[5] While serving on the city's Board of Control, his appointment by Mayor Charlotte Whitton to chair the playground committee "caused a stir among alderman, who felt their powers were being usurped".
[12] Donaldson ran in the 1944 municipal election in St. George's Ward, running on a platform of appointing a full-time director of sports and recreation, and construction of a bridge across the Rideau Canal.
[22] On election day, he was re-elected in St. George's, this time, topping the poll, with 1,695 votes, over 300 more than his seatmate, Arthur Pinard, who finished third, losing his seat.
[24] During the 1947–48 term, he raised concerns over 'nuisances' he expected to come as a result of a new apartment complex in his ward, which he did admit would still help to relieve the city's housing shortage.
[27] In September 1947, he was criticized by council for being concerned about the Bayview garbage dump's close proximity to the Lemieux Island filtration plant.
Critics pointed out that Ottawa had the "finest water supply on the North American continent" and that the dump was down river half a mile from the plant.
[28] In December 1947, he filed a motion at council asking that the Board of Control do a survey of the system of numbering buildings in the city, and associated road signage.
[29] In January 1948, he requested a police constable be assigned to the intersection of Laurier Avenue and Nicholas Street during rush hour, but was rejected by the city's traffic committee.
[39] In 1949, Donaldson was approached by Progressive Conservative Party of Canada and Independent groups to run in Ottawa East in the 1949 Canadian federal election, but declined their offers, saying he was committed to municipal politics.
[41] During the campaign, Donaldson complained that "[t]he past two years have been two of the worst in the city's administration... [t]here has been disunity, lack of leadership, a failure to accomplish anything".
[46] On October 24, 1952, Donaldson announced he would try yet again to run for a spot on the city's Board of Control in the 1952 municipal elections, saying "[t]his time I believe I will make it".
[54] That same month, he was named liaison officer between the federal and civic planning committees in order to prepare for local celebrations of the Coronation of Elizabeth II.
[8] For the "going away tea" held to celebrate mayor Charlotte Whitton and her secretary's departure for the Coronation, Donaldson ended up wearing knife-edged grey trousers, a black director's coat, stiff collar and a maroon waistcoat with lapels.
[9] In March, he and fellow controller Paul Tardif got into a "verbal battle" with mayor Whitton over their opposition to a pre-stressed concrete and asphalt plan to be built on Merivale Road, which included what she thought were "libellous statements".
[66] Following the deaths of three women in fire on York Street in June, Donaldson moved for a "vote of sympathy" at council for the families of the victims, and "paid tribute" to the firefighters.
[67] In July, Donaldson again clashed with Mayor Whitton, stating that the "'befuddled administration' was causing unnecessary delay in the laying of much-needed water and sewer services."
Whitton suggested that the delays were caused by "controllers and aldermen taking up the time of department heads, and city engineers 'with two-inch potholes and other silly nonsense'".
[68] In August, Donaldson and fellow controller John Powers failed at an attempt to pass a bylaw exempting the Central Canada Exhibition Association form "the payment of taxes".
[73] During a record snowfall in January 1955, Donaldson butted heads with mayor Whitton again when he criticized the city's snow-clogged streets.
[74] Following plans for mayor Whitton and Finance Commissioner A. H. Ritchie to resign in the Summer, Donaldson announced he would form a voluntary committee of councillors to prepare a testimonial dinner in their honour.
[80] Also in December, Donaldson and alderman May Nickson spearheaded a vote to back water fluoridation in the city, and to bypass having a city-wide plebiscite on the issue, much to the chagrin of mayor Whitton.
[88] In October, Donaldson came out in support of the city's new Parking Authority, disassociating himself from the remarks of Mayor Whitton and Controller Tardif who had been critical.
Donaldson finished as high as second place in Rideau, By, and his home St. George's Ward, but faltered in the suburbs, which propelled him to defeat.
[93] However, the authority's chairman suddenly resigned, leaving it with a single member, making it "technically non-existent", and so council decided to refer the matter back to the Board of Control.
He also stated that if the mayor had "taken adequate precautions in ensuring the safety of the gas distributing system in the city", a recent "disastrous explosion would not have occurred".
He went on to say that he "pioneered in the fight for industrial development, and Ottawa sewage disposal plant and improvement in cross town arteries and traffic facilities... increased recreation services, built new rinks and playgrounds and expanded the day camp program".
He indicated a need for coordination of services under a city manager, claimed the Board had "failed greatly in many problems", taking the "lesser way out' in awarding ... private garbage collection", he criticized traffic bylaws, and with "'bungling' the hospital question".
[112] During the campaign, he pointed out Ottawa's rising $150,000,000 ($1,520,000,000 in 2024 dollars) debt, and called for a "greater share of the tax burden to be assumed by the federal government".
[116] On election day, Donaldson once again finished 5th on the four seat board, missing the last spot, which was won by Ernie Jones by just under 5,000 votes.
[118] During the campaign he stated that the city was "facing a critical period in the provision of welfare and hospital services", and called for a "review of federal government grants in lieu of taxes".