Christina Spencer

Ottawa

Opinions editor, Ottawa Citizen; ex-M.E., Postmedia; ex-E.I.C., Kingston Whig. NNA, NPSIA! Journalism instructor Carleton. Proud spouse of novelist @ButlerDon.

Articles

Today's letters: OC Transpo should make every weekend free

6 days ago | ottawacitizen.com | Christina Spencer

Advertisement 1Friday, May 9: Free rides would benefit shift workers and bolster visits to the ByWard Market, enlivening the city's nightlife, says one reader. You can write to us too, at [email protected] contentSign In or Create an AccountArticle contentArticle contentAs an Ottawan who took part in OC Transpo’s Ride Free weekend, I have a few observations to share:Article content• Ridership was definitely up. People seemed to be wanting to make the most of this.
Today's letters: 'Longest ballot committee' at it again in Alberta

1 week ago | ottawacitizen.com | Christina Spencer

Article contentSign In or Create an AccountArticle contentArticle contentIn the end, it made no difference to the results in Carleton riding that there were 91 names on the ballot. Bruce Fanjoy still would have won, Pierre Poilievre still would have lost. All it did was create confusion for those trying to vote, and extra time and effort for those whose task was to count the votes and report results. If the point was to protest “first past the post,” it is beyond me how the point was made.
Abdulla: Abusing doctors and staff won't make health care any better

1 week ago | ottawacitizen.com | Alykhan Abdulla |Christina Spencer

Skip to ContentAdvertisement 1Patients are under stress in our over-burdened system. So are family physicians and their colleagues. I get the worry. But I don’t get the rudeness. Article contentI know many Ottawans are struggling with uncertainty, stress and health challenges. I hear your stories every day and it breaks my heart. Sign In or Create an AccountArticle contentArticle contentHonestly, we try our best. But let me give you some perspective.
Grover: 'New ways to bus' means fewer ways to bus

1 week ago | ottawacitizen.com | Christina Spencer

Advertisement 1Frequent, reliable transit is our best chance to achieve the city’s stated goals of climate action, affordability and reducing car use. This plan won't work. Article contentOC Transpo says its ridership won’t fully recover to pre-pandemic levels for another 10 years. It’s “New Ways to Bus” route overhaul makes that look like a guarantee.
Today's letters: Poilievre, Conservatives must understand why they lost

1 week ago | ottawacitizen.com | Christina Spencer

Saturday, May 3: Canadians don't support negative, attacking and insulting approaches to politics, readers say. You can write to us too, at [email protected] contentSign In or Create an AccountArticle contentArticle contentRe: Conservatives lose election; Poilievre loses Carleton riding, April 28. Article contentThe election sent a very clear message to the federal Conservative party.
Pellerin: What this city needs is more imaginative thinking

1 week ago | ottawacitizen.com | Brigitte Pellerin |Christina Spencer

Advertisement 1Portland, Oregon is one example of how a local government dealt with an ugly highway and created a park that everyone can enjoy. Article contentThe City of Ottawa informed us all on Wednesday that council had approved the new community-led gardens and green initiatives program, and my eyes rolled so far up their sockets I nearly fell over backwards. Not that I’m against community-led gardens and green initiatives. But gah.
Moffatt: Zombies, fairies and dragons in Ottawa’s new transportation plan

2 weeks ago | ottawacitizen.com | Christina Spencer

Advertisement 1This fantasy document won't solve our traffic problems. But other cities have found a way to slay bottlenecks. Article contentLong-range transportation planning always involves some element of fantasy. The future is impossible to predict: Who would have anticipated the upheaval in transportation patterns we’ve seen since 2020? But even with that caveat, Ottawa’s draft new Transportation Master Plan (TMP), released April 1, is an unusually fantastical document.
Today's letters: Top five reasons the Conservatives lost

2 weeks ago | ottawacitizen.com | Christina Spencer

Advertisement 1Thursday, May 1: How did that lead shrink so quickly? One reader gives his analysis. You can write to us too, at [email protected] contentSign In or Create an AccountArticle contentArticle contentThe Conservatives under Pierre Poilievre went from a 25-point lead over the Liberals to a loss in the general election. Poilievre even lost his seat. How could anyone blow such a lead?
Liberals leading in Gatineau, Hull-Aylmer, Pontiac-Kitigan Zibi

2 weeks ago | ottawacitizen.com | Christina Spencer

Advertisement 1sdfAuthor of the article:By • Ottawa CitizenArticle contentThe Outaouais ridings have been Liberal strongholds federally since 2015 — and in early results Monday, that didn’t appear to be changing.
From Macdonald to Trudeau: A look back at Citizen commentary

2 weeks ago | ottawacitizen.com | Christina Spencer |Arthur Milnes

Advertisement 1Citizen editorialists have shared their views on 44 federal elections since 1867. Article contentThe Ottawa Citizen dates back to 1845, 22 years before Confederation — which means Citizen editorialists have commented on 44 federal elections since 1867. Here are a few excerpts from some of those published in the aftermath of past campaigns — dating back to Sept. 20, 1867, the first time voters in the new Dominion went to the polls.