Last week, I, like many, was surprised by the sudden resignation of the Mayor of Gatineau, France Belisle. She delivered an emotional speech detailing the challenges she faced as mayor, which included death threats, toxic comments, and personal attacks. As a municipal politician, I couldn’t help but empathize with her. While we are politicians, we are also humans with feelings. There may be difficult days, and I admit to having experienced a few, but there are also many positive ones. It’s about reminding oneself of that. I can only imagine that Ms. Belisle had more to handle than most of us could comprehend.
Politics is about decision making and not everyone will agree with what councillors (or Council as a whole) consider best for the city or individual community considering the available resources. In my personal experience I have been fortunate that community members, for the most part, have been very respectful. However, as a municipal politician, the lack of funds or city resources amidst the numerous requests from communities, places significant pressure on councillors, who are the face of municipal decisions that are made.
Beyond the day-to-day pressures of city operations, the City of Ottawa and municipalities across the country are being overwhelmed by a housing and homelessness crisis, including a rapid rise in drug overdoses and deaths. We are living in a time of many social challenges, including extreme poverty and increased mental health cases. Hampered by shortfalls in support from the provincial and federal levels of government, municipalities are left to address these problems. This adds to the pressure of trying to do something for those in need with very little budget to invest in resources and housing.
One of the highlights in my role as a Councillor is having the privilege to be the Chair of Ottawa Community Housing (OCH). OCH provides rent-geared-to-income social housing to over 32,000 residents with over 15,000 units and continues with efforts to build more. The federal Housing Accelerator Fund is giving $176.3 million dollars towards building affordable housing. Funding like this can provide a positive outlook, though addressing the housing crisis will take some time.
Given the challenges faced at the municipal level, the responsibilities of the job can become overwhelming. Politicians, media representatives, and others in the spotlight are often targeted, making it difficult for anyone to endure public criticism and personal attacks. Unfortunately, some of my colleagues have experienced this both on social media and in person. Respect should not be too much to ask, and that includes being courteous to Councillor representatives and City staff. Being a front-line worker in any profession is challenging, especially when faced with frustrated clientele, particularly when people are facing financial hardship. Call me an optimist, but I trust that we can move forward and foster kindness, which is a lot more productive than the alternative.