In an interview with the CBC for a news story on Ottawa’s rural ward 20/Osgoode, sitting councillor Diane Holmes said that she has “no sympathy” for the rural councillors, and that perhaps they should just leave.

In fact, Homes said, if there was a vote to let the rural wards go, she would be “first” to vote.

The story may be seen at cbc.ca/m/news/Canada/Ottawa

The report covered comments by Ottawa’s rural residents to the effect that they felt excluded from City plans and projects, and were not sure they are getting value for their tax dollars. Retiring Osgoode councillor Doug Thompson said that there has been a rural-urban divide, but that the situation was improving.

Commenting on Twitter, Ward 21 incumbent councillor Scott Moffatt said Holmes’ remarks were “ignorant.” Candidate for Ward 21 Dan Scharf offered Diane Holmes a tour of Rideau-Goulbourn.

In 2009, Holmes voted against a motion by then-councillor for Rideau-Goulbourn Glenn Brooks, who had proposed a motion to Council asking for a moratorium on a proposed wind power project in North Gower, pending health studies on the effects of the noise and infrasound produced by wind turbines.