Diane Holmes
Encyclopedia
Diane Holmes is an Ottawa City Council
lor representing Somerset Ward
which consists of Centretown
, Centretown West
and the downtown core
. She was born and raised in Montreal
, Quebec
, and graduated from McGill University
with a degree in Physical Education
. She taught at McGill and the University of Toronto
before moving to Ottawa
.
She was first elected to Ottawa city council in 1982 in a surprise victory over veteran alderman Joe Cassey. On city council, her priorities include housing, urban planning, community development, transportation, social services, women's issues and social justice causes. As a previous head of Heritage Ottawa she worked to preserve heritage structures. She was easily re-elected in 1985 and 1988. She considered a bid for the mayoralty in 1991, but ended up supporting fellow progressive Nancy Smith
who came in a strong second (36%) to Jacquelin Holzman (40%). Holmes was easily re-elected to council in 1991.
In 1994 Holmes moved to the council of the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton
, facing little opposition in her bid. She was acclaimed in 1998 and retired from council in 2000 when the regional municipality was abolished and replaced with the new amalgamated City of Ottawa. In 2003 she returned to city council, winning another convincing victory in her previous ward. Holmes was similarly re-elected in 2006
.
Holmes supported a bylaw to require property owners to promptly remove graffiti.
Holmes has been nominated for the Ottawa municipal election, 2010. She will be in contest with Susan Miller, Don Fex, and Barkley Pollock.
Ottawa City Council
The Ottawa City Council is the governing body of the City of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is composed of 23 city councillors and the mayor. The mayor is elected at large, while each of the councillors represent wards throughout the city. Council members are elected to four year terms with the...
lor representing Somerset Ward
Somerset Ward
Somerset is a city ward in the city of Ottawa, Canada. It covers the neighbourhoods of Downtown Ottawa, Centretown, Lebreton Flats and most of Centretown West. It is Ottawa's smallest and most dense ward. It is represented on Ottawa City Council by Diane Holmes. It has an area of 6.5 km² and...
which consists of Centretown
Centretown
Centretown is a neighbourhood in Ottawa, Canada defined by the city as "the area bounded on the north by Gloucester Street and Lisgar Street, on the east by the Rideau Canal, on the south by the Queensway Freeway and on the west by Bronson Avenue." Traditionally it was all of Ottawa west of the...
, Centretown West
Centretown West
Centretown West is a neighbourhood in Ottawa, Canada. It lies to the west of Bronson Avenue, east of the O-Train tracks, north of Carling Avenue, and south of "Nanny Goat Hill", which is an escarpment to the north of Somerset Street West. To the east lies Centretown, to the north lies Lebreton...
and the downtown core
Downtown Ottawa
Downtown Ottawa is the central area of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Like other downtowns it is the commercial and economic centre of the city. It is sometimes referred to as the Central Business District and contains Ottawa's financial district. It is bordered by the Ottawa River to the north, the...
. She was born and raised in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, and graduated from McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
with a degree in Physical Education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
. She taught at McGill and the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
before moving to Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
.
She was first elected to Ottawa city council in 1982 in a surprise victory over veteran alderman Joe Cassey. On city council, her priorities include housing, urban planning, community development, transportation, social services, women's issues and social justice causes. As a previous head of Heritage Ottawa she worked to preserve heritage structures. She was easily re-elected in 1985 and 1988. She considered a bid for the mayoralty in 1991, but ended up supporting fellow progressive Nancy Smith
Nancy Smith
Nancy Smith is a former Ottawa City Councillor. She represented St. George's Ward from 1980 until 1991.Prior to being elected, Smith served in Federal and Provincial Public Services for ten years. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Psychology from Dalhousie University, and a Master of Arts...
who came in a strong second (36%) to Jacquelin Holzman (40%). Holmes was easily re-elected to council in 1991.
In 1994 Holmes moved to the council of the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton
Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton
The Regional Municipality of Ottawa–Carleton was a regional government area and census division in Ontario, Canada which existed from 1969 until 2001...
, facing little opposition in her bid. She was acclaimed in 1998 and retired from council in 2000 when the regional municipality was abolished and replaced with the new amalgamated City of Ottawa. In 2003 she returned to city council, winning another convincing victory in her previous ward. Holmes was similarly re-elected in 2006
Ottawa municipal election, 2006
The 2006 Ottawa municipal election was held on November 13, 2006, in Ottawa, Canada, to elect the mayor of Ottawa, Ottawa City Council and the Ottawa-Carleton Public and Catholic School Boards. The election was one of many races across the province of Ontario...
.
Holmes supported a bylaw to require property owners to promptly remove graffiti.
Holmes has been nominated for the Ottawa municipal election, 2010. She will be in contest with Susan Miller, Don Fex, and Barkley Pollock.