Meet the candidates in Ward 5 – West Carleton-March

West Carleton-March

There are seven candidates running for councillor in the west Ottawa ward of West Carleton-March. Incumbent Eli El-Chantiry is not seeking re-election as councillor. The ward in Ottawa's west end includes Carp, Dunrobin, Fitzroy Harbour, Constance Bay and Kinburn.

CTV News Ottawa invited all registered candidates to answer a questionnaire and submit a video introducing themselves to voters. (Some candidates submitted the requested 280 characters to describe their platform,while others submitted 280 words – CTVNewsOttawa.ca accepted both).

Sasha Duguay 

Political experience:  12 years as Office Manager/Executive Assistant for Federal Conservative Members of Parliament.

Professional experience:  Co-owner, QPSdigital.com (a web & app development company). Former owner, Pure Clean Ottawa (an all-natural cleaning company). Entrepreneur with a passion for politics & community advocacy. 22 years work experience including office management, marketing & public relations, human resources, & finance in politics, high-tech and non-profit sectors.

How long have you lived in Ottawa? Sasha has lived in Ottawa since 2005, when she moved her family farm in Quadeville, Ont. in the Ottawa Valley, to pursue my Bachelor of Commerce degree (International Management) at the University of Ottawa. Sasha has lived in West Carleton – March since 2017 with her husband and three boys, Conrad, Conan & Caleb. Sasha & her family moved here to start a hobby farm & raise their three active boys in a rural community while still being able to commute to the city.

Favourite Ottawa location/landmark?  The Constance Bay beach on the Ottawa River, to enjoy swimming, running & boating in the summer, as well as ice fishing, skating, ice hockey & snowmobiling in the winter.

Describe your platform in 280 words or fewer:  

As a wife, hockey mom, entrepreneur, hobby farmer & community advocate, Sasha will fight for the rural residents of West Carleton - March.

A common theme Sasha has heard from West Carleton - March residents, after knocking several thousand doors, is that there are a lot of resources devoted to urban center projects, leaving so much more to be done for our rural area. Sasha will fight to see that her neighbours in West Carleton - March are given their fair share of the budget to maintain and even improve the core services we all count on & deserve including roads, emergency management services (fire, ambulance, police), waste management, snow plowing, and recreation.

With cost-of-living increases making life unaffordable, the city needs to prioritize keeping taxes & city fees as low as possible. Sasha understands the concept of living within our means while ensuring that core services are delivered. She will continue to build our community that was given to us by the generations of honest hardworking people who came before us.

Colin Driscoll

No contact information

Clarke Kelly 

No response from the candidate

Ian Madill 

Political experience: None

Professional experience:  Hi tech sector for the past 20+ years

How long have you lived in Ottawa? 48 years

Favourite Ottawa location/landmark?  Many, Lansdowne, ByWard Market in the summer, Parliament Hill Canada Day, Rideau Canal Winterlude,  Carp Fair.

Describe your platform in 280 words or fewer:  

Preserving our rural landscape and providing a voice for fiscal responsibility on the use of taxpayers dollars.  I will fight to lower your tax bill! As councillor I will advocate to ensure tax dollars are spent on key services/programs within Ward 5.

I will look to ensure our roadways are maintained.  Work to ensure Ward 5 residents of all ages have access to affordable recreation and the facilities.  I will champion that mental health services are a priority and available.  I will lead the call for growth of agri-tourism in WC-March, not only providing jobs within our community but extra dollars for our farmers.  Promote and work with the business owners of the Carp Road Corridor to ensure continued expansion, new start ups while respecting the character of rural communities.  I will vehemently advocate for proper funding to expand police services, rural based paramedics, and our firefighters.

With cost of living increasing, it has certainly made residents change their spending practices, doing with less, changed shopping habits, prioritize essentials.  My family is no different.  I will commit to the residents that I will fight to ensure the tax dollars we pay are used for key services and programs that matter in WC-March.  I will work tirelessly to ensure that these services meet the expectation or exceed the expectations of our residents.  My family, like many families have seen our tax bills increase and the level of service decline, this behavior needs to stop.

A vote for me is a voice for you, your family and our community.

Stephanie Maghnam 

Political experience:  2017 Provincial Nomination Contestant Kanata-Carleton, 2018 Provincial Candidate Kanata-Carleton, served on various executive boards and committees.

Professional experience:  Studied Journalism/Broadcasting - was a television host/reporter for local community stations, business women, entrepreneur, travel & tourism, vulnerable sector transportation.

How long have you lived in Ottawa? Over 20 years - I couldn’t imagine a better community to live, work and play.

Favourite Ottawa location/landmark?  Pinhey’s Point Historical Site

Describe your platform in 280 words or fewer:   My commitment to West Carleton residents is to work prioritizing the needed investments in the maintenance and upkeep of our roads, walkways and cycling infrastructure. Ensuring that residents have access to high-speed internet while improving our basic services while protecting our green-spaces and our agricultural lands.

Greg Patacairk  

No response from the candidate

Nagmani Sharma 

Political experience: 0 years

Professional experience:  25+ years

How long have you lived in Ottawa?  10+ years

What's your favourite Ottawa landmark? Carp Farmer’s Market, Beaches of Constance Bay, Baskin Bay and Constance Lake.

Describe your platform in 280 words or fewer:

My name is Nagmani Sharma, and I was born and raised in India. I am not a politician. I spent half of my life agricultural farming. With my supportive wife Seema, our son Manav and I immigrated to Canada in 2007; adopted to struggle like other immigrants, working in factories, gas stations, pizza deliveries, restaurants, and hospitals before landing a job as a software engineer. In addition, I volunteered for many community and non-profit organizations like Post-Pandemic Red Cross Mental Health and Well-Being Support, Flood Relief Assistance, Food Bank Drives, Senior Cares, Refugee Settlements, Assisting Newcomers and Immigrants, and a variety of other causes.

My Platforms are:

The response time for paramedics, police, and emergency medical services are extremely slow. Our ward has been ignored since amalgamation. Rural roads, poor internet-phone connectivity, a lack of grocery stores and businesses. As a result of high inflation, and raised prices for diesel, gasoline, propane tanks, fertilizers, and seeds, our farmers are suffering. Local businesses are in terminal decline.

I understand that strong, unwavering leadership is required. I am ready to accept challenges and have better plans to execute them.