Readers of the Ottawa Citizen have voiced strong opinions in a recent letters section, challenging pervasive narratives about federal employees and questioning major municipal projects like the proposed dual-arena strategy for the city.
Pushing Back Against the "Selfish Public Servant" Trope
In a pointed letter published on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, a federal public servant from Nepean, Michael B Coulthart, directly challenged a recent opinion column. Coulthart took issue with what he described as an unsupported depiction of unionized federal workers as "selfish, entitled and myopic" for their stance on returning to full-time office work.
He criticized the columnist, Mr. Adam, for lacking evidentiary support or firsthand research, such as conversations with union representatives. Coulthart argued that such portrayals overshadow the valuable and critical work public servants perform daily for Canadians, urging future commentary to be grounded in facts or direct engagement with the workers themselves.
Debating the Need for Two New Arenas
The letters also tackled a major infrastructure debate. Bruce Hutchison of Ottawa questioned the logic behind planning two new arenas simultaneously—one at LeBreton Flats for the Ottawa Senators and another at Lansdowne Park.
Hutchison pointed to the August agreement where the Senators purchased approximately 11 acres at LeBreton Flats. He cited owner Michael Andlauer's statement that the new arena would be "Ottawa's arena," and wondered why it couldn't also host other teams, as seen in Calgary where multiple teams share a facility.
With the city funding priorities like OC Transpo, housing, and mental health programs, Hutchison expressed concern that taxpayers would ultimately bear the hidden costs of constructing two venues.
Readers Champion Density and Critique City Services
Other correspondents praised urban density. Ken Johnston applauded the approval of a record-breaking 50-storey tower in Ottawa, arguing that building upward in walkable neighborhoods reduces car dependency and represents a smarter, more sustainable housing choice for future generations.
Several letters offered praise and further critique through the lens of columnist Bruce Deachman's work. François Paltrinieri supported Deachman's skepticism about private security in the ByWard Market and lambasted OC Transpo's service reliability and fare hikes, calling political answers "out of touch."
Fran Dawson thanked Deachman for a December 2, 2025 column advocating for better sidewalk snow clearance, arguing sidewalks should have the same "bare-pavement" priority as bicycle lanes, especially after a personal incident involving a fall on an icy sidewalk in the Glebe.
A Call for Diverse Perspectives
The collection of letters underscores a community actively engaging with local journalism, demanding nuance in the portrayal of public sector workers, fiscal prudence in large-scale projects, and improved core municipal services. The Ottawa Citizen continues to invite readers to submit their opinions to letters@ottawacitizen.com.
