On October 27th I was given the great honour of serving as your Mayor for 4 more years.
Today, I am writing to say thank you.
The support I have received from Ottawa’s residents over the past year has been nothing short of extraordinary. As a candidate for Mayor this year, I canvassed in all 23 wards, participated in more than a half-dozen debates, worked hard to put forward a platform that would move our city forward while living within our means, and all while continuing on with my usual Mayoral duties.
What made campaigning so rewarding for me was the chance to speak with Ottawa’s residents 1-on-1 at their doors day after day. My job as Mayor puts me in touch with tens of thousands of residents each year through different events and programs but it doesn’t leave me much time to visit residents at their doorstep to hear their ideas and concerns firsthand. Doing so during the campaign reminded me again how compassionate and diverse our city’s residents are and the support I received at the door was what kept me working hard every day.
The campaign, in combination with my job as Mayor, made for some very long days for me and for my campaign team. Despite the positive response we received from the outset, we took nothing for granted and made sure that come election night we could look back and honestly say that we gave it everything we had.
As the results came in on election night I felt truly honoured to have received the largest percentage of the votes cast and the highest number of total votes in Ottawa’s amalgamated history.
This is a mandate for progress in our city and as I set out to lead this new term of Council I promise not to forget this support.
I have been hard at work since the morning after the election finishing this first term while planning the coming four years. These years will see us open the first phase of our LRT system, clean up the Ottawa River, make the key investments in our city’s future while being fiscally responsible in the present, and celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday in 2017.
I look forward to working collaboratively with my council colleagues to push our great city to new heights.
I am forever grateful to be your Mayor and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support.
Sincerely,
Jim Watson
Mayor
City of Ottawa