Oonagh Fitzgerald 2022 Kitchissippi

I bring to the role of councillor a wealth of international, national and local knowledge, experience and passion.

From 1983 to 2014 I worked in the federal public service as a legal research consultant, commerce officer, lawyer, and senior leader, providing non partisan expert support to successive elected governments, on a wide range of public policy issues (criminal law reform, consumer protection and competition policy, refugee protection, human rights, reproductive health, HIV\AIDS, environment, defence and national security). 

From 2014-2020 I led the international law research program at the Centre for International Governance Innovation, where my work focused on inclusive trade, sustainable development, climate action, Indigenous peoples' rights, corporate responsibility, and technology innovation.

I have successfully managed multimillion dollar budgets and provided governance and legal leadership and support to critically important federal departments:  Justice Canada, Human Resources Development Canada, Privy Council Office, National Defence and the Canadian Forces.

I developed courses on corporate social and environmental responsibility for business and law students and taught at the faculty of law and the Telfer school of business at the University of Ottawa for many years. I have written, edited, co-edited and contributed to books on criminal law, human rights, Indigenous peoples' rights, climate change, trade and corporate responsibility.

I have volunteered, organized, and led board governance for local charities and not-for-profit organizations (e.g. South Manotick Residents Association, United Way, National Capital Suzuki School of Music, Bluesfest, Folkfest, Canadian Council of International Law, Canadian Branch of the International Law Association, Ottawa University's Human Rights Research and Education Centre, and the Canadian Environmental Domestic Advisory Group under the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA)).

I connect to my community through gardening and tree planting, socially-engaged and sustainable visual arts and music, walking and shopping in my neighbourhood.

I am not proposing more Business As Usual. You and I expect and need much more from local government in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.  I want to work with local communities to find solutions to our pressing climate change, sustainability, housing, affordability, decent work, social cohesion and security issues. I will use my knowledge, experience and passion to:

• hold City Council to high standards of good governance, democratic accountability and financial transparency and responsibility
• hold corporations wishing to do business with the City to high standards of social and environmental responsibility and good governance
• end poverty and hunger in our community
• achieve gender equality
• provide adequate housing and shelter for all
• make our city sustainable and carbon neutral
• protect the biodiversity of the lands and waters of the south shore of the Ottawa River
• include First Nations, Inuit and Métis in all decision-making affecting the lands, waters and cultures of the south shore of the Ottawa River
• in consultation with government, private sector and NGO partners, develop and continuously update contingency plans to avoid another Trucker Convoy Occupation of the city.
• work with local community advocates to hold police to account for and to eradicate discriminatory and ineffective community policing
• establish funding mechanisms to facilitate community projects to decarbonise housing stock and transportation
• reduce waste and close the recycling  loop within our community (no offshoring)
• engage with the innovation and entrepreneurship community to develop pilot projects to address the City's pressing needs (affordable housing, decarbonisation of buildings and transportation, food security etc.)
• Help seniors to get the support they need to live independently as long as possible 
• engage with youth and young voters to  help them to envision, shape and realize the future they want.

This is not the time for Business as Usual. It's time to build the sustainable and inclusive City we want for our future and that of future generations. You can help bring creative and inspired leadership to City governance by sharing your ideas about priorities and getting involved in the campaign for a sustainable and inclusive community! 

Your financial contributions will help get the message to more people that:

• transformative change starts locally
• municipal elections matter in making transformative change
• as councillor I will build the sustainable and inclusive community we all want.

Your financial contribution helped get the message to everyone in Kitchissippi: we are here to shape a sustainable inclusive community for all!   

Thank you for donations received during the 2022 municipal election (updated)

No, the  OONAGH FITZGERALD CAMPAIGN KITCHISSIPPI is not accepting donations from developers.  As Councillor I represent the interests of the residents of Kitchissippi. I will work with other members of Council to make decisions that benefit all current and future Ottawa residents. I need to be able to make decisions involving developers in an unbiased manner.  Accepting donations from developers and individuals closely associated with developers could create a strong impression of bias. Instead of contributing to my campaign, developers are encouraged to donate to the many local charities helping vulnerable people in our community.

There are several differences to draw to your attention.  I am a bilingual lawyer with a masters of business administration who worked for many years in leadership and advisory roles in the federal public service, and at an international think tank. I have also volunteered on boards of not-for-profit organizations and taught at Carleton University and University of Ottawa. Throughout my professional life, I have been non-partisan and have learned collaborative decision-making skills, which will allow me to work with all councillors and any person elected mayor, to bring out the best in them and contribute my abilities and knowledge for the benefit of the City.  I also bring my experience as a mother raising a family in Kitchissippi, and as a woman leading large and diverse professional teams and achieving significant career success.

The current City Council has been riven by factionalism resulting in a divided Council that has been incapable of acting in the best interests of all Ottawa residents.  The incumbent may not have been in the governing faction, but he certainly was in the opposing faction which has made him less than effective in serving Kitchissippi residents. We see him continuing the pattern in this electoral campaign with his alignment with certain other candidates. I am avoiding endorsing mayoral candidates because I am prepared to work with whomever the residents of Ottawa choose.

I have been an advocate at the international, national, and provincial level for climate action, sustainable development, building an innovative, inclusive economy and human rights. I have worked with global experts on these topics and am passionate about bringing these ideas and networks to City Hall to help develop a vision to transform this dysfunctional small town into a world class capital city. 

I do not have the impression that the incumbent has a strong understanding of principles of sustainable development. We see the results of this lack of a holistic sustainability vision throughout Kitchissippi:

·  congested and dangerous roads, poorly signed and unsafe bike paths, 

·  construction pits, boarded up houses, streets blocked by construction equipment, negligent infill construction that exposes neighbours to fire and flood,

·  lost trees, heat islands, inadequate storm drainage,

·  lack of affordable quality housing, and 

·  lack of social supports for our diverse community.  

We have seen his lack of understanding, accountability, and action on such important issues as the LRT and the Trucker Convoy.  I bring professional knowledge and experience of how to ensure good governance, accountability and transparency to stakeholders and the public. I also bring my knowledge and experience of human rights and national security to help ensure Ottawa is safe and free for all. These skills and competencies will be needed to fix the LRT and build back residents’ trust of their City government. 

Providing an electronic newsletter updating on minor variances, development projects, road closures and community news is a minimum requirement for a Councillor. Having now knocked on over 15,000 doors in Kitchissippi I believe residents also want to know that their concerns about out-of-control development, lack of affordable housing, crumbling and unreliable infrastructure (roads and transit), deepening social exclusion, and the urgent need for climate action are being taken seriously by their councillor, and are being raised and addressed at City Hall. 

“Better. Together.” seems like a faint hope given what we have seen in Kitchissippi over the last 8 years. Business as usual is no longer good enough. Kitchissippi residents need a new Councillor with a persuasive voice who will work cooperatively with all members of Council to articulate an ambitious shared vision to make our City vibrant, innovative, sustainable, inclusive and affordable.

I bring my experience of leadership on good governance and sustainability to serve all residents of Kitchissippi and Ottawa so that we can shape the future we want. I will work diligently for you.