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Ottawa City Council today voted unanimously to rename Trump Avenue, a residential street named more than 20 years ago.
The street is a part of an Ottawa neighbourhood called Central Park, which is filled with New York-themed names such as Staten Way, Bloomingdale Street and Grammercy Park. The U.S. President was basically a Manhattan novelty act when the streets were first set out in the subdivision.
“I’m embarrassed that in the nation’s capital we have Donald Trump honoured in this respect,” Riley Brockington, the city councillor whose ward contains the street, told council when he initially brought up the rebranding idea in the heat of the trade war between Canada and the U.S.
Now that the motion has passed, the councillor said he’ll form a working group with a handful of residents to come up with new potential names to put to a vote.
Mr. Brockington said no other street in his ward generates anything near the “constant” volume of complaints that Trump Avenue does. This is the second attempt to change the street’s name, after a 2021 effort that was strategic in its timing, the councillor said.
“I said, I don’t want to do anything while he’s in office because I feared retribution – honest to goodness” he said. “So he came out of office January ’21, and that’s when I did the outreach.”
That process failed to get two-thirds of the residents of the street to vote in favour of the change. Mr. Brockington suspects that those who voted no at the time didn’t necessarily like the original name – they just didn’t want to be bothered changing their addresses.
A street sign for Trump Avenue in Ottawa.Patrick Doyle/Reuters
This is the daily Politics Insider newsletter, curated by Ian Bailey. It is available exclusively to our digital subscribers. You can sign up for more than 20 other newsletters on our signup page.What else is going on
Trump says Canada is ‘destroying itself’ with ‘unchecked’ immigration: Trump took aim at Canada again today, this time to claim that it is allowing millions of people into the country “essentially unchecked and unvetted.”
Amid shifting political winds, Canada gets more of the spotlight on the UN’s stage: Since a watershed speech to the World Economic Forum in January, Prime Minister Mark Carney has become a leading voice of what he and some others call “middle powers.”
Canada ratifies landmark High Seas Treaty and commits funding to ocean protection: Carney pledged $82-million over five years to a global ocean-monitoring alliance, highlighting Canada’s responsibilities as a country with the world’s longest coastline.
On our radarPrime Minister’s Day: Carney was in New York this morning, where he spoke at a United Nations event to support the OceanEye International Alliance before heading back to Ottawa.Party Leaders: Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre attended his party’s caucus meeting on Parliament Hill. NDP Leader Avi Lewis hit the picket lines with striking Bank of Canada security guards. Green Party Leader Elizabeth May spoke to reporters about the government’s new economic legislation, Bill C-39, which she called “a monster, in every sense of the word.”Belleville synagogue shooting makes it into Parliament: Belleville residents are angry and looking for answers after a shooting on Sunday outside a synagogue in the Ontario city, said Liberal MP Chris Malette, who represents the area. Stephanie Levitz reports.Quote of the Day
“Canada’s special envoy is here. Diana – make sure I get the last name right – Fox Carney, who’s working tirelessly on this.” – Prime Minister Mark Carney, at the United Nations OceanEye International Alliance event, speaking about his wife, who has been named Canada’s first Ocean Envoy.
Question period
With B.C. Premier David Eby officially calling a snap election, the province’s Conservative Party is scrambling to present a united front in the hopes of winning power from the NDP. How many leaders (or interim leaders) has the party had since becoming Official Opposition in March, 2023? (Bonus points for their names!)
Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.
Perspectives
Mark Carney gets to work on the plumbing
In its first year, Mr. Carney’s government built a lot of workarounds and special powers that were supposed to cut through the thicket of bureaucracy. Now, it’s trying to clear away some of that underbrush. In its first year, Mr. Carney’s government built a lot of workarounds and special powers that were supposed to cut through the thicket of bureaucracy. Now, it’s trying to clear away some of that underbrush.
— Campbell Clark
David Eby’s snap election call is cynical and self-serving
In a stunning display of mind over matter, Mr. Eby didn’t even turn red as he uttered the ridiculous defence of his actions.
— Gary Mason
Canadian airports can anchor a global infrastructure champion
Private airport owners would create more opportunities for travellers to drop stupid amounts of money on cucumber-lined Hendrick’s martinis or Rolex watches. That’s discretionary consumer spending. Want to curtail the cost of a trip? Avoid airport restaurants and retailers. Private airport owners would create more opportunities for travellers to drop stupid amounts of money on cucumber-lined Hendrick’s martinis or Rolex watches. That’s discretionary consumer spending. Want to curtail the cost of a trip? Avoid airport restaurants and retailers.
— Andrew WillisGo deeper
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The answer to today’s question: The BC Conservatives have cycled through four leaders since March, 2023: John Rustad, Trevor Halford, Kerry-Lynne Findlay and, now, Lorne Doerkson.