Shortly before Christmas, the NCC Mandate Review Committee, a three person panel chaired by distinguished Ottawa academic Gilles Paquet, issued its report and recommendations on the future role and modus operandi of the National Capital Commission (NCC), an institution which has had a profound impact on the capital region as a whole, and from time to time, on the community of New Edinburgh in particular.

 

In the course of the past twenty-five years, our community has struggled against a variety of NCC initiatives, ranging from an erstwhile plan to reconfigure Sussex Drive in such a way as to encroach directly on the neighbourhood, to the construction of the now moribund Canada and the World Pavilion in the formerly sylvan Rideau Falls Park, and most recently, a plan to “liven up” the area with a new public building on the green space along Sussex Drive between Stanley and Alexander Streets. Many of us have also watched in horror as the once park-like open spaces abutting the Pearson Building were sold off to permit the construction of new embassies, arguably not a visual enhancement of “Confederation Boulevard” and almost certainly a questionable exercise of the Commission’s stewardship role in the protection of public land.

 

 

In its report entitled Charting a New Course, the panel concluded that the NCC has played a vitally important role in shaping the national capital region, and deserves to be strengthened not scrapped as some observers have suggested. The panel conceded, however, that many of the rampant criticisms of the Commission are well founded. Specifically, Mr. Paquet referred to its “culture of secrecy”, its “flawed initiatives and public relations problems”, and its apparent indifference to Ottawa’s history and the concerns of residents about the preservation of green space (amen!) His panel concluded that a number of these problems can be traced to the deep budget cuts which began in the 1990’s, effectively squeezing the Commission into the real estate market to generate operating funds, or in Paquet’s words, “selling public land to pay for the groceries.”

 

In its 31 recommendations to government, the panel proposes measures which address a broad range of aspects of NCC operations, from governance to financing, mandate priorities, communications and the contemporary mantra of openness and transparency (not a strong point in the Commission’s recent history). A number of the key recommendations include:

 

 

Federal Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon, who commissioned the mandate review, has promised a government response to the report early in the New Year, and has already endorsed the proposals for greater transparency via open Board meetings and the creation of Advisory Committees to provide for regular public input, which he described as a “refreshing direction.” We’re with you on that one, Mr. Cannon!

 

So it appears that after many years of strained relations with the NCC, our community and all other residents of the National Capital Region can perhaps look forward to a changed approach at the Commission, particularly as it begins the New Year under new leadership following Mr. Beaudry’s departure on December 31, 2006. Readers may be interested to learn that the NCC’s interim head, pending the government’s appointment of Mr. Beaudry’s successor, is Rockcliffe resident Heather Chiasson who had been Vice-Chair of the Board. We wish Heather the best of luck in this demanding role as she captains the ship through the tricky waters of transition.

 

Post Script on Our Favourite White Elephant

The latest word from the NCC on the fate of the Canada and the World Pavilion is … no word. My informant’s only report was that the Commission continues to seek out prospective users/purchasers (?), but that no decision (nor indeed, timeline for reaching a decision) has been reached.