Blais breaks two-term vow, will seek re-election in 2018
Coun. Stephen Blais says he’s running to remain in the Cumberland seat at city council in the 2018 municipal election, breaking his twoterm promise.
Blais, who was first elected in 2010, said the prospect of going back on his word weighed heavy as he considered whether to run again in the next vote on Oct. 22, 2018.
“That’s why I think it took a little bit longer,” Blais said in an interview on Thursday.
“I love the job. It’s a lot of fun. I think we’re doing some real great work in the east end, but also citywide. I wanted to reflect on that commitment from 2010. A lot has changed for me over the last five years. My view of the world on a lot of issues has evolved as a result of my health crisis.”
Blais had a heart attack in January 2013.
“At the time I was 32 and certainly thought there was lots of time in life to do lots of different things,” he said. “It was very much an eyeopener that you have to seize the day, you have to take advantage of the opportunities that exist in front of you in the moment and you have to push hard and push fast in order to do the things you know are right and you know are needed.”
But why make a term-limit promise in the first place if you’re going to break it?
“I guess the context of what was happening leading up to 2010 was important. There had not been significant change in municipal politics for a long time, with the exception of changing the mayor,” Blais said.
“Ensuring there was a regular re-evaluation of that dynamic I thought was very important, and I still think it’s important. I just think my perspective has changed in that I think residents and voters in Ottawa are paying much closer attention to things that happen at city hall and I think their view at the end of the day is the one that’s most important, and they’re going to have the opportunity to express their view next October.”
Blais, the chair of the transit commission, said he has been presented with opportunities to pursue office at other levels of government, but he likes being part of the municipal government.
Council’s class of 2010 featured several two-term promise-makers.
Coun. Mark Taylor said he’s keeping his vow to Bay ward residents. “I don’t see any reason to change away from my position,” Taylor said Thursday.
Taylor said he intends to hold a news conference about his future plans later this winter.
Kanata South Coun. Allan Hubley started backing away from his two-term promise before the last municipal election in 2014.
“People at that time (in 2010) wanted term limits because they wanted changeover,” Hubley said on Thursday. “The most common word that was being used was that the council was ‘dysfunctional.’ ”
Hubley said he believes he has strong support in the ward and that “the residents will set the term limits.”
Beacon Hill-Cyrville Coun. Tim Tierney made a similar statement ahead of the 2014 election, saying in a questionnaire, “term limits should be decided by voters.”