Brian Bourns

Bourns was born in Deep River, Ontario, where he attended Mackenzie High School. He went to university in Waterloo, Ontario, where he dropped out of a math program after receiving a scholarship. Afterward, he worked in Labrador City for the Iron Ore Company. He moved to Ottawa in 1971. Before entering politics, Bourns was a journalistOttawa Citizen, November 22, 1972, pg 11, "Invited six--and three more--turn up at candidates' forum working as the co-editorOttawa Citizen, January 15, 1994, pg B4, "Ottawa in the '60s" for the city's "counter-culture" newspaper, A Usually Reliable Source and as a writer/salesman for The Centre Town News.Ottawa Citizen, December 1, 1972, pg 63, "Board of Control" Bourns first ran for office in the 1972 municipal election for a spot on the city's Board of Control. He ran on a platform of replacing the property tax system with an income tax, changes in zoning by-laws, and the closing of establishments which profit from the exploitation of sex, the cancellation of the Central Canada Exhibition's lease at Lansdowne Park and a fully subsidized rapid transit system. Bourns ended up finishing in last place in his bid, with just under 4,000 votes.Ottawa Citizen, December 5, 1972, pg 1, "32 per cent vote returns old team" After losing, Bourns worked on the Centretown development plan, becoming the head of the Centretown citizens' planning committee.Ottawa Citizen, October 7, 1974, pg 3, "Wellington ward race gathering steam" The goals of the committee included increasing residential building in the neighbourhood, and to make it "a better place to live".Ottawa Citizen, January 24, 1974, pg 2, "Centre Town: Vote by residents backs concept plan..."

Bourns ran again in the 1974 municipal election for Wellington Ward alderman, a seat which was opened up by Joe Cassey who was running for a seat on the Board of Control. He ran on a reform platform, advocating for the creation of non-profit housing, adequate day-care, recreation facilities and more greenspace in Downtown Ottawa.Ottawa Citizen, November 22, 1974, pg 2, "Cassey's seat an open battle" At just 23 years old, Bourns won the seat in a surprise victory, winning the seat with 45% of the vote, defeating Matthew McGrath, who finished in second place with 32% of the vote.Ottawa Citizen, December 3, 1974, pg 21, "How they stand"

After being elected, Bourns ran for a spot on the city's executive committee, but lost by two votes in what was seen as a "setback for an informal alliance of reform (members of council)".Ottawa Citizen, January 7, 1975, pg 25, "Quinn, Lockhart elected" In 1976, he resigned from five organizations (including the Centretown Citizens' Corp.) he was a member of to avoid being caught in a conflict of interest.Ottawa Citizen, May 14, 1976, pg 3, "Bourns quits posts to prevent conflicts" Bourns ran for re-election in the 1976 municipal election on a platform of "[s]tabilizing the ward socially and economically." He called for a freeze on the development of new office complexes until the federal government can agree on the direction in growth in the ward. He was opposed by law and order candidate John Rankin and perennial candidate Sam McLean, a businessman who criticized Bourns' "left-wing leanings", calling him a "goddamn commie".Ottawa Citizen, November 30, 1976, pg 79, "Wellington major victim of govt. move" Bourns easily defeated his conservative challengers, winning 70% of the vote in an election which saw city council shift to the left.Ottawa Citizen, December 7, 1976, pg 29, "Council's new look may be left"

After his re-election, Bourns was elected to the city's planning committee.Ottawa Citizen, January 5, 1977, pg 2, "Little divisiveness as council appoints committee members" He was also appointed to the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton's planning and transportation committees.Ottawa Citizen, January 13, 1977, pg 41, "Housekeeping: Councillors named to panels" On January 21, 1978, Bourns married city hall staffer Donna Holtom in Dunrobin.Ottawa Citizen, January 26, 1978, pg 4, "City Hall received its newly weds" When he was first elected to council, Bourns was seen as a thorn in the side of developers and the city's downtown business committee. However, Bourns worked with businesses to help revitalize Bank Street, the city's main downtown thoroughfare.Ottawa Citizen, February 22, 1978, pg 2, "A new landlord and the Battle of Centretown" In 1978, Bourns ran for a spot on the city's Board of Control in that year's municipal election. Bourns ran a more conservative campaign compared to the "radical" campaigns of his past. He ran on a campaign promoting "fiscal responsibility", with a desire to keep tax-rate increases below the rate of inflation, and skepticism toward expensive capital ventures, which he believed were being promoted by city council's right wing.Ottawa Citizen, November 6, 1978, pg 64, "Board of Control" Bourns was elected to the Board of control, finishing in second place with over 35,000 votes.Ottawa Citizen, November 14, 1978, pg 61, "Reid new deputy mayor" After the election, Bourns' wife was appointed as the executive assistant to mayor Marion Dewar, which some aldermen complained was a conflict of interest.Ottawa Citizen, December 21, 1978, pg 3, "Alderman raises 'conflict' question" Bourns, whose spot on council also made him a regional councillor supported Rideau Township's Bill Tupper for Regional Chair of Ottawa-Carleton, whose bid lost to Andrew S. Haydon.Ottawa Citizen, December 16, 1978, pg 60, "Haydon regional chairman"

During his first term on the Board of Control, while he continued to develop contacts in the business community, Bourns continued to fight for the same principles as earlier in his career, such as for social services and better public transit, and kept a keen interest in his former ward, supporting revitalizing the downtown core.Ottawa Citizen, December 27, 1979, pg 49, "Mid-term marks awarded to city politicians" City council voted to abolish the board of control in 1979Ottawa Citizen, November 14, 1980, pg 47, "Toast ends 72 years of controversy" (whose abolition Bourns supported),Ottawa Citizen, January 10, 1980, pg 5, "Abolitionists delighted with decision by OMB" so Bourns ran for a spot on city council instead, opting to run in the new suburban Billings Ward. Bourns lived in Dalhousie WardOttawa Citizen, September 10, 1980, pg 101, "Bourns won't run in own ward" at the time, but did not want to run against incumbent Rolf Hasenack, who he believed was doing a good job.Ottawa Citizen, November 3, 1980, pg 64, "New ward means new issues" Bourns won the seat with 41% of the vote, defeating conservative motel owner Bill Zlepnig who won 34% and Ottawa Board of Education trustee Geraldine Trudel who won 25%.Ottawa Citizen, November 11, 1980, pg 48, "Underdog nearly defeats Bourns" After his election, Bourns was elected chairman of the city's planning board.Ottawa Citizen, December 4, 1980, pg 3, "Veterans on council win key committee positions"

In 1981, Bourns was named "man of the year" by the Ottawa JayCees for his work with the Special Olympics. During his first term as the alderman for Billings, he worked with South Keys residents to persuade developers to reduce the number of townhouses proposed in the neighbourhood. He also helped improve Pushman Park, recreation facilities and opened a day care centre in the ward. These measures he claimed reduced vandalism in the ward. He also advocated for the widening of Walkley Road and Heron Road. He continued to advocate for downtown revitalization through his work with the Commercial and Industrial Development Corporation. Bourns was once again opposed by Zlepnig, who this time received the endorsement of Geraldine Trudel, who finished third in 1980.Ottawa Citizen, November 1, 1982, pg 54, "Ward rematch an election race to watch this time" The endorsement did not help Zlepnig however, as Bourns went on to defeat Zlepnig with 55% of the vote to Zlepnig's 45%.Ottawa Citizen, November 9, 1982, pg 17, "Election results" After his re-election, Bourns ran for re-election as chair of the planning board, but there was an 8–8 tie in the council vote with Graham Bird. A compromise gave Bird the job for the first half of the council's 1982–1985 term, and Bourns the second half.Ottawa Citizen, December 2, 1982, pg 27, "New Ottawa council deals out {{sic|?|committe}} posts" In 1983, he lost his bid for re-election as the region's transportation committee chairman.Ottawa Citizen, January 6, 1983, pg 16, "Bourns booted as chairman"

Bourns was rumoured as a possible NDP candidate in the 1985 Ontario general election, but decided against it.Ottawa Citizen, October 2, 1984, pg 5, "Rae likes NDP's election chances" He was also considered likely to run for mayor in the 1985 municipal election, but decided against it, citing a desire to spend time with his family, his side-career as a business consultant and getting a master's degree in business administrationOttawa Citizen, March 14, 1985, pg 18, "Bourns won't run for mayor" from the University of Ottawa. In August 1985, he announced he would not be running for re-election as alderman either and endorsed fellow progressive alderman Marlene Catterall in the mayoral race. During his time on council, he was "instrumental" in getting Ottawa's non-profit housing corporation "City Living" started, and played a "major role" in developing Ottawa's Transitway rapid bus networkOttawa Citizen, August 16, 1985, pg C2, "Ald. Brian Bourns quitting Ottawa Council after 11 years in politics" as chair of the region's transportation committee.Ottawa Citizen, September 7, 1985, pg B8, "Election will bring in new faces at City Hall" Bourns was succeeded on council by his executive assistant Joan O'Neill who defeated Zlepnig who ran for the seat once again.Ottawa Citizen, November 13, 1985, pg B2, "A ward-by-ward breakdown of the election results across Ottawa"

On November 21, 1985, Bourns and his wife opened up the "Sussex Club", a women-only health spa located at 45 Rideau Street.Ottawa Citizen, November 22, 1985, pg A18, "Sussex Club opens 'new era for women in Ottawa'" In 1987, he was again rumoured to run for the NDP in Ottawa South for the Ontario general election, 1987, but opted against it.Ottawa Citizen, January 22, 1987, pg B3, "Alderman bids for Tory nod in Ottawa South" After politics, he continued his consulting work with a firm that dealt with native issues. He received his MBA and became a financial analyst for Peat Marwick Thorne, helping companies in financial trouble. At this time, he was urged to run for Regional Chair in the 1991 municipal elections (the first direct election for the job),Ottawa Citizen, April 5, 1991, pg C3, "Ontario passes regional election law" but ultimately did not do so. In 1993, while working as an accountant for KPMG,Ottawa Citizen, March 27, 1993, pg H9, Advertisement for KPMG he was appointed by the provincial government to study the possible amalgamation of the region's five school boards. His report ultimately rejected board amalgamationOttawa Citizen, November 6, 1993, pg B1, "Beyond the Bourns Report" (though the regions's two school boards would eventually be amalgamated in 1998).

Today, Bourns is the founder of Maclaren Municipal Consulting.{{Cite web|url=https://maclarenmc.ca/about/|title = Maclaren Municipal Consulting|date = 7 September 2016}} The Brian Bourns Place apartments in Centretown are named in his honour.Ottawa Citizen, November 22, 2014, pg A8, "Suns sets on Holmes' long political career"

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Category:Living people

Category:1951 births

Category:Ottawa city councillors

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Category:Politicians from Waterloo, Ontario

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