Former mayor Chiarelli to seek provincial seat

Bob Chiarelli, a former Ottawa mayor and former MPP,will take another run at provincial politics.

Chiarelli announced Monday that he plans to seek the Liberal nomination for the seat being vacated by Jim Watson, MPP for Ottawa West-Nepean. Watson announced last week that he will be resigning from the provincial government in order to run for Ottawa mayor.

Ontario-wide municipal elections will be held on Oct. 25.

Chiarelli said his latest move represents a return to his "political roots" and put to bed rumours that he would take a run at the mayoralty.

"In my opinion, I can do as much if not more for the City of Ottawa from Queen's Park as I could do as mayor," he told reporters at a news conference Monday.

Andy Haydon, former regional chair of Ottawa-Carleton, said he thinks Chiarelli can "bring a lot" to a job at Queen's Park.

"I think his assessment was right today. I think he can do more for the city from Queen's Park than he can here as mayor,"Haydon said.

Caroline Andrew, a political scientist at the University of Ottawa, said she thinks Chiarelli'sdecision "partly indicates that the announcement of Jim Watson has really changed the race at the mayoral level."

Chiarelli told CBC News he had already spoken privately to Premier Dalton McGuinty. There is no indication when a provincial byelection will be held in Ottawa West-Nepean.

Chiarelli hadpreviously served as MPP for Ottawa West from 1987 to 1997. Two years later,a redistribution created the new riding of Ottawa West-Nepean from75 per cent of Ottawa West, 40 per cent of Nepean, and 20 per cent of Ottawa-Rideau.

In 1997, Chiarellimade the switchto municipal politics, serving as Regional Chair of Ottawa Carleton. He was mayor of the newly amalgamated City of Ottawa from 2001 to 2006. He ran for re-election at the end of his second term, but was defeated by Larry O'Brien.

Chiarelli supports council's light rail plan

Chiarelli spoke Monday at length about the need for alignment between the city, the province, and the federal government or more specifically, the National Capital Commission in order to get things done for Ottawa.The commission is the federal agency responsible for federal lands and buildings in Ottawa-Gatineau.

Chiarellialsotalked about becoming a "positive bridge" between Queen's Park and City Hall.

When asked about the current $2.1-billion light rail plan that replaced the 2006 contract he worked on and supported as mayor, Chiarelli said he would respect a council vote on the new plan. The new council voted to cancel the old, $778-millionlight railcontract following the 2006 municipal election. Thenew proposalhas already received a commitment for $600 million in provincial funding.

Watsonhad been the minister of housing and municipal affairs, but stepped down from the position last Tuesday.He had previously been mayor of Ottawa from 1997 to 2000. He has been the Liberal MPP for Ottawa West-Nepean since 2003. He said he will step down as MPP before the Legislature resumes in February, and will make his candidacy for mayor official at that time.

Meanwhile, anew candidate officially joined the race to become Ottawa's next mayor. Sean Ryan appeared on the city's official list of nominees Monday. Three other candidates have officially been nominated: Bay Ward Councillor Alex Cullen, former independent newspaper publisher Robert Gauthier and Gordon Skinner.