Feeling inspired at the People's Summit
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world." -Margaret Mead
On November 1st, despite being exhausted from a late-night Halloween party the night prior, I went to Better Ottawa's People Summit — and I'm so glad I did!
"More than just a conference, the People’s Summit continues to be a launchpad for a people-powered movement — one that’s organizing, building power, and winning real change for our city." (Source)
The whole day was so inspiring and it was exciting to hear from people who have such genuine hope in Ottawa and its residents. I even met a few Mid City readers! Woohoo!
Take back city hall and return it to the people
Neil Saravanamuttoo, of Better Ottawa, opened the summit talking about the need for change. Ottawa isn't what it used to be, it's crumbling and shutting people out.
"Developers are setting the agenda," said Saravanamuttoo, bringing up Landsdowne 2.0 and Tewin, two large developer projects that require significant financial commitments from the City of Ottawa. Lansdowne 2.0 has since been approved by the city council in a 15 to 10 vote, even after so many delegates spokes against the project.
Weaving throughout the day's discussions was the looming threat and hope of an upcoming election in 2026. People mentioned Zohran Mamdani's success in New York City as an example of a progressive candidate trailblazing success for others. How can we accomplish what he did in NYC? How can we build a "machine" to support progressive candidates and guarantee their success in the next election?
The People's Summit Reading List
Throughout the event, I jotted down a few of the resources speakers mentioned:
- Saving the City by Daniel Sanger
- Better Buses, Better Cities: How to Plan, Run, and Win the Fight for Effective Transit by Steven Higashide
- Cities and the Constitution, edited by Alexandra Flynn , Richard Albert , Nathalie Des Rosiers
- Feminist Law Reform 101 (course)
- Horizon Ottawa's vote tracker