FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Clive Doucet joins Spacing Ottawa as Urban Policy columnist
Ottawa – Ontario- March 2, 2011 – Long-time City Councillor and recent mayoral candidate Clive Doucet has joined Spacing Magazine’s city blogs network as Urban Policy columnist for Spacing Ottawa, (https://spacing.ca/ottawa) it was announced today by Spacing editor Evan Thornton.
“We are delighted to have an urbanist and writer of Clive’s accomplishment with us at Spacing”, Thornton said. “Our mandate at Spacing is to explore the urban landscape, and as his career has shown, there is no one thinking more clearly and incisively about urban issues In Canada. There are few writers with more practical experience on the challenges facing cities in an age of economic contraction than Clive Doucet.”
According to Doucet, “the recent award of the Jane Jacobs Prize to Spacing Magazine’s editors confirms their importance in the Canadian debate about the future of our cities. I am very pleased to join Spacing’s blog network — it is a natural fit for me. Elected leaders pretend otherwise, but North America is already in the middle of a long and difficult struggle for resources and sustainable urban landscapes. Spacing’s outlook reflects my own – which is that cities are at the centre of the struggle for a viable future for the planet and its citizens.
Doucet’s debut column for Spacing Ottawa will run on March 3, 2011.
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Contact:
Evan Thornton
3 comments
I can’t say I look forward to Doucet’s column. From what I gather, Spacing Ottawa’s goal is to explore urban policy for the entire region of Ottawa-Gatineau. Doucet has proved himself to be a Glebe protectionist, opposing policies that might harm his constituents even for a net gain for the city as a whole.
Particularly, I hope that his Spacing column isn’t used as a soapbox to push his opinions on Glebe issues, such as Lansdowne Park redevelopment.
Of course, if Doucet proves me wrong and ends up providing thoughtful, reasoned, and balanced debate that considers the interests of the entire region, I will certainly be pleased.
Simply living in an urban neighbourhood for many years, and championing the views of the least progressive, forward-thinking, inclusive, or open-minded views of those who live there hardly earns an individual the accolades of being someone who “clearly and incisively” thinks about urban issues. As a true urbanist who feels that the urban experience should not be guarded by insiders but be made reasonably available to all who desire it, I am shocked that Spacing Ottawa would allow Mr. Doucet as a columnist, let alone herald his arrival.
Can’t say I agree with the above commenters: Clive will offer a perspective that is important to consider. You may not like that he is an “insider” but his experience is valid.
And I hope the above commenters do not want to see articles all written from the same point-of-view. While they may not like Doucet, he’s columns will offer those a chance to refute them. And I applaud Spacing Ottawa for doing that.