Nepean-area city councillors meet with Carney at Barrhaven pub

CBC

a day ago

Kale salad and public transit were on the menu at a Tuesday lunch meeting with three Nepean-area city councillors and Prime Minister Mark Carney at Greenfield's Public House in Barrhaven.
Carney represents the federal riding of Nepean, covering an area that overlaps the Ottawa wards of Knoxdale-Merivale, Barrhaven West and Barrhaven East.
The Prime Minister's Office did not set an agenda in advance of the roughly one-hour informal meeting, but councillors said they discussed topics ranging from combating vehicle theft to establishing a federal working space in Barrhaven.
Knoxdale-Merivale Coun. Sean Devine called the meeting "conversational" and "productive yet informal."
"That was myself and three other local reps having almost an hour of face time with the prime minister — that's fantastic," he said.
The meeting comes as Carney faces criticism for not having set up a constituency office in his riding, despite holding his seat for more than 100 days.
The Prime Minister's Office said last week the search for an office that meets Carney's security needs is "well underway."
Local issues on tap
Councillors told CBC they discussed a range of local issues with Carney.
Barrhaven East Coun. Wilson Lo said he talked about the city's relationship with the National Capital Commission, the federal government's role in preventing vehicle theft and the possibility of establishing a federal co-working space in Barrhaven.
"We're not expecting to meet the prime minister all the time," Lo said. "This was a very positive first step in establishing a point of contact."
Devine said he pitched a project that is "already cooking" about a major "transit-oriented" housing development that would be built on public land in his ward.
"I wanted to align my interests with his, because I think that's the way to get stuff done," Devine said.
In a Facebook post, Barrhaven West Coun. David Hill said he discussed funding for the Greenbank realignment project, as well as opportunities for defence industry growth in the area.
Liberal Nepean MPP Tyler Watt also attended the meeting.