The Ottawa Mayoral Campaign just got very interesting. With his first mayoral campaign event on Feb. 17, Kitchissippi Councilor Jeff Leiper’s campaign is finally stirring, though enthusiasm for Leiper still looks more cultivated than organic. Calling for volunteers is fine — that’s politics — but it’s not momentum unless people are showing up without being asked. The real contest on centre-left may not be Leiper vs. Sutcliffe, but Leiper vs. Neil Saravanamuttoo. Saravanamuttoo brings economic credibility though he’s unlikely to match Leiper’s ground game — especially if Ontario NDP MPP Catherine McKenney’s formidable volunteer network lines up behind Leiper. Leiper supporters won’t love this, but Saravanamuttoo splits the centre-left just as Alex Lawson complicates things for Sutcliffe on the right, especially in Ottawa’s five rural wards. Saravanamuttoo and Lawson have opened a path to the Mayor’s chair for Councilor Tim Tierney. We’re waiting to see if he takes it. If Tim Tierney jumps in, the Ottawa mayoral election suddenly has five serious candidates. That’s a real race, not a coronation of Mark Sutcliffe. Team Sutcliffe will now be doing some internal polling to see what this means for him.