No Barrhaven or Orléans councillors on transit commission

Ottawa's transit commission this term of council will have no councillors from the growing suburbs of Barrhaven or Orléans, while the west end will be well-represented with four votes at the table.

It's just one of the many nuances in how Mayor Jim Watson, working with the city clerk's office, gave leadership roles and committee votes to members of this new council.

Transit and roads were Coun. Carol Anne Meehan's top priorities when she ran in Gloucester South Nepean this election.

On her survey for which committees she'd like to sit on, the rookie councillor made transit her top choice. Coun. Shawn Menard in Capital named transit his second choice.

Neither got a seat, however, while Stittsville's Glen Gower got one even though he ranked transit his fifth choice, and Kanata councillors Allan Hubley, Jenna Sudds and Bay ward's Theresa Kavanagh were also named in the west end.

Last term, the commission had representation from each of Orléans, Kanata and South Nepean, as well as two downtown councillors and two from older suburbs within the Greenbelt.

Hubley named transit chair

Meehan told CBC News she is disappointed but not every councillor got what they wanted. She plans to attend transit meetings anyway and speak to her ward's issues, even if she doesn't have a vote.

"I'm just assured in talking to the people who are on transit that it's going to be a priority for them as well. I take them at their word, and I'm going to be there to make sure that it will be," Meehan said.

Kanata South councillor Allan Hubley, however, got his first choice pick — he will chair transit commission this term.

Along with a few citizen members who will be appointed eventually, the eight councillors on transit commission this term are:

• Kanata South's Allan Hubley (chair).

• Alta Vista's Jean Cloutier (vice-chair).

• Kanata North's Jenna Sudds.

• Stittsville's Glen Gower.

• Bay's Theresa Kavanagh.

• Beacon Hill-Cyrville's Tim Tierney.

• Somerset's Catherine McKenney.

• River's Riley Brockington.