Why Ottawa's new council could give Jim Watson a rougher ride

You have to go back to the Great Depressionto find a mayor who's served as long as Jim Watson.

Even without his third consecutive win on Monday, only J.E. Stanley Lewis, first elected in 1936, beats out Watson in terms of longevity as this city's top elected official.

Watson didn't have to face a particularly well-organized opponent runner-up Clive Doucetentered the race at the 11th hourwithout a fully considered platform, or the well-oiled political machine of the incumbent but Watsondid earnahistoric third term with a big mandate of more than 70 per cent of the vote.

Given his decisive win, one might imaginethe mayor will be able to glide through his next mandate.

But considering the makeup of the new council, it might not be such smooth sailing.

Some of theseven new councillorselected this week are more progressivethan their predecessors as well as Watson.

They includeTheresaKavanagh, an NDPactivist who will replace Mark Taylor in Bay ward; Laura Dudas, who will take over from Jody Miticin Innes; and Glen Gower, who beat Shad Qadri in Stittsville.

It's not a massive shift in outlook for council, but it boosts the ranks of the existing left-of-centre contingent think Somerset's Catherine McKenney, Rideau-Rockcliffe'sTobiNussbaum, Rideau-Vanier'sMathieu Fleury and Kitchissippi's Jeff Leiper who often found themselves on the losing sides of votes to, say, freeze transit fares.

This election doesn't give theso-called progressives a majority to get your way on this 24-member council, you need 12 friends.

And anyway, councillorsdon't generally vote on strictideological lines, instead shifting their allegiances based on the issue at hand.

So it's probablymore useful to think about this council not in terms of political outlook, but its willingness to do public battle with the mayor.

A more contentiouscouncil

Many of the new councillorsran on platforms that included promises of more transparency and accountability at City Hall.

Baked into that pledge is the understanding they will challenge the mayor about the details of a contract or why a particular development is slated for approval.

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Kavanaghtold CBC that she is ready to work with the mayor's office, not for the mayor's office.

And it doesn't help that Kavanagh is married to former councillor Alex Cullen, a constant thorn in Watson's side.

Mayor and councillor-elect already at odds

Perhaps the most obvious rabble-rouser on the new crew is ShawnMenard, the councillor-elect in Capital wardwho beat two-term incumbentDavidChernushenko.

Menardis on record as saying he's not going to council to trade votes to try to push his agenda forward, but will instead work to galvanize the grassroots to lobby their own councillorsto vote a certain way.

He's not afraid to mix it up.

During the campaign, hetweeted at Watson on everything from saving trees in Old Ottawa South, tonot attending certain debates, to a daycare closing in the Bayshore area.

Watson sniped back in various ways, sometimes telling Menardnot to meddle in other wards, other times that the people of Capital ward did not appreciate his negativity.

(Apparently, they did).

Expect this dynamic to carry to council, perhaps not in the earliest days of the new regime, but soon enough after the new term starts Dec. 1.

Louder voice of dissent

Don't forget, there were already voices of dissent on council.

Coun. Diane Deans, who was easily re-electedin Gloucester-Southgatefor the eighth time, has been willing to disagree with Watson and senior staff, whether it was to add money to the budget for social service agencies or to expressskepticismthe LRT would be on time.

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Then there are the inner-city councillors, who share a similar outlook.

A couple of years ago, they got together to have their own pre-budget consultations, which helped lead to the low-income transit pass.

Three of them Leiper, McKenney and Nussbaum now have one term under their belts.

Returned to City Hall with massive mandates, they will be confidentin their roles and may be more more vocal about pressing their agenda.

While no one wants Larry O'Brien-era chaos at council, we also don't appear to want a local government that looks like it's being controlled by the mayor's office, either.

It's telling that three candidates in this election who areassociated with the mayor David Gourlay in KanataNorth, Ryan Kennery in College and Don Dransfieldin Bay ward did not win (or frankly, even come close).

So while Ottawa wasn't prepared to change its mayor in this election, it was willing to send him a council to challenge him.