For Glen Gower, the final meeting of Ottawa’s 2022-2026 city council term began with one last walk to his seat at the council table. After two terms representing Stittsville ward, Gower decided not to seek re-election. “I honestly have zero regrets. It feels like a long time. It also went by in a blur, in a flash,” Gower said. The final meeting brought a mix of reflection and emotion to council chambers, as colleagues greeted one another with hugs and handshakes before wrapping up four years of municipal business. Three councillors are not returning next term. Gower chose not to run again. Jeff Leiper, who represented Kitchissippi ward for 12 years, left his council seat to run for mayor against Mark Sutcliffe. Allan Hubley, who represented Kanata South for 16 years, was defeated by Erin Coffin in the October municipal election. For Hubley, the end of his time at City Hall marked the conclusion of a 16-year career on council. “I was sent here with integrity and compassion for others, and I leave here with my bolts still intact,” Hubley said in his address to council. After the meeting, the city clerk’s office told him he had attended 326 council meetings during his time in office. Hubley admitted it was difficult to take in just how many meetings he had been part of. “A little overwhelming. I must admit, I can’t remember each one of them, but we’ve got a lot of work done while I was here, and I appreciate that. And the community is a better place because of it,” he said. Mayor Mark Sutcliffe recognized all three outgoing councillors, noting their combined 36 years of service to the city. “Between the three of them, that’s 36 years of service on Ottawa City Council. That is a big number. Each of these councillors chose to step up and serve their communities, to make a difference in the lives of their constituents,” Sutcliffe said. For Leiper, the end of the council term also meant packing up an office that had been his workplace for more than a decade. After the meeting, he sorted through his belongings, finding reminders of the years spent representing Kitchissippi. He says his time in office included some defining moments for the community, including the Westboro bus crash, the COVID-19 pandemic and a period of significant growth and development in the ward. Leiper said leaving the job is about more than simply giving up a seat at the council table. “The job of city councillor, I think, if you’re doing it right, is all-consuming. And I have to grieve a little bit. The loss of a really big part of my identity for the last 12 years,” he said. As for what comes next, none of the three has a firm plan. Gower says he would like to continue serving people, but outside of politics. He’s hoping to find a leadership role in the non-profit sector. Leiper is looking forward to spending some time away from City Hall, including a trip to Iceland and Scotland with his wife — something the couple has wanted to do for a while. Hubley? He says his focus is on his family. “I haven’t decided. I kind of want to be a professional, full-time grandpa. That’s what I wanted to be,” he said. But the transition to a new council won’t take long. The 2026-2030 term begins Nov. 15, with the new council set to be sworn in on Monday.
