hard before jumping onto a fancy streetcar plan because it sounds like fun.