Allan Hubley is one of the last people in city hall to have an inkling of how poorly Ottawa’s LRT system is. Now a former council colleague is calling on him to resign in the wake of the damning final report of the Ottawa Light Rail Transit public inquiry.
Diane Deans, who served on the council for 28 years and previously chaired the transit commission, said Hubley needs to step down as a city councilman. If he does not, he added, his colleagues must ask him to leave his position.
“I do not know how [he] he could sit at the council table and make decisions about the future of this city when there could be no public trust left in him,” he said.
Hubley was the head of the transit commission during the final stages of LRT construction and testing.
Deans is also calling for former mayor Jim Watson to apologize to residents.
Among the report’s 664 pages and 103 recommendations is a WhatsApp chat group including Watson, staff members and Hubley where “critical information” was discussed, including the city’s decision to lower standards for test for the LRT system, but it was not shared with the rest of the city council. .
Hubley did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
LOOK | The call for Hubley’s resignation:
Deans calls for Allan Hubley’s resignation
After noting that several people in leadership roles on the LRT project have “jumped ship,” former transit chair Diane Deans, Coun. Allan Hubley has to step down from his role.
Watson owes Ottawa a ‘full apology’
Watson, the mayor from 2010 until last month who oversaw the line’s approval, construction, delays and opening in 2019, is currently on a “long-planned personal vacation” and will read the ‘report when I get back, a former employee told CBC.
Deans, who had an acrimonious relationship with the former mayor, said he is the one who “politicized” the project, put up the “time and budget” mantra and should also be held accountable.
“Jim Watson needs to issue a full apology to the people of Ottawa,” he said.
“If it comes down to who most of the blame goes to the public side of this partnership, Mayor Jim Watson.”
It didn’t save recently retired City Manager Steve Kanellakos either.
Deans said she was “disappointed” by his decision to resign just two days before the final report, describing Kanellakos as one of the city’s most trusted and respected leaders.
“He had the trust of the council. He had the trust of all the staff at the council which I’m sure is shaken today,” he said.
“This has been going on for several years. He cashed a check up until two days before the report came out. I mean, that’s cowardly.”
Staff departures leave residents ‘frustrated’
Deans is not the only former board member to speak out following the report.
Former downtown representative Catherine McKenney had pushed for a judicial inquiry into the process leading up to the launch of the Confederation Line and any possible misconduct by council members.
They called the report “condemning” and added that they were surprised by the “strong tone” it took.
“It exposes, in no uncertain terms, that the council has been misled,” said McKenney, who ran unsuccessfully for the mayor’s seat in the October election.
“I haven’t lost what I believe [Watson] he’s on another train going west right now and I think he has to answer to the residents of this town.”
LOOK | The former alderman, runner-up for mayor, wonders what will come next:
McKenney says LRT’s main concern should be how to move forward after the investigative report
Catherine McKenney said they were not seeking a vindication of the LRT’s investigative report, after they pushed for a judicial inquiry when they were Ward 14 councillors.
Like Deans, McKenney pointed to the fact that many senior staff members involved in LRT decisions have since left, leaving their roles with the city. John Manconi, then general manager of transportation, left the city just over a year ago.
“Everyone who has to take any responsibility has now left. It leaves the residents frustrated,” they said.
The new mayor says he will work with councillors
Ottawa’s new mayor pledged to improve accountability and transparency around the city’s light rail network and implement “key recommendations” from the scathing report issued Wednesday.
Mark Sutcliffe was asked about Hubley and how confident he was in the councilor continuing to chair the commissions, but he did not answer directly, saying he would let the report speak for itself.
“My intention is to cooperate with the council and not withhold information from them,” Sutcliffe said.
Sutcliffe says he will work in partnership with other councilors and will not withhold information from them. (Jean Delisle/CBC)
Former councilors, including deans, had long pressed for answers on LRT matters before the inquiry began, but were repeatedly rebuffed.
Carol Anne Meehan, who previously represented Gloucester-South Nepean, tweeted on Wednesday that those asking tough questions had been “marginalised and harassed”.
McKenney shared a similar sentiment, saying the culture at city hall needs to change so that no one is “bullied” into voting.
The deans also urged the council in session not to shelve the LRT report and move forward without taking steps to rebuild trust and improve accountability.
River County. Riley Brockington posted on social media that she still has a council colleague who is “swindling me into supporting a public inquiry,” which didn’t go unnoticed by the deans.
I still have a Council colleague ripping me off for supporting a public inquiry into the LRT debacle.
Tax payers & passengers of our public transport system deserve the truth, they deserve a better process & there will be accountability.
I will read the entire report & act on the rec.
—@RiverWardRiley
“That tells me a lot about the problem,” he said.
“They didn’t think the public had a right to know what was going on, that they lied, and they’re still angry at the people who stood up for public accountability, honesty and transparency.”