Adam: Kudos to Ottawa's departing city councillors. But keep a close watch on their replacements

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There\u0027ll be lots of new blood on city council this fall. What we need most, though, are independent thinkers.

. Add a new councillor to be elected in the recently established Barrhaven East ward, and another for Somerset and 44 per cent of the next council would be made up of new members. Such a large turnover in one election cycle could be a blessing or a burden. A blessing because it offers an opportunity for new blood: a crop of politicians who, hopefully, would bring new perspective and fresh ideas to the job.

So, let us appreciate the likes of Diane Deans, Mathieu Fleury, Carol Anne Meehan, Jan Harder and Eli El-Chantiry and others who have braved the storm and committed part of their lives to the city. But as we consider their replacements, let’s not become too obsessed with new blood, as if that in itself is a panacea for governmental ills. Fresh blood and ideas are critical if we are to chart new courses toward a better future but history shows that new blood doesn’t necessarily translate into new ideas or new direction. We can have new faces on council and not make much progress. We saw this on the current council, where we got a new class of followers, not leaders.

 

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