The

O•S•C•A•R© The Community Voice of Old Ottawa South Year 37 , No. 1 The Ottawa South Community Association Review JANUARY 2009 THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!! he Old Ottawa South Community DID IT - got the funding from the City to renovate and expand the TFirehall starting in Spring or Summer 2009. Thanks to all who helped OSCA fundraise over $200,000 for the Firehall Fund. Thanks to those who: • set up the charitable Firehall Fund • organized fundraisers for the last 10 years • attended lobster suppers, gourmet dinners, silent auctions, live auctions • purchased Japanese Maples, Hydrangeas and Magnolias • donated money • donated time • lobbied City Councillors • spread the word about the benefits of a renovated Firehall

In particular, thanks to those people who spoke so well and from the heart before City Council on December 4, 2008 and they are:

Michael Jenkin Paul Merriam Doug Small Nerys Parry Heather Martin Leo Doyle Kelly Harrison Sheryl Hamilton Marie Hennessey Firehall Champions at City Hall - Photo by Brendan McCoy Mohammad al-Assad Thanks to our Councillor Clive Doucet and all the councilors who voted for our project. Thanks to City Staff who worked so hard and so well with us. Thanks to Anthony Leaning who designed the new OSCA Annual Winter building. Thanks to OSCA President, Michael Jenkin who kept the project alive for many years, and thanks to Executive Carnival Director Deirdre McQuillan who, as usual, kept us organized and on track.

Calling All OSCAR Distributors Past and Present Sunday, February 1, 2009 Windsor Park Distributor Get-Together Sat. January 17, 2009 12 noon - 2:30 pm at the Firehall Snow or Shine from 1:00 to 3:00 pm

Please contact Larry Ostler Sleigh Rides, Games, Food & Fun [email protected] 613-327-9080 613-247-4946 by Jan 12, 2009 to indicate that you will be attending. Photo by Tom Alfoldi Families are welcome. Page  The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR JANUARY 2009

CONTRIBUTIONS The OSCAR The OTTAWA SOUTH COMMUNITY Contributions should be in electronic format sent either by e-mail to ASSOCIATION REVIEW [email protected] in either plain text or WORD format, or as a printed copy delivered to the Firehall office, 260 Sunnyside Avenue. 260 Sunnyside Ave, Ottawa Ontario, K1S 0R7 www.OldOttawaSouth.ca/oscar SUBSCRIPTIONS Please Note: The OSCAR Has No Fax Moving away from Old Ottawa South? Know someone who would like The OSCAR PhoneLine: 730-1045 to receive The OSCAR? We will send The OSCAR for one year for just E-mail: [email protected] $40 to Canadian addresses (including foreign service) and $80 outside of Canada. Drop us a letter with your name, address, postal code and Editor: Mary Anne Thompson country. Please include a check made out to The OSCAR. [email protected] Distribution Manager: Larry Ostler 613-327-9080 Business Manager: Susanne Ledbetter SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS [email protected] The OSCAR is sponsored entirely from advertising. Our advertisers are Advertising Manager: Gayle Weitzman 613-730-1058 often not aware that you are from Old Ottawa South when you patron- [email protected] (not classy ads) ize them. Make the effort to let them know that you saw their ad in The OSCAR is printed by Winchester Print OSCAR. They will be glad to know and The OSCAR will benefit from their support. If you know of someone providing a service in the com- munity, tell them about The OSCAR. Our rates are reasonable. NEXT DEADLINE: FRIDAY, JANUARY 16 FUTURE OSCAR DEADLINES The OSCAR is a community association paper paid for entirely by ad- Jan 16 (Feb issue), Feb 13 (March issue), March 13 (April issue) April vertising. It is published for the Ottawa South Community Association 17 (May issue), May 15 (June issue), June 12 (July/August issue), Aug. Inc. (OSCA). Distribution is free to all Old Ottawa South homes and 7 (Sept issue). businesses and selected locations in Old Ottawa South, the Glebe and Billings Bridge. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily of The OSCAR or OSCA. The editor retains the right to edit and include articles submitted for publication. The Old Firehall FOR DISTRIBUTION INQUIRIES, Ottawa South Community Centre CALL 613-327-9080 [email protected] AND LEAVE A MESSAGE or email: [email protected] HOURS PHONE 247-4946 The OSCAR thanks the following people who brought us to your door this month: MONDAY TO THURSDAY 9 AM TO 9 PM FRIDAY 9 AM TO 6 PM ZONE A1: Kathy Krywicki (Coordinator), Mary Jo Lynch, Brian Eames, SATURDAY 9 AM TO 1 PM* Kim Barclay, Marvel Sampson, Wendy Robbins, Jim and Carrol Robb, Kevin and Stephanie Williams. SUNDAY CLOSED ZONE B1: Ross Imrie (Coordinator), Family Gref- Innes, the Montgomery *Open only when programs are operating, please call first. family, Laurie Morrison, Stephanie and Kulani de Larrinaga. ZONE B2: Craig Piche (Coordinator), Pat Eakins, Laine Mow, Hayley At- kinson, Leslie Roston, Kathy Krywicki. ZONE C1: Laura Johnson (Coordinator), the James-Guevremont family, WHAT’S THAT NUMBER? the Williams family, Sylvie Turner, Lynne Myers, Jeff Pouw, Curt LaBond, Brendan McCoy. Ottawa South Community Centre - The Old Firehall 247-4946 ZONE C2: Craig Piche (Coordinator), Alan McCullough, Arthur Taylor, Ottawa South Community Association (OSCA) 247-4872 Curt LaBond, Charles and Phillip Kijek, Sam & Avery Piche, Kit Jenkin, Ottawa Public Library - South Branch 730-1082 Michel and Christina Bridgeman. Rob Campbell - [email protected] 730-8128 ZONE D1: Bert Hopkins (Coordinator), the Crighton family, Emily Keys, Kathy Ablett, Catholic Board Trustee 526-9512 the Lascelles family, Gail Stewart, Bert Hopkins, Mary Jane Jones, the Sprott Centretown Community Health Centre 233-5430 family. ZONE D2: Janet Drysdale (Coordinator), The Adriaanse Family, Gaia Cher- CARLETON UNIVERSITY nushenko, The Rand family, Aidan and Willem Ray, the Stewart family. CUSA (Carleton U Students Association) 520-6688 ZONE E1:Brian Tansey(Coordinator) , Wendy Johnson, Graham Dawson, Graduate Students Association 520-6616 John Sutherland, Mary O’Neill. Community Liaison 520-3660 ZONE E2: Nicola Katz (Coordinator), Frida Kolster-Berry, Mary-Ann Kent, Mediation Centre 520-5765 Glen Elder and Lorraine Stewart, Dave White, the Hunter family, Brodkin- Athletics 520-4480 Haas family, Allan Paul, Brian Lowley, Christina Bradley, Jennifer Rae- CITY HALL Brown. Clive Doucet, City Councillor ([email protected]) 580-2487 ZONE F1: Carol and Ferg O’Connor (Coordinator), Jenny O’Brien, Janet Main Number(24 hrs) for all departments 3-1-1 Jancar, the Stern family, T. Liston, Ellen Bailie, Mike Wilson and Niki De- Community Police - non-emergencies 236-1222 vito, Dante and Bianca Ruiz, Wendy Kemp, Walter and Robbie Engert. Emergencies only 9-1-1 ZONE F2: Bea Bol (Coordinator), the Tubman family, Karen Fee, Paulette Serious Crimes 230-6211 Theriault, Mark McDonald, Susan McMaster. Ottawa Hydro 738-6400 ZONE G: John Calvert(Coordinator), Claudia and Estelle Bourlon-Albar- Streetlight Problems (burned out, always on, flickering) 3-1-1 racin, David Lum, Cindy MacLoghlin, Hannah and Emily Blackwell, the Brewer Pool 247-4938 al-Asad family, Katya and Mike Zeisig. Brewer Arena 247-4917 Echo Drive: Alex Bissel. City of Ottawa web site - www.city.ottawa.on.ca Bank Street-Ottawa South: Rob Cook, Tom Lawson, Paula Archer. Bank Street-Glebe: Larry Ostler, Kathryn Brookfield. JANUARY 2009 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR Page 

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The OSCAR welcomes letters on subjects of interest to the community or in response to previous articles. All letters must disclose the name of the writer, as well as the address and phone number. Lettters may be edited for length, clarity, and libelous statements. The opinions of the writers are not necessarily those of the newspaper or its editor. Email your letters to [email protected] or leave in print at the Firehall. Support For ChipWagon at Bank and Sunnyside

Dear Editor:

t beggars belief that OSCAR would provide an inch of space on its December 2008 letters page to a field of torrent of vitriol targeting Ithe small Bank and Sunnyside chip wagon run by one of the finest, kindest, and most decent families at work in our beighbourhood. This modest enterprise has served legions of steady and delighted customers and, as a high school teacher with the personal privilege of having tutored members of this exemplary family. I’m disappointed by a community newspaer that, by including an accomapbyung photo of this Dear Editor: little business, may be hinting at tacit support for such unctuous and mean- spirited bile. Perhaps a bigger issue than French fried potatoes or soulless disagree with the mean spirited and ungenerous letter on the subject of big box monstrosities is the ssanctimony of those seeking to vacuum the the chipwagon at the corner of Bank and Sunnyside which you published humanity, vitality and spirit from out little neighbourhood to shape it into I in December. Chipwagons are a unique attraction in Ottawa, providing a Palinesque replica of main Street. USA, or perhaps, the Glebe – replete a useful and popular local service unlinked to any international chain or with awfully “tasteful” cafes, precious faux antique street lamps, and plenty brand. They provide food which I enjoy and which, taken in moderation, is of security cams to help purge it of anything found “unlovely” by such not unhealthy. Chipwagons are not conventionally attractive but they add to dainty and delicate souls. I’d love to use the aforementioned OSCAR sheet the character of the street. What I like most about this particular chipwagon is to wrap my French fried potatoes in, but alas, I fear such an oleaginous the example the owner/operator sets of hard work and dedication. He doesn’t discharge might cross-contaminate my chips. deserve the condescending suggestion that he and his business are part of the Third World. Sincerely, Wiliam Moon The lineups at the wagon suggest that it is both appealing and appetizing and that J. Slyfield’s opinion is not shared by everyone in Ottawa South. I feel the owner of the chipwagon deserves to know that not all of the Dear Editor: neighbourhood feels his business is a blight on the neighbourhood.

was taken aback by Ms Slyfield’s letter in the December OSCAR. Alan McCullough Perhaps her opening line “in my opinion” says it all. In her opinion I it would seem Old Ottawa South should be a gentrified place with no room for a hard-working honest family providing an appreciated service in a time-honoured fashion. For me, the chip wagon is to Ottawa as the hot dog stand is to New York or the hot chestnut vendor to Toronto. “Visual pollution” is in the eye of the beholder. The picture of the disparaged establishment displayed prominently in OSCAR for me represents a culinary oasis – mmm… poutine. Ms Slyfield’s unsupported innuendo regarding inadequate food handling and licensing seems frankly libelous; I am surprised you would print such unsupported vitriol. As for the diet of school children, I believe that responsibility rests with parents, following that logic, perhaps she would shut down our ubiquitous coffee shops. A vibrant neighbourhood welcomes diversity. “Community action” prevented the establishment of a patio at Patty’s Pub, then nixed a billiard room in favour of – yes, another coffee shop. It would seem Ms Slyfield would prefer more of the same – “a tasteful café” rather than the successful business that is there now and the much needed parking lot. Let the family chip wagon live!

John Goodall, M.D. FRCPC

More Letters to the Editor on pages 7 and 12

Send your comments to [email protected] or drop them off at the Firehall, 260 Sunnyside Avenue. Page  The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR JANUARY 2009 Brief Notes From the Firehall Have You Heard the News…

Renovation and Expansion of Firehall Gets Green Light By Regis Alcorn winter workshops have limited space and Windsor Park pre-registration is required. he front page highlights the “Big Friday February 13 the Firehall will Outdoor Rinks’ News in the Neighbourhood.” For host a PD day program for OCDSB students Tmany years this community has looking for a chillin’ day with friends and looked forward to a new look inside the staff. Register now to avoid disappointment, Volunteers Needed Firehall. With the upcoming changes, the as we seek out some Winter thrills and staff will be able to provide exciting new possible spills. programs and activities, with additional Monday February 16 enjoy the day as space, available to all ages. These renovations the Firehall will be closed for Family Day. may start as early as this spring. During that Monday March 16 to March 20 the staff time the building will close for a number of will keep your child entertained with a variety Calling All months and there will be discussion in the of indoor and outdoor activities during New Year as to our temporary relocation. the March Break program. Registration is OSCAR Distributors We will keep you posted and please drop- ongoing now. Past and Present by to view the renovation plans or pass The Outdoor Rinks will be up and the winter months, joining in some of the running soon, as the seasonal temperatures sports, fitness and general interest programs adjust and the City budget gives the OK for you and your family. to continue to make this part of a “Great Distributor Get-Together Wednesday December 24th (at noon) Canadian” pass time. Do you know anyone Sat. January 17, 2009 until Monday January 5, the Community 16 years or over who would like a (paid) job Centre will be closed for the Holidays. being a supervisor at Windsor Park Rink at the Firehall Registration for OSCA winter programs will during the winter evening and weekends? from 1:00 to 3:00 pm continue on-line at www.oldottawasouth.ca. Contact us at [email protected] or There’s still room in a variety of daytime call 613-247-4872, if interested. activities for preschoolers or weeknight Thank you to all, in the continued Please contact Larry Ostler activities for school age children and/or success and hardwork of making the Firehall evening and weekend classes for adults. a fun place to be in 2008. From the staff, [email protected] Tuesday January 27 “Preparing we wish the many volunteers, families and 613-327-9080 Your Home for Sale” will start off our individuals throughout the community and by Jan 12, 2009 surrounding a Safe, Happy and Healthy Winter workshops with local Real Estate to indicate that you will be attending. Broker, Tracy Arnett providing a wealth Holiday. See you in 2009. of information on this suject. These free Families are welcome.

OSCA Membership Form

Sign up for: FREE MEMBERSHIP FOR LIFE in the Old Ottawa South Community Association - if still resident in Old Ottawa South for people 18 years of age and over.

Surname______First Name______

Street______Postal Code______

Phone #______Email Address______

Can we contact you from time to time with information and/or questions______

What programs would you like to see at the Firehall local parks for ADULTS and CHILDREN ______

Please return (mail or drop off ) to OSCA, 260 Sunnyside Ave., Ottawa, K1S 0R7

JANUARY 2009 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR Page 

OSCA PRESIDENT’S REPORT OSCA Succeeds in Getting Firehall Renovated!

By Michael Jenkin designed to be a community centre, significant being a parking in lieu chair the first design not a fire station! Basic capabilities application to avoid the requirement efforts back in 1998-99 and who, along fter a 10 year campaign of such as holding several simuletaneous to provide 15 parking spaces in the with a group of energetic volunteers, collective community effort I activities in the building will now be new centre – a requirement that would held the first Lobster Suppers and Aam very happy to be able to tell possible. The renovation will make have prevented us from putting an auctions that did so much to get a you that City Council approved a $2.9 holding a wider variety of activities addition onto the building in order to substantial head of steam up under million investment to renovate and in the centre possible and also make provide additional parking spaces– a our fundraising efforts. expand the Old Firehall Community the programs we normally run in the fair trade off I think! I also want to thank my colleagues, Centre. The decision, taken as part facility more efficient and effective. The architect, Anthony Leaning, the members of the OSCA Renovation of an omnibus motion dealing with We will also be able to hold events now has to complete the final working Committee, for all their hard work over the 2009 capital budget, means that we never could before such as fully drawings before the project can be the last few years in taking this project the project can go ahead this year. catered dinners in the main hall and tendered and construction can start. to its successful conclusion, including In combination with the $357,000 even cooking classes. A number The joint OSCA-City renovation David Law, who helped in particular contributed by the community and of the program rooms will have committee will likely meet early in with many of the political discussions, a $200,000 grant from the province, cupboards and countertops and sinks January to go over the final detailed Brendan McCoy, Steve Mennill, Patti the full cost of the $3.4 million to help them cope with a wide variety changes to the design and to look at a Ryan, Nerys Parry, Lisa Drouillard, renovation has been met and the of children’s programming. Most preliminary timeline for construction, Mike Lascelles and our Executive complete renovation design that was important of all is that the community which will likely start in the late Director Deirdre McQuillan who, as showcased at last September’s public hall and the program rooms will have spring. usual, kept us organized and on track. meeting will be achieved. If you lots of storage for equipment which The major challenge OSCA will A special vote of thanks is due to John want to see in detail what the design will greatly improve their flexibility face over the next year, therefore, Donkin our architect on the second proposal looks like you can go to the and usefulness. For the first time will be how to run community design effort in 2004-05 who came OSCA web site (www.oldottawasouth. we will also have a proper reception programming while the community up with many innovative ideas on ca) and view the architect’s drawings. area where people can gather and centre is closed due to construction. how the community centre could be They are listed under “Firehall Design where there will be lots of space for The closure may last for the better part configured to meet our needs. Options” in the What’s Hot section on coats and boots. The reception areas of a year. Finding available space in Finally, I would like to thank the left hand edge of the main page. will also have the capacity to display the community and deciding on what Councillor Clive Doucet for all his The last few weeks of campaigning pictures and artefacts. level of reduced programming activity support over the last ten years and were very hectic, organizing speakers, Of course another advantage will fit in the available rental space will for helping us keep the project on talking to officials and councillors of the renovation will be that all the be the major challenge facing OSCA’s the radar at City Hall and pressing and putting together presentations, systems will meet the latest codes Program Committee at the start of this our case at this, and many other, but it was worth it in the end. We and standards for a building of this year. But don’t worry we have every City Budget rounds. Councillor Peter put on an impressive and united front type. The building will be disabled intention of running as large a suite Hume also deserves our thanks for co- at Council with some 11 speakers, accessible and the focus on a green of programs as we can and we will sponsoring the original motion to fund a video, PowerPoint presentations design will not only ensure it will be try and make sure that high priority the Firehall in the 2009 Budget and as and numerous letters and emails of energy and resource efficient, but it programs such as After Four remain well a vote of thanks needs to go to support being sent in – we even wore will make maximum use of natural part of our core set of activities. all the councillors who supported the red fire hats at Council to make our light and air circulation. And finally, Getting the Firehall renovation omnibus motion that saw the Firehall delegation visible and distinctive! We the project will ensure the preservation funded is the result of a dedicated funded. Most of all, I would like also managed to garner some media of an important heritage building in effort by many, many people, over a to thank you, the residents of Old attention with interviews on CBC, our community. decade. We have tried to list on the Ottawa South, who kept supporting CKCU, and on CJOH during budget There have been a few minor front page of OSCAR a number of this project over the last ten years, and week. design refinements to the project the main recent contributors to this contributed money, time and energy The renovation and expansion since the drawings were posted in effort, but there are many who played to keep it going until the end. It is a will add at least 50% more space September, the most significant being a key role in this enterprise at the very tribute to the spirit and commitment to the community centre to meet the decision to expand the Lounge beginning that have since left OSCA, of the people who live here that, at a future needs, but one of the biggest program room (that’s the one in the or indeed Old Ottawa South. Without time when getting anything achieved advantages of the renovation is that front of the building with the fireplace) their early contributions this important financially in the City is so difficult, a large part of the interior of the to about twice its size by removing effort would never have gotten off we persevered and won. Thank you centre will be redesigned to meet the old kitchen entirely and the the ground. I would like to thank one and all! our programming needs. For the existing reception office. There are particularly John Graham, a former first time we will have a building a few minor approvals to be obtained OSCA president, who launched the over the next month or so, the most Firehall Renovation Fund, helped Page  The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR JANUARY 2009 Local Businesses Help Raise $8000 For Out-of-the-Cold Suppers By Louise Rickenbacker Thank you to all participating merchants very Sunday from October to April, volunteers from St. Allegra Print and Imaging EMargaret Mary’s and other Barley Mow local churches prepare and serve Boomerang Kids hot three-course meals, bringing Bridgehead (Bank St.) people into the warmth of a church Bridgehead (Glebe) hall. For some of the guests at these Buttercan Bakery ‘Out-of-the-Cold’ Suppers, this may Byward Blue Inn be the only hot meal of their week. C.A. Paradis For others, the occasion provides an Canadian Tire opportunity to socialize and enjoy Carmen?s Verandah some companionship. Cosmic Adventures To generate funds to support Cuppedia these Sunday Suppers, a bazaar was Dairy Queen held on November 30 at St. Margaret Delusions of Grandeur Dollarit Mary’s Church. Organizers hope Volunteers from St. Margaret Mary’s sell the very popular frozen apple Elite Drapery OSCAR readers will support all the pies at the November 30 Christmas Bazaar. The Bazaar raised funds for Found Design businesses that gave so generously to the ‘Out-of-the-Cold’ Sunday Suppers when up to 100 guests each Sunday Georgetown Sports Pub the bazaar. Gift donations, certificates are served a hot meal. and other support from community Glebe Meat Market business people enabled the Bazaar Global Pet Foods Pelican Restaurant Carleton Mushrooms Committee to keep costs low and to Grace in the Kitchen Quinn’s Ale House Fida’s Pizza raise more than $8000. It was due to Hillary’s Cleaners Second Cup Hegyi Geomatics the tremendous support businesses Home Hardware (Glebe) Singing Pebble Books Loblaws (South Keys) gave to the suppers that the bazaar Kaleidoscope Kids Books Starbucks Loblaws (Isabella) was a success. Kardish 3 Little Monkeys Loeb (Glebe) Especially generous contributors Kettleman?s Bagel Co. Three Wild Women Loeb (Southgate) were Glebe Meat Market, Allegra McMillan WAG McDonough’s Independent Printing and Imaging, Grace in Mirana Moda West Coast Video Natural Food Pantry the Kitchen, Three Wild Women, Mother Tongue Books The White Box Produce Depot Kaleidoscope Kids? Books, Elite Mrs. Tiggy Wilkles Wild Birds Unlimited Rideau Pines Farms & Market Drapery, Second Cup and Found Il Negotio Nicastro Yardley’s Antiques Roger’s Independent Design. Nuts About Life Patty’s Pub Food Preparation Local Talent Goes to the Dogs! By Theresa Straathof players in the conception and success of this venture. From the teacher at t “Shop Your Local Talent” Hopewell who suggested in September this year, there was a new that her class of 9 and 10 year olds Agroup of young artists selling might think of activities to support the their wares. “Ho Ho Ho Homemade” community and those in need, to the made up of entrepreneurs Erika, shopkeeper that recommended more Megan, Madeline, Sian and Katherine, affordable supplies from another prepared handmade Christmas and business for the project, and the moms Hanukkah cards, as well as Candy who offered time and space to let the Cane scented bath salts to sell. What creative juices flow. The booth was made this adventure truly unique was complete with right and left handed that 85% of the profit went to support cards, a scent sampler, a donation the Ottawa Humane Society. box to go straight to the cause, and No one is quite sure how this idea for a few cents extra, your special gift came to fruition, but there were many could be wrapped in paw print tissue paper!

The debate of where to donate the homes to share energy, enthusiasm proceeds was a short one. The girls and a comforting cuddle with those have a collective love for animals, going through difficult times. even though only one is an actual pet The girls were well supported by owner. Her family owns a rescue dog our community for their efforts, and from the New Orleans flood, named given praise for their idea and hard Louis, with whom all girls have work. In the end $189.50 was raised bonded. In addition, they have heard for the Ottawa Humane Society. stories of the program “Brightening The remaining 15%, about $5 each, Lives” offered through the Humane will likely go towards a group Society. In this program, specially outing to celebrate their success and screened dogs and cats are brought to generosity. visit hospitals, rehabilitation centers, social service agencies and nursing JANUARY 2009 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR Page 

CITY COUNCILLOR’S REPORT Firehall Funding and Transit Strike

Dear OSCAR Readers: environmental aspects in the mix. and John Graham, two past Transit Strike The Old Firehall funding does presidents of OSCA, were there “Through the arts, we mark a grand and important stage at the beginning and were keys to I believe transit should become contemplate and express the unity in the redevelopment of Old Ottawa getting the community fund going an essential service for all kinds and holiness of all creation and the South and the entire ward. I firmly for the Firehall. I don’t think either of reasons. One of them is that heights and depths of the human believe the Firehall will have a re- of them liked it when I said, “we’re emergency vehicles are having a hard heart in response to the great generative impact in Old Ottawa going to have to blackmail the city time getting through the downtown mysteries of existence.” Sisters of South, and will also send a hopeful into coughing up its share”, but I’ve core because of the congestion. I St. Joseph signal out to other communities like discovered that a community fund will talk more about this later. Old Ottawa East and Heron Park, as is the surest way to get the city on t’s been a long journey towards they move towards redeveloping the side. Facebook this moment. When I was first field houses at Brantwood Park and Michael Jenkin of course was Ielected in 1997, it was clear that Heron Park, that it can be done. I’ve a crusader par excellence and did a My office staff recently created every community in the ward needed always believed this is where the terrific job of piloting the community two new Facebook groups, Design a great deal of rebuilding. Bank St. future of the city lays – in the small around many shoals as we gradually Lansdowne Together and the Ottawa was falling apart. There was a lot scale, not the megaplexes. identified what needed to be done and Clean Air Alliance. If you’re on of basement flooding because of As gasoline becomes more and separated the need from the want. Facebook, please consider joining the antique underground pipes and more expensive, community centres Deidre McQuillan worked with these groups and invite others to there were three absolutely key that you can walk to are going to Donna Silver in my office during the join as well. community buildings that had fallen prove to be one of the answers entire project development phase. into such disrepair that city planners to more a sustainable lifestyle as Thanks also to Tara Pearman from Coffee with Clive were in the process of trying to get will communities which are less my office and Dino Dafniotis from rid of them. They were the Glebe dependent on the car in general. In the Firehall. For the final run-up to Coffee with Clive takes place Community Centre, the Sunnyside Old Ottawa South, we are moving in council we had 12 delegations from in Old Ottawa South at Bridgehead, Library and the Old Firehall. the right direction slowly but surely the community. Jim Watson MPP 1176 Bank Street, on the second We began a long battle, not to building our village square along and Councillor Peter Hume were on Thursday of the month from 9:00 to sell off or tear down but to save all Bank St. by saving the Mayfair, side, and in the final vote only three 10:00 a.m. three. This year’s budget marks reinvesting in the Sunnyside Library dissents were registered against the end of the battle to save the Old and now, of course, the rebuild of funding the Firehall. Their support A happy and successful new year Firehall. It has not been an easy the Old Firehall. Now we need a in particular is a real testimony to the to all, road, but it has been my number grocery store. commitment of the community who one priority now for five years and There is, of course, a great deal came out and supported tree planting Clive Doucet getting it funded became the litmus that remains to be done. Bank St. in at the Firehall, Lobster Suppers at City of Ottawa test for the city’s commitment to Old Ottawa South has been rebuilt Hopewell, Savour the Flavour at the 110 Laurier Avenue West, neighbourhood scaled community but Bank St. in the Glebe is still in the Firehall and generally any excuse Ottawa, ON K1P 1J1 infrastructure. We received 2.9 planning stages. The redevelopment to bring city hall’s attention to the tel.: (613) 580-2487 million dollars of city funding to of Lansdowne Park still hangs over fact that saving the Old Firehall was fax: (613) 580-2527 compliment the $300,000 raised by us in a threatening way thanks to not negotiable. There are moments [email protected] the community and the $200,000 an unsolicited shopping mall and when we should all take a breath and www.clivedoucet.com contributed by the province. This football proposal. give ourselves collective permission will allow us, graciously, to expand There are so many people to to feel great about life. This is one thank that it’s difficult to know of them. You done good! the Old Firehall and to completely renovate, with some leading edge where to start, but Doug Stickley

More Letters to the Editor:

To the editor: or lead solder in plumbing lines. There is usually some lead in the paint on walls. Old read the Jennifer Chandler article in the front porches can also be another significant December issue of OSCAR “Lead and source for leaded paint. The basic defence is I Little Kids; Even the Tiniest Amount to minimize contact with leaded dust. Careful Hurts”. Canada Mortgage and Housing renovations and diligent cleaning will help in Corporation (CMHC) has done a significant that regard. amount of lead in housing research and I agree Finally, while there is good research that some children in older houses are at risk. outlining the effects of lead exposure on Here is a link to the CMHC guidance called developing minds, note that people who grew “Lead in Older Homes”: http://www.cmhc- up in the sixties or seventies typically had 5-10 schl.gc.ca/odpub/pdf/64064.pdf times more lead exposure than today’s children, This publication and the general guide due to emissions from leaded gasoline. It will “Lead in Your Home” can also be mailed to take a while for the research to establish how you for free by calling CMHC at 800 668- that lead exposure affected the intelligence of 2642. the last several generations. Health Canada has also embarked on some lead survey research and is developing Don Fugler new guidelines for exposure to lead. CMHC Policy and Research (and To book an OSCAR ad Older houses in inner city cores have several factors to increase lead exposure. Our Ottawa East neighbour) call Gayle 730-1058 soils have higher lead concentrations than [email protected] rural properties. We often have lead services Page  The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR JANUARY 2009 THE BIG PICTURE Senate Reform

By Michael Dobbin independent House… preventing any the House of Commons. Although electorate really want do away with hasty or ill considered legislation… appointed, senate seats are filled by this professional elite in favour of recent survey by the but it will never set itself in opposition individuals with experience of value more politicians? Dominion Institute shows against the deliberate and understood to the legislative process. Currently, Former Prime Minister Arthur ACanadians could use a lesson wishes of the people.” three former premiers hold senate Meighen once described the Senate as in parliamentary democracy; so could One of John A.’s greatest rivals seats along side 24 former Commons “a workshop and not a theatre.” the prime minister agreed: George Brown who had made MPs. The average senator boasts over If Canadians would take an Sir John A. Macdonald once a name for himself as the champion 10 years of service, with 14 having interest, they may actually discover genially remarked that “We must of representation by population, over 20 years experience or more. their approval of recent bills protect the rights of minorities, and passionately believed that the new Today, Senate seats are filled by introduced by senators such as those the rich are always fewer in number Dominion government must be kept economists, scientists, businessmen, aimed at cracking down on spam- than the poor.” Perhaps Canada’s first responsible to voters and opposed judges, lawyers, professors, email, promoting official languages, Prime Minister was among the first to an elected upper house because he engineers, social workers, doctors, protecting heritage buildings and poke fun at myths aimed at the upper understood that it shouldn’t be entitled cardiologists, journalists, TV increasing transparency in filling house that he helped to create; but he to block the Commons entirely. personalities, musicians, actors, public positions. Senate committees was hardly the last. The arguments To further ensure authority of the authors, teachers, public servants and provide well-researched and valuable for an elected Upper House have Commons, it was decided in 1866 consumer advocates; many of whom blueprints for change such as those on barely evolved since then, but so that Cabinet should be authorized to would be unable or unwilling to meet defence and health-care. Meanwhile, have contemporary appraisals of the appoint extra Senators in the case of a the staggering personal financial after a single Senator was forced strengths of the current system, and deadlock between the two Houses. In and time demands required for a to resign after being found guilty the founding wisdom which lead to 1990, more than a century later when campaign. General Romeo Dallaire, of fraud in 2001, the ill-informed its creation. the senate challenged the Commons the retired Canadian general who led perception persists that all Senators “One way or another we are over the GST Bill, Prime Minister the failed UN intervention to Rwanda must be corrupt. committed to Senate elections.” says Brian Mulroney exercised this power. in 1994 was recently appointed to the The architects of this country: Stephen Harper on the eve of his Controversial as it was, the decision Canadian Senate. He continues to Conservatives and Reformers appointing 18 new un-elected senators nipped constitutional crisis in the bud work and write on conflict resolution alike agreed, despite their political to the upper house. and Mulroney paid the political price and for war-affected children. It differences, that an elected senate would The Fathers of Confederation in the next election. In the meantime, almost certain that were the Senate pose a serious threat to Parliamentary weren’t naïve when it came to the government kept functioning elected, he would not be contributing democracy, and would even exclude Parliamentary democracy. In fact, as designed with the wisdom of the to the legislative process. sought-after professionals from they cut their political teeth in the days architects of the Canadian Parliament An end to appointments would the political process. One can only before Responsible Government, and proving that the lower house could mean that these highly-educated and wonder what they would make of were instrumental in its creation. They trump the upper house in deadlock. experienced professionals would Stephen Harper’s intention to appoint were also aware of the dangers of a The dated argument is that instantly cease to fill important roles 18 partisan senators to the upper house decentralized federation which had appointed senators are old, rich, in government, such as Cabinet in a desperate bid to reform it. resulted in a civil war in the United partisan white-men who are paid a positions, and as members of the Canadians should have faith States. Why then, would they agree lot of money and contribute little or Privy Council. That is not to say in responsible government, and on an appointed upper house? nothing to the democratic process. that elected Senators couldn’t fill the recognise, unlike the prime minister, Sir John A. Macdonald remarked In fact, the senate currently has the same positions, but elections would that it was not an obsession with elitist in 1867 that the Senate serves as “the House of Commons beat with female attract more of the same - effectively autocracy that led them to this system, sober second-thought to legislation”. members: Currently 33% of senators creating a mirror image of the House but a desire to see true democracy He stated that it “must be an are female compared to only 21% in of Commons. Would the Canadian prevail in this land of ours.

New OSCA Board Member Geoffrey Murphy t was 5 years this summer since I moved Resources Canada, which has allowed me to to 8 Ossington and I feel it’s time to stay on top of the latest technologies in clean Ibecome more actively involved with the technologies and conservation. community, after having focused primarily On a more personal note, I believe that on extensive renovations, my career and of environmentally sound alternatives are course the birth of my second daughter 3 not only healthier for all, but do also make years back, for good measure. economic sense. For instance, I plan to install I believe I can bring very useful expertise a solar hot water system and a pellet fireplace, to a neighbourhood so abundant in older a renewable resource. In the longer term these Geoffrey Murphy buildings and with the new Firehall addition; technologies make economic sense and of my knowledge of clean energy technologies, course are much better for the environment. energy efficient and healthy construction We are privileged to live in a practices could be helpful. neighbourhood that naturally promotes I have worked with Natural Resources walking and bicycling over driving, with a Canada for the last 17 years, 5 years with the great combination of small businesses and Buildings Group at the CANMET Energy public places that are often better reached Technology Centre where one of my main without a car. It’s a great place to live and tasks was bringing government of Canada raise a family, but of course there are some certified energy efficient, healthy houses to areas that can be improved: I do have a few Japan and England. For the last 6 years, I have ideas and enthusiasm to hopefully add. I am been the Business Development Manager very happy to join the board and get my hands for the R&D clean energy Centre of Natural dirty. JANUARY 2009 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR Page 

GARDEN GLIMPSES A Great Winter-Read for Plant Lovers By Ailsa Francis was discovered in Japan around the coneflowers. The author then goes lovers alike. Where there was once mid-19th century by the intrepid on to elaborate on his own attempts at primarily strict symmetry, rigid lines re you someone who looks at German physician and naturalist, Dr. hybridizing daylilies and hellebores, and mannered plantings, the oriental flower rosettes and compares Philipp Franz Balthasar von Siebold, describing briefly his method (if the influence may have indeed resulted Athem to the concentric rings while he was practising and teaching reader is hooked on the idea, he or she in more naturalistic garden vignettes, apparent in pinecones or seashells? medicine on the man-made island of must buy the Druse’s earlier book on perhaps using plants in groups of Do you wonder about the Latin names Deshima, next to Nagasaki. While on propagation). three (rather than pairs), meandering of plants and what they might mean? an extraordinary excursion to Tokyo The strange attribute of some pathways and an increased use of Is it a mystery to you why some (included as a member of the Dutch plants to bloom at night is due to vines for their calligraphic silhouettes. plants bloom at night? Why some are official contingent) for an audience their need to attract pollinators that He describes the new-found love of fragrant and others, er, stink? Are you with the local shogun, made all the are active in the evening. Such is the sculptural, organic and whimsical looking for a great winter read that more unusual due to Japan’s strict case with the night-blooming cereus shapes of garden plants and their isn’t about politics or the economy? isolation from the west, von Siebold (a tender cactus similar in structure increased use in the garden as well If you are a plant lover or simply found and sent back to Holland to the ubiquitous Christmas cactus); as on the page, in wrought iron, as inquisitive about growing things several species of exotics, including this plant opens its giant flowers once architectural elements and even as in our environment, then I would then- unknown varieties of Sedum, a year in late summer, under cover of furniture. recommend this new book by Ken Viburnum, Magnolia, Clematis and darkness (and closes them forever the This book is like a revelatory Druse called Planthropology: The the notable Hosta sieboldiana. But same night) so that the unsuspecting conversation with an uber-experienced Myths, Mysteries, and Miracles of he may have gotten greedy and paid a plant lover could miss the show gardener. It excites, inspires, my Garden Favorites. hefty price. Soon afterwards he was entirely! Druse describes his own challenges and even surprises the Known for his ‘Natural’ series found in the possession of a map of experience with this plant; knowing reader. There is plenty here to educate of books (i.e. The Natural Shade Japan (likely in the hopes of making that it was about to open (and almost the novice and more still to re-ignite Garden - my favourite), then his clandestine trips into the abundant just as quickly, close again) on an the passion of a lapsed gardener. But investigation into other gardeners’ interior), which was forbidden in the evening while he was away from I really enjoyed when Ken relayed his obsessions (as well as his own) with hands of foreigners. As a result, von the house, he enlisted the help of a own personal experiences with certain The Collector’s Garden and A Siebold was made to leave the Far friend to contact him when “it was plants and his love of art – and how Passion for Gardening, and his most East with his life, but without the time.” Then, when he got the call he the two are so often intertwined. He is instructive effort, Making More company of his young Japanese wife drove the 60 miles to see, smell and clearly a writer who loves plants and Plants: The Science, Art and Joy and child. photograph, the glorious spectacle. who wants to encourage the child in of Propagation, Druse is known Druse also tells the story of the Druse also explains how the us, as well as our children, to discover not only as a passionate advocate newest Echinacea on the market: peculiar asymmetry evident in what the outdoors can show and teach for the natural world but also as a the Meadowbright series, displaying Japanese art that was first seen and us: the interdependence of all things, prize winning author and first-class flowers in completely novel and mimicked by western artists during our humility in the midst of it all, as photographer. This is to say that his unusual shades of orange. Years before the latter part of the 19th century well as the respect and awe all of it books are worth buying for the images their first appearance in nurseries (hence the Art Nouveau school) had a can inspire. alone. But treating these sumptuous in 2004, Dr. James Ault, Director of strong impact on gardeners and plant editions as so-called ‘garden porn’ Plant Research at the Chicago Botanic alone is not giving the thoughtful, Garden, had been cross-pollinating by often personal and anecdotal, and hand the common purple coneflower always well-researched historical text with its cousin, Echinacea paradoxa, their due. a yellow-flowering variety. It HAPPY This book reflects the author’s wasn’t until the second generation of fascination with the anthropology hybrids appeared that Ault’s efforts of plants – hence the constructed yielded one of the most exciting new title, “plant-thropology”; the origins varieties of garden-worthy perennial, NEW YEAR and natural (or social) relationships coneflowers with coloured blooms in of plants. As an example, consider tangerine, mango, coral, cerise and how that gorgeous specimen blue tones of gold. Moreover, this breeding hosta wound up in our local plant also resulted in the newest hybrids nurseries. Druse tells us that Hosta being moderately scented (of clove sieboldiana (parent to the well-known and orange); a characteristic lacking and loved ‘Frances William’ cultivar) in all earlier, naturally occurring

Almost 500 Charged For Not Using Reserved Transit Lanes Properly And Running Red Lights In November 2008 OPS - n November, the City of Ottawa’s Integrated Road Safety Program (IRSP), through its Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP), laid 471 charges for failing to Iuse Reserved Transit Lanes properly and failing to stop for red lights. Specifically, the safe use of Reserved Transit Lanes initiative resulted in the laying of 114 charges and 357 tickets were issued to drivers failing to stop for red lights. Each month since 2004, STEP has been profiling and enforcing two initiatives that target specific traffic safety priorities. These initiatives support larger IRSP public awareness and enforcement campaigns. In 2003, two City departments - Public Works and Services and Ottawa Public Health - and the Ottawa Police Service developed a program that strengthens, and provides a comprehensive approach to promote, road safety - the Integrated Road Safety Program. The Program’s goal is to reduce traffic fatalities or serious injuries by 30 percent by 2010. Ottawa residents have identified traffic safety as a top priority. The IRSP is committed to using available resources to make Ottawa roads safer for residents. Page 10 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR JANUARY 2009 Tasty Tidbits from Trillium Bakery Community Counts: A Ramble About Our Community

By Jocelyn LeRoy hands-on baking, we simply wouldn’t still be here. and hands get warmed up when its twenty below You’re why we get up in the morning. So, thank at Bank and Sunnyside. e made it! It’s 2009. The winds are you. Merci! Couples have met over a muffin and later were howling. Snow flakes glitter. It’s cold “Shopping locally” is the buzz these days. married. We’ve attended countless customer’s Woutside! From our vantage point ~ we experience the effects weddings. Mothers of toddlers share moments of Inside our cozy little bakery it’s warm with all daily. They go far beyond the passing of money encouragement. Eager little hands thrust silver coins our ovens on. The aroma of baking bread, and the over the counter. across the counter for a gingerbread bear, which lingering fragrance of the holiday sweets, remind We are honoured when you share your stories often becomes a ritual on-the-way-to=school visit. us there’s a lot to be thankful for. #1 on the list is and tell us your family news, health concerns, Lovers buy each other treats. Dieters of all kinds that we’re still here in the midst of your community triumphs and tribulations. discover something (at last) they can eat from a (since 1980), still baking our original best sellers. We watch your children grow – your parents bakery. When people fall off the wagon (diet) they #2 thankful item is that so many of our loyal age – new babies arriving. This is community. Do don’t fall far here. customers are with us today. Many have lived in we get to participate in this in our malls and big Customers love to share their recipes with us. other countries, then returned to the bakery with box stores? Your choice of buying locally enables And give their opinions on our inventions. I never great stories, resuming their daily visits to Trillium. us to provide students with incomes and learning knew how many “down east” people lived in the There is such a strong sense of community here. experiences. It enables us to support other local neighbourhood, until I asked. These people helped We love the bouts of nostalgia the customers share businesses. And it enables us to live and do what us to get the Molasses Maritime Brown Bread just with us! we feel is worth while and satisfying. right. Some say the bakery is part of their roots. We shop locally. Only when we cannot get We love to visit Upper Canada Village. We We’ve seen babies morph into kids, grow up and something locally do we head further afield. We keep their mill prosperous. We pay them to grind go away to university, or travel, and come back often have to pay a little more than if we get all our grain. Then we pick it up in those huggable years later to see if the rocking horse is still here. of our hundreds of supplies from the BIG GUYS. cotton sacks of yesteryear. It’s not surprising we We thank all you old-timers (and new-comers) for But the service ~ the loyalty, is unmatched. Our feel so at home there. It reminds us of our bakery. A all your support, friendship, and dollars spent for honey supplier is a perfect example. He shops reflection backwards in time, where “community” good eating! You tell us you can’t get your special locally. His organic fields supply us with a local, meant sharing as a way of life – for support, diet needs fulfilled anywhere else. And you tell us wonderful product. prosperity, and a model of resourcefulness for you just love our bread and cookies and can’t stop Last week our honey man heard Jean, our night the youngest generation. Shopping locally was a eating them. baker, saying he was getting really low on honey. given. I was once amazed to meet a man who said Bill the honey man had just finished bemoaning the It’s quite fine living a hundred year old cultural he ate ”shreddies” every single day for twenty-five fact he’d over booked himself at food shows and experience. We have lots of wooden spoons. years. I realize now that many of our customers was very short of sleep – delivering honey to his And it’s also quite grand living in 2009 with our have been eating our granola for twenty-nine. And customers at all hours. Later that day he brought upgraded, up to code electricity. No more zzzzt! the “daily bread” habit is alive and well in Old two buckets of honey for Jean so he’d have enough when plugging in a hand mixer! Ottawa South. that night. Who else would have bothered ! let Baking bread. Eating bread. Breaking bread If it weren’t for you, walking through the door alone come booming in the door with his bright with others. Slicing bread … the basics. and through the “porch” to our world of downhome purple sweater and cheerful comments? Last year Buying it locally made. This helps your he broke his arm (delivering honey on an icy community and helps you. One of our customers walkway) and the next day he was at Trillium promised to bring in her family recipe for Bread with our order, using his other arm. We would Soup and its story from Denmark, where she grew have gladly picked it up. Oh no, his show kept up. going! p.s. she says it’s really delicious – something The value here – anyone else would have about whipping cream on top…. spent a week in front of the TV – PRICELESS. Tune in next issue for this unusual (for us) Shamin, another of our local, not-too-big adventure in eating. suppliers, is a little different. It is very difficult Did you know that some people have lost the for him to compete with the large companies art of slicing a loaf of bread? I always do it for in Toronto and Montreal, where most Ottawa people physically unable to slice a loaf. Sorry for bakeries get their supplies. Each week we go the inconvenience to the rest of you. And sorry over lists with Shamin, checking prices of dates, we don’t have a $3,000 automatic slicer. Ours apricots, nuts and spices. Whenever he possibly have names. Big Jean, and any staff sympathetic can, he tries to match their price. Usually not enough to help out a customer intimidated by quite. He is so reliable, so accommodating he bread knives. gets our long-term business. And we get to help him stay in business through tough times. We enjoyed his son’s beautiful wedding this summer. And I have a lovely teapot his wife Bread Slicing chose, from last Christmas. He brings gifts for my grandchildren too! 1. Take a deep breath. Relax. Whether it’s eggs from run-around hens, 2. Give your arms and hands a little shake. paper products from a local Trading Company, 3. Grasp the loaf in your non-slicing hand. it’s good for us professionally and personally to Feel it. It’s pretty defenseless. Turn it on its side if “shop local.” you’re a really bad slicer. We even heat locally. Our gas fuelled ovens 4. Firmly, but gently, saw a slice off the end warm up the whole bakery. Comfy cozy. of the bread. Take another deep breath. Eyeball the We feed the local birds. We deliver a loaf of loaf steadily. Saw another slice. bread to some elderly folks when the sidewalks A sharp bread knife is a must-have. This is are slippery. We donate product to the nearest your key to success. A little practice is all you soup kitchen. There are so many “local” flavours need, once you have your good knife. There are that add to the bakery. It might sound frivolous, several shops in the neighbourhood that sell bread but none of it can ever be reproduced in a big box knives. Paradis has the traditional long-bladed store. Our sense of participation is tangible. bread knife. It’s a pleasure to use. People rendez-vous at Trillium. Cold feet JANUARY 2009 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR Page 11

A HARD DAY’S PLAY Fresh Air and Flounder By Mary P.

Fresh air is good for the children.

Exercise even more so.

And one should never underestimate the emotionally beneficial effects of daylight.

So every day, I do my very best

to take the children outside

for a little flounder in the snow. Page 12 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR JANUARY 2009

More Letters to the Editor: Community Centre Thoughts Der Editor this area has for our community. the after four program and summer doctor and dentist’s offices or bring When the Family Court house camps alone! Then think of other other services to our neighbourhood? ’ve been a member of Ottawa South was closed at Bronson and Sunnyside advantages. How about a fitness I started this letter talking about my for over twenty years now; renting and then the Ottawa Housing division centre, real activities for children contributions to the community. I’m Ifirst on Grove and then Ossington was moved from its location on over thirteen both after school and in not someone sitting on the sidelines Avenues and finally buying on Glen; Brewer Way, our community had the the evenings and on weekends. How complaining. I was honoured with a becoming one of our community’s opportunity to move and expand the about a permanent facility at Brewer Whitton award for my service to the weekend renovators. I love the area community. A vote was held and a where the temporary rink hut is now community in 1999 and I have tried and have raised two children here majority of Ottawa South residents located? With washrooms, attendants, to attend some OSCA community and seen them off. We are currently agreed with the plan. Our OSCA proper storage areas for sports gear sessions but left frustrated; probably “working” on our third and having lots board decided it was not enough (soccer, T-ball etc) and my goodness my own fault as committees are not of fun. I have always been involved of a majority and to remain at the a permanent outdoor artificial rink my strength. I know of the hard with the community association, as a Firehall. A housing development that serves as a ball hockey or roller work put in by many members of the coach and organizer for T-Ball, girl’s was built at Sunnyside and a private hockey rink in the summer. There is committees and our city staff. The softball, Ottawa Centre house league school moved in to the old housing parking at Brewer, (I know we want to current economic climate probably hockey, children’s soccer, helped building. Besides the new neighbours walk to everything, but just look at the means cutbacks and projects put start the adult hockey at Brewer and I don’t see any benefit that was added to mess at the Firehall during after four on hold but it also means that the an adult baseball league at Windsor our association. The Firehall remains pick up) and lots and lots of green opportunity exists to be imaginative Park. That’s just with the first two and an opportunity was wasted. The space. with the resources we have! Without children; I’ve started all over again Firehall lacks space, facilities, requires The Firehall’s “renovation” price this imagination I will raise one more with Harry. repairs and really means we have no tag is currently at $2 million, its child in this best neighbourhood In my opinion we live in the best community centre. We deserve one. growth is limited by its location and without a community centre. Can we area in the City, close to downtown but When you look at all the other it still relies on Hopewell school for not take another hard look at this? not in it. Restaurants, pubs, a movie community centres in Ottawa you can program space. It doesn’t address the house, the library, the pool, the canal, see many different possibilities. Travel under use of the swimming pool and John Loop the ice rink(s) indoor and outdoor... the to the St. Laurent Community Centre ice rink, the possible cutbacks to the list goes on and you all have your own (http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/ outdoor rink programs, the library’s cc: Clive Doucet (Councillor, Capital additions and favorites. Our crown parks_recreation/facilities/rec_ needs etc. Just imagine what could be Ward of Ottawa) jewels are the two parks, Windsor centres/st_laurent/index_en.html) if done with the money from the Firehall Chris Brouwer (Current Construction and Brewer for so many reasons. We you are looking for examples. Imagine and library space sale. The buildings Program, City of Ottawa) seem to have turned our backs on if our community centre, the library, themselves are not going to disappear, Mayor Larry O’Brien (Mayor, City of Brewer eliminating access and more the pool and the rink were all one they are heritage structures. Who Ottawa) importantly not realizing the potential centre. Think of the possibility for knows they might house a health clinic, Opposition to I may not agree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death, your right to say it. ....Voltaire Shopper’s Drug Mart Dear Editor

am fortunate to both work and live in the Old Ottawa South community. I have been following the controversy concerning the development of I the lot on the north west corner of Sunnyside & Bank streets, and am opposed to the possibility of a Shoppers Drug Mart. The one thing I see lacking in the area is good grocery shopping - if progress is big chain stores, would a Farm Boy be an alternative?

TRINITY ANGLICAN CHURCH Marie Hennessey

Big Box Store .... Cont’d from next page

Characteristics of a Big Box Store ( from Wikepedia)

Big-box store is a term that refers to a style of physically large chain store, and by extension to the company behind the store. The terms superstore, megastore, and supercenter also refer to these retail establishments. Located in suburban or rural areas, often in proximity to freeway cloverleaf interchanges, as opposed to downtown shopping districts. This design provides space for a large amount of merchandise and serves as an enormous billboard to attract customers. It is particularly favored by volume discount retailers.

Typical characteristics include the following: Large, free-standing, rectangular, generally single-floor structure built on a concrete slab. The flat roof and ceiling trusses are generally made of steel, the walls are concrete block clad in metal or masonry siding. Floor space several times greater than traditional retailers in the sector; in North America, generally more than 50,000 square feet (4650 m²), sometimes approaching 200,000 square feet (18,600 m²), though varying by sector and market. In countries where space is at a premium, such as the UK, the relevant numbers are a fraction of that. 779 Bank Street (613) 237-1483 Contact Brian Tansey bat JANUARY 2009 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR Page 13 “ Big Box Store” -- Coming to a Theatre Near You ( ? )

By Brian Tansey was not put on the Agenda. OSWATCH’ “opinion” is simply approved, then the ideal for this site To make matters worse, when it that...... and no more. If we address will never get built because the site OSCA / Oswatch fails in duty to was decided at the Nov 26th meeting this issue appropriately it could be will have been pre-empted. properly consult citizens ofOSWATCH, that there should be considered as such by the City.” The ideal for this location would another proper public meeting ( a be just what the Zoning calls for: a There will be a meeting of those date in early January was chosen) perhaps large building, with several who wish to organize to oppose the the Chair preemptively decided a few To summarize what is wrong retailers such as a green grocer / whole SDM Application on January the 6th weeks later, that there would not be with this proposal: foods retailer, ( 6000 sf.) plus a butcher at the FireHall at 7:30 pm. one and that a meeting with some of (3000 sf.) and another retailer such as the businesses would replace it on 1. it is double the size of what the 3000 sf. pharmacy) in the footprint he closer we get to Jan 13th/09, December 18th. This meeting was new Zoning allows; on the ground floor, with parking or the more likely it seems that old ‘announced’ in the Forum as being 2. it will set a precedent that will storage or even office / commercial Tottawa south is going to get a for residents, but when introducing / open the gates to future developers operation downstairs / basement, and big box-store * on its key intersection opening the meeting itself, the Chair who will be able to cite the SDM ‘ residential / commercial above the at Bank and Sunnyside. This is announced that it was going to be exception’ as justification for their main floor; and then with either more, despite the fact that it is going to be about parking and intended for the big-box proposal to proceed. All that or no ground level parking than is twice the footprint allowable under business community. will be needed after that would be for now being proposed ( which is just 12 the new “Traditional Main Street As one community member a developer to buy up two contiguous spaces). SDM are claiming that this “ zoning established just a few years who attended that meeting, said: “ I properties on bank Street, and build is a design intended for the walkable ago. Shoppers Drug Mart ( SDM ) is personally find incredibly offensive their big box store; community and to be sized to the proposing that the City amend that new the manner in which every issue we 3. the store will be built on a slab, ‘community’ scale. As one single Zoning to allow it to build a store, that have raised has been either subverted and thus not use the land beneath it; store it isn’t ; as a combo of several will sell almost anything, right next to or pooh-poohed as not important. this is the complete opposite of good stores, and with above and below the Mayfair Theatre,. Parking seemed to be the theme of land use; and yet Ottawa’s Official Plan good site usage, it might be. The only way to stop this now is last night’s meeting and last night’s repeatedly mentions intensification for citizens to appear at the January meeting was a complete subversion as one of the basic ways to achieve There will be a meeting of those 13th Planning and Environment of the intent of the proposed January sustainable growth for our city; who wish to organize to oppose the Committee Meeting of Ottawa City meeting.” That same citizen also said 4. the impact of a large discounter SDM Application on January the 6th Council and oppose it, using valid ( , in relation to the “Big Box” store claiming to be a community based at the FireHall at 7:30 pm. Mark your rules-based) arguments; and there are concept ....”....Yes, we are only 12 pharmacy (but in fact being a larger calendars for that prep meeting, and some very solid ones. 000 sq. ft, yet we are two times greater than existing discount-retailer ) on get your helmets sharpened for the But the story of how we got to than the largest traditional retailer in local businesses, is hard to predict ; 13th Jan. PEC Meeting at City Hall. this point, where the citizenry has not our area...and more than likely many but it will likely have many perverse been properly consulted, is intriguing. times greater than the “average” retail downstream consequences; Cont’d on previous page The watchdog sub-committee of space in Old Ottawa South”. 5. If this proposal does get OSCA ( known asOSWATCH) and To quote another individual who the Board of OSCA, seem to have at attended that OSWATCH meeting..... least passively permitted this proposal and who is a Bank Street business to get as far as it did without hearing owner... from its citizens. The community “No, Parking isn’t the only issue should have been made aware of this here. The fact is that SDM needs the proposal well before there had to be City of Ottawa to change the existing an official public meeting called by Bylaws (just a few years old) to allow the Councillor in September. However them to build a monstrosity that flies even that meeting occurred at the in the face of the intent of said bylaws. initiation / request of two dissenting If enough of us show up and say that members of OSWATCH. the community has not been consulted, In trying to figure out why this using available facts to back this up, might have occurred ...one hypothesis and express our opposition on the is that those on OSWATCH, who were size first and foremost, and then on in favour of the proposal knew it was the lack of parking in addition, we going to be controversial and thus could convince the city to disallow the delayed the public meeting until it proposal. By the way, I don’t believe was in effect too late, in order to avoid that 12 spaces is enough even without the messiness of an open meeting the 2nd storey. where things might have gotten a little Further to the lack of public testy. AnOSCA Board member asked consultation: Does OSWATCH even very early on in the process whether have a mandate from the community there would be an opportunity for the to promote specific developments? public to know the details and was Doesn’t sound like watchdog-type told yes; however many months went activity to me. Regardless of this, we by whilst some OSWATCH members can establish that the public was not were dealing directly with the consulted in any formal way. The proponent. One of the two dissenters largest (or only?) consultation was the was told that holding a meeting with meeting we were all at in the garage the community couldn’t happen of the Fire hall. There were so many until the Application was already in. people there to voice concerns about However it has become clear that the the size, parking, traffic, safety, an City encourages developers to hold on.., that the meeting had to be cut these meetings / consultations before short because there was no time to the Application goes in. In addition, hear them all. Perhaps two people one citizen ( Tim Bennet) asked the spoke in support of the proposal and Board Chair to insure that Board put none of them addressed any of the the issue (of whether or not to hold concerns raised. They were simply another public meeting on this) , on happy at the prospect of a place to buy its Agenda for their next meeting; it milk and antihistamines. The point is, that without consulting the public, Page 14 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR JANUARY 2009 OTTAWA SOUTH HISTORY PROJECT A Brief History: 916 Colonel By Drive

This month’s contribution to the Garland, Mutchmor & Co. saw Ottawa South History Project potential for growth south of the is adapted from a house profile canal towards the Rideau River. They written by Gill Magnan. purchased 54 acres of the original Lewis lands for $10,300 ($190/acre) he first settlers to Old Ottawa and in 1872 laid out 127 lots (that South arrived in 1814. Lewis works out to approx. $80/lot). H. O. TWilliams and family came Woods, Provincial Land Surveyor, from Wales to the wilds of Upper drew up a plan of subdivision that Canada in 1818. Lewis purchased was registered on September 18, the south half of Lot “K”, Broken 1872 as Plan 36. It was referred Concession”C”, Township of Nepean, to as the village of “Rideauville” approximately 111 acres between on the west side of Bank Street what is now Main and Bronson. south of the canal to Woodbine. Another well known pioneer Although lots were then available family, headed by Alexander for sale, growth was very slow and Mutchmor, built a lovely stone really began around 1907 when the homestead, Abbortsford House, City annexed the area. The Ottawa some time between 1867/72 on Electric Railway built a tram line all what is now the southwest corner the way down Bank Street to the new 916 Colonel By Drive (see page 21 for colour photo) of Holmwood and Bank. Alex was a Agricultural Exhibition Grounds in farmer and entrepreneur and formed 1891. The old swing bridge over the next owners of all of Lot 14. They obtained a mortgage for $6000 @ many interesting business alliances, canal that had served well since 1866 held it for two years and sold to an 6½%, rented them out and a couple one of which was a partnership with was replaced in 1912. The new Bank Ottawa Electric Railway conductor, of years later sold #916 along with his cousin John Garland; Garland, Street Bridge encouraged the Ottawa Charles Ward by name, for $675. other properties, to Alice Boyd in Mutchmor & Co. Financial Agencies Electric Railway to expand its lines Charles managed to obtain a private 1919 for $7500, wife of Thomas J. and Real Estate. At that time the southward. People moved further mortgage for $500 to finance his Boyd, a jeweller at 117 Sparks. southerly limit of Ottawa was marked south to open businesses and build purchase. Charles and Isabella were Alice died in June 1934. Her by a tollgate at McLeod and Bank homes. In the 1920’s Ottawa South pretty smart cookies. They cut the estate administered by her daughter which defined the division of city was the newest suburb in Ottawa. property in two and in 1902 sold one Gladys sold the two westerly parts of and township. Tolls were collected The house known today as 916 piece for $500 and the other for $850. Lot 14 for $9500 in 1944. Gladys, from farmers entering the city to sell Colonel By Drive was for much of Harry and Mary Ann de Long paid a music teacher, had an interesting their produce at market. its history 916 Echo Drive, and even earlier Canal Road. It is located on $850 (Harry got a mortgage for $550 life. In 1919, she, a “spinster”, was part of Lot 14, Plan 36 - roughly @ 6%) for the westerly two thirds, living in Malvern, Jamaica. One the middle third of the lot. Garland give or take. When Harry died his could speculate that perhaps she & Mutchmor got to work pretty estate naturally passed to Mary Ann was teaching or nursing, however, quickly after they registered the and she, very adroitly, divided the Jamaica in 1919 must have been an subdivision. They sold Lots 10, property in two and appeared to have incredible adventure for a young 12 & 14, that is to say the lots from a house constructed on the portion single woman. Aylmer Ave to the Canal Road to belonging to 916 Colonel By Drive. In 1951 Lyman and Elizabeth a merchant from New Edinburgh, In May 1909 she sold to Alla and Bow bought both parts for $14,000, a Mister Josiah Waldren Proctor, William Beaverbrook Bartram for Robert Symonds bought 916 Colonel for $320. They had made a profit $1800 and the corner piece to Alla for By Drive for $25,000 in August 1967. (albeit a small one) already. Better, an additional $800 four months later. A mere three years later the price it turns out than Josiah did sixteen William Bartram was the secretary had skyrocketed to $40,000 paid by years later. The area in those days treasurer of Bertram Brothers Ltd., Florence and George Strong. was completely wild bush and Lumber Dealers with offices at 136 undeveloped. It looks like Josiah Sparks. Gill Magnan is a local historian and wife Sarah gave up on their Upon interpretation of available in Ottawa who specializes in house potential investment and let the records, one may draw the conclusion histories and profiles. Her house same lots go for a measly $150. that the house at #916 was probably history of 916 Colonel By Drive A barrister by the name of Francis built circa 1908. In 1909 there was a was written for Homes Between The F. Lemieux was the purchaser - house at #910 owned and occupied by Bridges 2009, the first annual Old he must have had had someone a David Malboeuf, another conductor Ottawa South Home Tour which waiting in the wings because he for the Ottawa Electric Railway and will take place on Sunday, May 31, flipped the property the same one listed in William Bartram’s name 2009. Further details on this event day for $269 thus making a tiny as being on the east side of Roslyn. will be forthcoming early in 2009. profit. In that year there were only two All facts and figures cited pertaining Isaac Cross a clerk with the houses on the Canal Road between to property ownership and purchase civil service was now the proud Rosedale and Roslyn; William price are a matter of the public record owner of the three lots. He held Bartram’s, David Malboeuf’s and available through the provincial on to them for five years, moved to one unfinished one in the Grosvenor/ Land Registry Office. Toronto and sold them to Thomas Rosedale block. The land to the west Wright, a plasterer, for $600. of Roslyn to Bronson was mostly Contact the Ottawa South Thomas, a bachelor, started to undeveloped, with a few exceptions, History Project at HistoryProject@ look at the possibility of making a until the mid twenties. OldOttawaSouth.ca or visit us bit of cash out of his investment. The Bartram’s sold to Frieda online at www.OldOttawaSouth.ca/ He sold the lots off individually; Keefer in 1917 for $2000. Frieda may HistoryProject. Lot 14 went for $287.50, the other have been one of the very well heeled two for $675 in 1901. Thomas Rockcliffe Keefers. She bought the and Margaret How were the property along with several others, JANUARY 2009 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR Page 15 City Has No Plans to Remove the Toxic Wood Fence at Brewer: Children In Repeated Contact With Leaching Arsenic By Jennifer Chandler in the state of Maine are now required Increased rates of cancers said that they had no plans to look into by law to disclose any CCA wood. (especially skin, bladder, liver, kidney replacing the wood for at least another ven though it was banned for Yet Old Ottawa South’s residents are and lung) were found in children 5 years. Instead, seemingly at my use in play structures and being asked to wait at least another 5 who had spent time playing on CCA personal request, he told me he would Efences 5 years ago, and despite years before the toxic wood is removed playground structures, according to a look into using a sealant on the wood the City of Ottawa’s own warnings from the play area. 2003 US Consumer Products Safety this spring. Even though “sealant” to daycares and other institutions to The wood fence and walkway at Commission (CPSC) study. The sounds great, no sealant can stop all remove it, the pressure-treated wood Brewer Park, built in the early 1980s, CPSC said a child’s risk from arsenic the leaching. There are numerous used in the fence and walkway at contain pressure-treated wood, every varies depending on many factors, studies that question the efficacy of Brewer Park are slated to remain for cubic foot of which contains a ¼ pound including the amount of arsenic sealants because arsenic still tends to at least another 5 years, according to of a preservative solution that is 22% released from the treated wood, the leach out. Sealing the wood doesn’t Paul Landry, a City official. pure arsenic, one of the world’s most amount of arsenic picked up on skin deal with in-ground contamination, The City of Ottawa’s unwillingness dangerous poisons. Arsenic exposure and the amount of time spent playing splinters or even the safety of the to remove the CCA (chromated copper builds up in peoples’ tissues, brain on the wood. Let’s review those sealing agents themselves. It is one arsenate) wood from Brewer Park runs and bones and cannot be picked up factors as they apply to Brewer Park. thing to seal a fence that no one counter to decisions being made in on a blood or urine test. Since the First - arsenic release from the wood. touches, and quite another to try and Ontario and around the world on the 1980s, the inorganic arsenic and other The older the wood gets the more it seal a structure which is constantly basis of significant evidence pointing to toxins like hexavalent chromium leaches as the bonding breaks down. banged up with shoes, toys and the hazards of pressure-treated wood. have been released into the ground In fact, very little of the CCA wood strollers. Deborah Barrie, a long- Children’s developing bodies are and sand at Brewer and have become in Canada was properly bonded in the time CCA wood educator, has said particularly vulnerable to the inorganic part of the surface residue on the first place, according to independent that “suggesting people seal treated arsenic and hexavalent chromium that wood. Hexavalent chromium is the research on four of the major brands wood is a measure to promote false are part of the preservative solution highly toxic substance made famous of the wood. The old CCA wood at security while governments, scientists forced into wood at high pressure to in the Erin Brokovitch movie (and Brewer Park is particularly dangerous and industry try and figure out what to protect against insects and rot. This recent studies have shown it to be because it’s situated next to a water do with the vast waste product that a special vulnerability led the City of far more toxic than even known at park. Studies show that CCA wood is ban would cause” (visit her website at Ottawa’s Medical Officer of Health to that time). Hand-to-mouth contact is at its most dangerous when it is wet, www.noccawood.ca). recommend the removal of CCA wood not necessary for a child to ingest the because the residues are brought to The industry has been fully aware in daycare playgrounds back in 2001. poisons in the wood. That’s because the surface. In fact, the “barely wet” of the health concerns of CCA wood In 2003, the Province of Ontario’s then- numerous studies (including Williams, conditions on the fence and walkway since the late 1960s, when workers Health Minister said in a letter that 1989 and Wester et al. 1992) show - due to wet feet and sprinklers - make became sick and several high-profile school boards across the province had that the poisonous residues on CCA for the most dangerous conditions, trials ensued. While a full ban on been made aware of the hazards and wood are easily absorbed through because the leached arsenic is not CCA wood is clearly needed, it is had “initiated steps to remediate the skin, particularly when children are actually washed off. The chlorine irresponsible to knowingly continue situations” where CCA wood existed. only wearing bathing suits. Health in the park sprinklers and children’s to routinely expose children to the A 1991 Health Canada study by Dr. Canada is clearly aware of the acute sweat causes arsenic to leach at a toxic residues that leach out of the Dieter Ridel on CCA wood in Ottawa dangers posed to kids by pressure- faster rate. wood at Brewer Park. Neither City playgrounds advised that “Young treated wood, even though Canadians The second factor in the CPSC Councillor Clive Doucet nor OSCA children, who are the principal users are not being informed about these study is the amount of arsenic picked Board President Michael Jenkins of CCA-treated play structures, are risks. As far back as 1998, Health up on skin. Bathing-suit clad kids responded to my requests for help in not as aware as adults of the potential Canada’s own assessment of the playing at the water park at Brewer dealing with this important matter. hazards of pressure-treated wood, and risks to children from CCA wood are often barefoot, and can easily pick should therefore be protected even found that the carcinogens are easily up residues on many parts of their Author’s Note: Please contact more than adults... it would therefore absorbed through skin. The City of bodies. These residues are poisonous me at [email protected] if be prudent to reconsider whether Ottawa was also well-versed on the in even minute amounts: a 2005 study you would like copies of the reports CCA-treated wood should be used for dangers associated with inorganic by the University of Oklahoma Health and studies I’ve used to inform play structures.” As far back as 1993, arsenic absorption through skin. Back Sciences Centre found that even myself about the issue. If you want to the Government of Canada stated that in 2001 hydro workers were warned arsenic levels at 4 parts per billion register your concern and desire for arsenic is a “non-threshold toxicant” to protect their skin from contact with promoted tumour growth (see www. the toxic wood fence to be removed, (in other words, a substance for which CCA-wood by Ottawa’s then-Medical bancca.org). A third factor in the please let me know and make your there is believed to be some chance of Officer of Health. Why aren’t Ottawa’s CPSC study was the number of days opinion known to Clive Doucet (Clive. adverse health effects at any level of children worthy of receiving the same and years the child plays on the wood. [email protected]), Michael Jenkins exposure). The acute dangers posed information? Parents need to know Many neighborhood kids have spent ([email protected]) and Paul by pressure-treated wood have led that simply washing children’s hands too many days to count playing on the Landry at the City of Ottawa (paul. dozens of countries to ban it entirely. is not enough to stop the arsenic from CCA wood surfaces at Brewer Park. [email protected]). Homeowners selling their properties entering their bodies. Paul Landry of the City of Ottawa Winter Biking By tOM Trottier boots with wool socks. ruts. But if the right lane is narrow, You may find yourself abandoning Use rain pants to keep your lower go down the middle of the lane rather the bus forever when you start to ne alternative during the body warm and dry even if you’re than trying to share the lane with bike. No schedules, no waiting in the transit strike is to bike. Yes, splashed with slush. trucks and cars. cold, good exercise, direct routes, Obike. Even in frigid Ottawa, Be very visible. Wear bright For more information, see http:// no transfers, door-to-door service - there are many cyclists who bike all fluorescent/reflective gear like a www.IceBike.org/Articles/Ottawa. what’s not to like? year round. construction worker’s vest. Have htm Some tips: bright lights with fresh batteries - Get studded tires from your bike charge them every nite. One commute shop or MEC to be more surefooted or the other will be in the dark. on icy roads. They are available in Dress in layers. When you start to both 26” and 700c/27” sizes. get warm cycling, open your front for Personal Financial Planning Don’t lean. Take turns & braking ventilation. We will review your current financial position and slow and easy and bolt upright. The main roads will be generally recommend a plan that is designed to achieve your goals. Keep face, hands, head and feet be salted and cleared of snow first, really warm. Use goggles, mufflers, making much easier (and safer) Rick Sutherland, CLU, CFP, FDS, R.F.P Tel 613.798.2421 ski mitts, a ski helmet, and warm cycling than residential streets with 1276 Wellington Street [email protected] Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 3A7 www.invested-interest.ca Page 16 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR JANUARY 2009 Notes From Palestine By Susan Palmai We stood with students for 50 minutes watching while the young man was (Submitted to OSCAR at the end of required to strip to his underwear, November, 2008) while a robot was brought in to deal with the alleged problem, his pile of have been a life-long member of the clothes. A young male student said to Ottawa South community (when me, “We are tired of being treated like I Bridgehead at Grove was an OTC animals” referring to the process of bus terminal) and a current member being herded like sheep into a turnstile of Glebe St. James United Church. to be processed through a checkpoint. I am currently serving the World I will spare you all the details of Council of Churches in a program our Sunday demonstration experience called Ecumenical Accompaniment in in Jayyous. Suffice to say that it was Palestine and Israel (www.eappi.org). my first experience of sound bombs, I am the 7th Canadian (out of 500) rock throwing, tear gas, a curfew and to serve in the Occupied Territories military might. Fortunately, after of the West Bank. Our task is to taking refuge in a Palestinian’s home, accompany Palestinians and Israelis we were picked up by our contact who in their peaceful struggle to end the knew of a back road out of Jayyous occupation. which was not blocked by the army I am posted to a city called beginning to get a feel for the plight of Khadoorie University and to a local and we were brought safely back to Tulkarm, about 15 kilometers from the the Palestinians living under excessive women’s group. Tulkarm. Mediteranean Sea. Sadly, Palestinians restrictions in the Occupied Territories The IDF (Israeli Defence Force) And they call this the Holy Land! cannot get to the sea because the Wall of West Bank. Group 29 is made up controls life in the West Bank. They On a positive note, the Palestinian (or Separation Barrier) prevents this. of 24 people from 10 countries placed are present at all checkpoints and people we have met in our travels The Wall separates students from their in 6 locations (Tulkarm, Jayyous, gates restricting all movement of the about the city are generally happy (at schools, families from their extended Jerusalem, Hebbron, Bethlehem and Palestinian people. In addition, they least on the outside), very helpful and families and people from their jobs. Yanoun) in the Occupied Palestinian run night time incursions into refugee kind. It would appear that their spirit We are the only internationals Territories (OPT). Following extensive camps, rousing people from their beds has not been broken by the occupation. in this city (except for one ICRC orientation in Canada and again in to look for someone who may present Some fight it and usually end up in employee) and have a rather unique Jerusalem, we arrived in Tulkarm, a a danger to the Israelis. Many times jail; others tolerate it biding their time perspective on the situation. You will city of 60,000 in the West Bank, with they do not find who they are looking until they can leave. Unemployment not hear our perspective represented enthusiasm and apprehension. for but in the meantime they destroy in Tulkarm is very high, leading to a in other media stories. Part of our Our new duties include being property of the resident of the house. sedentary lifestyle – with many of the task is to advocate for a peaceful present with Palestinians at check points At agricultural gates, Palestinian male townsfolk, old and young, sitting solution and to tell the stories of and agricultural gates, participating farmers are going to work on their around smoking. everyday people like you and I in peaceful demonstrations, visiting own land which has been cut in two In our brief conversations with the living under occupation and it has Tulkarm refugee camp, visiting the by the Wall. Imagine the humiliation Israeli soldiers, we have learned many been recommended that we contact only two Christian families living of having to secure a permit to visit of them do not support the occupation community media back home to do in town, visiting Jbarah, a town in your own land and then, the additional but they have to do military service. this. the ‘seam’ zone (zone between the humiliation of having to present said They are sometimes as frustrated with It has not yet been a week since Wall and the Green Line), meeting permit to the Israeli military when checkpoint duty as the people passing Group 29 of Ecumenical Accompaniers with officials from ICRC, UNOCHA they open the gate between 6 a.m. and through. They tell us the work is (EAs) arrived in their placements and other such organizations and, of 7 a.m. tedious, tense and boring. to take up duties but already we are course, giving the requisite English Check points are another example Our job is to accompany conversation classes to students at of restriction of movement. Coming Palestinians as they go about their from Jerusalem to Tulkarm, daily lives. Some do not understand we passed through three who we are and what we are doing. checkpoints, all with relative After explaining, as best we can, most ease. Men between 18 and 40 say thank you and welcome to our have to leave the bus, receive country. One young female student, special scrutiny and then with whom we shared a bus ride after rejoin the bus on the other side the Beit Iba checkpoint incident, of the checkpoint. The Beit stated, “International presence makes Iba checkpoint is especially things worse”. I did not take this depressing. We monitor comment personally because I think this checkpoint on Thursday she was lashing out at the system afternoon and Sunday morning after a 2 hour delay in a checkpoint. when university students from Needless to say it was a very quiet, Nablus are returning home for sad ride home. the weekend and then going For those of you reading this in back to school. It is shocking the comfort of Bridgehead, Starbucks to see busloads of male students or Second Cup, please consider lined up on the sidewalk, feet keeping the people of Palestine and spread apart, hands behind Israel in your prayers. It is not an easy their backs, while the Israeli life! I’ll continue to enjoy my Arabic soldiers check IDs. These are coffee for 2 ½ more months! young men, not unlike yours or mine, being humiliated by the Israeli military, also young men not unlike yours or mine. Keep up to date with Susan at On Thursday, the checkpoint closed as 200 students waited www.theaccompanier.com. to pass. We saw that the Army had taken a young man into detention because they were worried about a potential bomb. JANUARY 2009 Page 17 AFTER THOUGHTS Life and Meta-life from Richard Ostrofsky question in a larger and more difficult I discovered Anne Rice while she their kind only through an exchange of Second Thoughts Bookstore context. was still a struggling young writer – of energy-blood with one who is (now closed) We can speak of life itself – getting before she began to write best-sellers, already a vampire. In doing so, they www.secthoughts.com conceived and born, growing up, found God, and lost my esteem. In join the ranks of the ‘undead,’ just like [email protected] working for a living, raising a family fact, I discovered her under each of her those unfortunate artists who have had and dying – in the ordinary human three pen names – Anne Rice, Anne to give up almost the whole of their way of things. And then we can speak Rampling and A.N. Roquelaure – and ordinary lives – either to serve their recent conversation with my of meta-life – the experience of doing then figured out, before she ‘fessed up art, or as a consequence of the passion daughter (herself a mother, these things, and watching others do in public, that all three were the same that drove them to be artists, or both. for almost two years now) A them, and transmuting all this into person. Apart from the similarity of Fortunately, most artists are not struck me as worth reporting. We some form of thought or art. And it is initials, there is a clue in one of her called to such complete sacrifice. were talking about the experience possible to argue with Socrates that best books, The Vampire Lestat, Caravaggio lived a demonic life and of parenthood – the creation and it is meta-life, the examination and when the hero, stalking off, “throws Van Gogh a haunted one. Thomas sponsoring of another life – and about rendering into thought and art that his roquelaure over his shoulder.” (A Chatterton killed himself at age 17, the experience of creating art: dancing gives blind life its value. But it is roquelaure, as I found out by looking before having much of a life at all. But for Maya, aikido and writing for me. also possible to argue the contrary: it up, was a knee-length cloak lined Bach, Michelangelo, Rembrandt and Maya was comparing the two modes that Socrates was an intellectual bully with brightly colored silk and often Goethe were more-or-less respectable of creativity – the artist’s way, and and snob, that examination is a retreat trimmed with fur that was worn by and successful men with normal the biological, human way – with and a defence or, at best, just another European men in the 18th century. But physical appetites – unless you feel reference to Mozart’s The Magic aspect of life, and that the value of life the word is sufficiently obscure that that Michelangelo’s homosexuality Flute, an opera that we both love, that must be found, if anywhere, in the fact its use by two different writers with was abnormal. For women artists it has one couple (Tamino and Pamina) and experience of existence itself. similar initials and similar themes, has been harder, at least till recently. destined for a life of the spirit, and Kicking these thoughts around for seemed unlikely in the extreme.) Still, there is nothing demonic or another (Papageno and Papagena) awhile, what my daughter and I agreed I mention this episode because haunted that I know of about the for a life of the flesh. I was reminded on was that the arts are demanding, Rice’s first two vampire novels, lives of Veronica Franco, Jane Austen of the time after one class when a capricious and cruel, that my student’s Interview With the Vampire and or Mary Shelley. Frida Kahlo’s life student asked me: “Sensei, which is question was poorly phrased but The Vampire Lestat, make brilliant was tragic, but not from any flaw or more important: Aikido or Life?” I not foolish, that a rich meta-life of and conscious use of the vampire compulsion of character. was staggered, of course. At the time, whatever kind makes actual life a legend as a metaphor for meta- There are no rules about this I answered something to the effect good deal more difficult, but also more life. Think about it for a moment: matter. Some artists have straddled that any practitioner of any art has interesting and meaningful, and that Vampires are creatures of the night, the tension between life and meta-life to answer that question for himself. people must decide for themselves who feed on the energy (symbolically, with great success. Still, there is no But in recounting that exchange to what kind of price they are willing the “blood”) of the living, who enjoy a doubt it’s a dilemma. my daughter, I thought of Socrates’ to pay for the privilege of serving a peculiar, limited immortality, and who dictum that “The unexamined life muse. become what they are and reproduce is not worth living,” which puts the

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demand for a wide variety of ideas and music. This makes accessible controversial books or music from new artists with the expectation that a market exists somewhere within a variety of stores. As fewer giant corporations dominate production and sales, our options -- determined by a powerful few -- dwindle. Our freedom of choice is imperiled when a few buyers from national chains choose what reaches customers -- perhaps moderately disturbing for most goods, but truly frightening when you consider the impact on our choice of news sources, books, music and other expression modes. Maintaining Community Character When asked to name our favorite restaurant, cafe, or shop, it’s typically a unique local business. Just look at the results in any community’s “Best of” polls as proof. Those businesses define our sense of place, but we often forget their survival depends on our patronage. Local owners, typically having invested much of their life savings in their businesses, have a natural interest in the community’s long- term health. Community-based businesses are essential to charitable endeavors, and their owners frequently serve on local boards and support numerous causes. Yes, some chains give back to towns in which they do business, and not all local businesses are exemplary models. However, the overall impacts are clear: locally-owned businesses play a vital role in our community that chains rarely do, while chains often even undermine community interests. For long-term progress, a conceptual change also is necessary. We must consciously plan that future with rules that will encourage the values we want reflected in our communities. And each time we spend a dollar, we would do well to weigh the full value of our choices, not solely to ourselves immediately, but for the future we want for our home towns.

Jeff Milchen is the co-founder of the Boulder Independent Business Alliance and AMIBA. Page 18 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR JANUARY 2009 JANUARY 2009 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR Page 19

special screening of Metropolis (the first film ever ending supply of sarcastic one-liners will be missed. to play at the Mayfair) while enjoying refreshments Pop by and say “Annyong-hi kashipshio” (Goodbye provided courtesy of McAuslan Brewery and in Korean, we think...but Drew will be sure to make Quinn’s Pub. fun of you if it’s wrong). Have you met Joe the Dog? He lives at Wag. So now you can walk into Starbucks and see that He’s bad, neutered and in the morning he’s gotta size is in a different language…..a small is a “tall”, go! Joe The Dog is Wag’s own Locally roasted medium is “grande” and large is “vente”…once coffee. Joe is out of this world delicious, fair traded you get through determining that size can matter, and organic... well the coffee is, not sure about the you can enjoy a lovely “vente laite” with steamed By Sue Fay dog... cream…..to work off some of that steamed cream Congratulations Soul Matters has officially you just might find yourself in front of Curves where treet Buzz is back!!! Take notice one and all, turned ONE . What a big First Year - from crawling the ladies at Curves have been building more than it may have been 10 years since this little bee to walking, Eco Consciousness and Fair Trade, just muscles!. Together with their sister clubs at Shas been a buzzing, but that just means we its all about “self awareness” and “choices” and Bank/Sparks and Stittsville, the staff and members have so much to catch up on and bee-uzz about..... learning to relax…lots for a zen bambino to learn. built “Bags of Wishes” for the Shepherds of Good For those who haven’t heard of “Street Buzz” So Momma Sue is so proud, that she would like to Hope Men and Women and Cornerstone delivered you’re probably wondering what the heck this is celebrate with you and invites you to stop into Soul in time for Christmas. all about- well we are here to keep you up to date Matters throughout January to hear when she will Ok, so now you are feeling fantastic right? Well, on the happenings within the Old Ottawa South have her little “ones” birthday party and hey while heck, what about visiting Buttercream Bakery…if Community of Businesses! There is much that is you’re in there ask Sue about Eco Conscious choices your mouth is frothing, it could be calling out to a note worthy so enjoy! like “Green for Life” and relax with a massage in deep dish pie…mmmm pie, but wait. shouldn’t you A big Buzz hitting our OOS neighbourhood some cozy bamboo clothing . have some lovely lasagna first?? Then we suggest is the “Shop Local” Campaign. To date there are 3 Little Monkey’s have been living together you start counting the steps it will require for you 51 businesses that have banded together in OOS since June and as siblings do, living with one to work that off…How many steps are between to encourage “Shop Local” “Your Buck Shops another can be challenging…so to help them play Curves and Buttercream Bakery? Is it enough to Here”…Many of the businesses are sporting this nice together they are all going to get some “new” qualify as “exercise”? wonderful poster to remind us all of the importance space…an exciting backroom to play in where they of contributing hard earned dollars in these unique can have workshops for all their other little monkey and wonderful shops in the area. friends, as well as a when they are all pooped and BZZZZZZZZ…is it sweet or sour this oversized need to have a rest, there will be some furniture addition being proposed at the corner of Bank where they can sleep in a crib, jump into a stroller & Sunnyside, some welcome the possibility of or sit in a high chair …won’t this be wonderful picking up their prescriptions at a more local venue, additions over the next several months….keep on while others are concerned it will set a precedent swinging from the ceilings till then guys!!! for bending bylaws and changing the character of We usually visit the salon before our get- the neighbourhood. Everyone’s opinion matters togethers but now with Sirena’s exciting new line- because this is your community, so please voice it up of Spa Day Parties the celebration is at the salon! loud and clear…….Ah but every dark cloud has a With a variety of offerings such as Princess Day silver lining, and now the Mayfair Theatre after a Spa Parties for teens and younger girls as well as close call with the wrecking ball has a silver screen! Class Session Workshops you’re sure to look and Admission is free for the 7:30pm grand reopening on feel fabulous with your friends at Sirena’s Day Spa Friday, January 2. With reinvigorated programming, and Salon. Dolby Digital sound, live musical accompaniment Happy travels to Drew the jokester from West and comfy seats, catch a program of shorts from the Coast Video who is leaving on a jet plane to teach Independent Filmmakers Co-op of Ottawa, plus a English in South Korea. Both he and his never Why Support Local Business? By Jeff Milchen A community’s quality of life changes University professor Kenneth Stone eliminates the need for local planning, in ways that macroeconomics is slow found that 84% of Wal-Mart’s sales and uses a minimum of local goods rom rural to urban areas, to measure or ignores completely. simply shifted dollars away from and services. A company-owned an ever-growing chorus of Local officials often fall for the existing local (including chains) store’s profits promptly are exported Fcitizens laments losing a sense seductions and political appeal of merchants. Stone’s 2001 study of the to corporate headquarters. Dollars of community. Meanwhile, national luring new national chains. They may local effect of new home improvement spent at community-based merchants chains continue displacing locally- even provide public funds or sales tax center developments concluded, “Is create a multiplier effect in the local owned businesses countrywide. This rebates for development. They’re it fair to give taxpayers’ money to economy that, by most findings, trend is considered symptomatic of baited with promises of jobs and tax big corporations that will then use typically amounts to three times that our loss of community orientation, revenue, but they often fail to consider it to help put existing firms out of of a chain. This is well-evidenced by but could it also be a primary cause? the greater losses that occur when the business?” a 2003 economic impact study by our And how is our economic well-being local business base is undermined. Economic Value of Independent IBAin Austin, Texas that concluded impacted? A chain may crow of creating 300 Businesses for every $100 spent at a chain, $13 Before developing shopping new jobs for a new big box store, It’s time to consider the real costs remained in the community while $45 habits, we typically choose to do but numerous studies indicate they to a community that loses its locally- remained when spent with home town business where we perceive the best displace more than one job for each owned business base. Independent businesses. value for our time and money. But (mostly part-time and lower-wage) local businesses employ an array Ensuring Choice and Diversity perceptions only are as sound as job created. of supporting services. They hire Retailers sift through competing the scope of information creating And when communities like architects, designers, cabinet shops, goods and services to find those them, and we humans like short- Barnstable, Massachusetts performed sign makers and contractors for appealing to their customers. Though cuts. Thus, it’s as easy to accept studies to assess the local impact construction. Local accountants, a single local shop may carry a as truth the omnipresent corporate of chains, they concluded such insurance brokers, computer smaller selection than a big chain, a chain ads bombarding us daily as to development actually costs more consultants, attorneys, advertising multiplicity of independent retailers miss information about the values taxpayer dollars to support in safety agencies help run it. Local retailers creates great diversity. When independent businesses provide us, and services than would return to the and distributors also carry a higher thousands of independent book and both personally and in community. community. Scrutiny consistently percentage of locally-produced goods music shops serve their local tastes and The disappearance of local demonstrates that most income of new than chains, meaning more jobs for each owner’s preferences, the result is businesses leaves a social and chains comes directly from established local producers. economic void that is palpable and businesses. A 1995 landmark study of In contrast, a new chain store Cont’d on page 17 real -- even when it goes unmeasured. new Wal-Mart stores by Iowa State typically is a clone of other units, Page 20 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR JANUARY 2009 Bird-Watcher’s Paradise In The Heart Of The City by Gabriella Goliger Museum’s large bird collection was life for the sake of the new gallery. natural light. Special filters eliminate on display. Now, some 500 specimens The specimens were collected over harmful UV rays. Lights are placed eeling nostalgic for bird song await the visitor in a well-presented a 100-year period. Some died by outside the exhibit cases to avoid on these cold January days? series of exhibits, housed in a brand human hand, but that happened long a heating problem. The duration of FDo you miss the warbles and new space. ago before the age of conservation. lighting in the Gallery is also carefully twitters, along with the colourful One of the gallery’s broad themes For example, the gallery’s passenger controlled. displays, of birds in their spring-time is bird identification. Various displays pigeon – an extinct species – harks Plenty of insects would love prime? Don’t despair. There’s a place enable you to compare look-alikes back to the time when this once to feast on those feathers and skin, you can go to reconnect with your and view species in their winter plentiful bird was slaughtered by the Leckie says. To kill any around, the feathered friends this winter – and I and summer plumages. Interactive thousands. The skeleton of the great specimens were first frozen before don’t mean Florida. The Museum of computer panels tell you about each auk on display is all that’s left of an being placed in their glass cases. The Nature’s Bird Gallery offers an up- species’ characteristics and habitat, individual killed in the 19th century cases are well sealed, contain insect close-and-personal experience of show film footage of the bird in the when this flightless water bird was traps and are routinely monitored for almost every Canadian species from wild and play a recording of its calls. eliminated through human greed. any signs of infestations. oriole to ovenbird, from bald eagle Thus, as the Museum’s publicity More recent specimens were brought These are among the measures to king eider. You can view them at material puts it, the whole gallery to the Museum after dying of natural the conservation team implemented your leisure and at close range in the serves as a “3-D field guide.” causes or accidents. Among the to keep the birds looking fresh and Museum’s bright, airy, comfortably In addition, there are games, curiosities is an albino robin. pristine. Leckie is now busy with the heated exhibit hall. You can listen to quizzes and an “animal hospital” to The transformation of dead bird next phases of Museum’s renewal – a soundscape of croaks and trills, as engage the very young. My favourite to lifelike specimen is the job of the water and mineral galleries, set to well as to each species individually. activity is a scale that tells you your the taxidermist. This professional open in 2010. But she still takes great You can do all this without having body weight in birds. For example, removes the bird’s innards and pride in the Bird Gallery. to crane your neck, stumble through my poundage is equivalent to: 7 wild repositions its skin and feathers over a “As an amateur birder myself, I underbrush or endure mosquito bites. turkeys, 44 mallards, 562 blue jays metal and cotton frame. Bills and legs love that a visit to the Gallery is like True, the birds are not alive. They are and a whopping 16,258 ruby-throated are touched up with paint. Glass beads walking into a bird book. But you can as deceased as the parrot in the famous hummingbirds. Some of the bird replace the eyes. see so much more than you would Monty Python skit. Nonetheless, they identification games are even playable About 100 people worked to create in any drawing, and you can learn are real, with the original feathers on the Museum’s web site. the new Bird Gallery over a three-year so much about the mysteries of bird of the once flapping creatures. And, period. One of those involved was Old watching.” mounted on their perches, heads How they got there Ottawa South resident, Carolyn Leckie. There’s plenty more to see and cocked, wings outstretched in some As I admired the gorgeous As a conservator with the Museum, do at Museum of Nature – fossil and cases, they look just like any bird you plumage of a harlequin duck, I couldn’t Leckie helped design systems that mammal exhibits, special exhibitions might see in the wild. Well, almost. help but wonder whether the bird had would protect the precious collection and programs for young and old. The Bird Gallery opened in December been killed merely for my edification. from damage, particularly from light, Check out: www.nature.ca. 2006 as part of the first phase of the I put the question to Michel Gosselin, pests and dust. Museum of Nature’s renewal project. a collections manager at the Museum. The problem with light is that it Gabriella Goliger is an author Previously, only a fraction of the He reassured me that no bird lost its can fade those pretty feathers. The and a freelance writer/editor (www. Gallery’s high ceilings and white- write-on-services.com). painted surfaces make it bright without the need for intense lighting. Screens on the windows control the effect of

Photo by Martin Lipman, Canadian Museum of Nature JANUARY 2009 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR Page 21

916 Colonel By Drive (see page 14 for article)

Monday Night Hockey -(see page 26 for article)

Photo by Martin Lipman, Canadian Museum of Nature Page 22 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR JANUARY 2009

BACKYARD NATURALIST Snow Flake Magic

by Linda Burr when he was 15 years old and he began to experiment n the evening after a big snow fall, all is with taking pictures of peaceful and still. Under the street lights, the snow flakes. He attached Inight seems almost bright as day. Christmas a bellows style camera to lights still twinkle and sounds are soft and muffled the microscope and caught as neighbours’ shovels begin to scrape and toss the the snow flakes on a black piles of snow. The storm is over, but a few flakes board, quickly transferring still drift softly down, and every tiny tree branch them to a microscope slide is covered with snow. I like to stand for a few with a sliver of wood. Then moments, between shovels full, and take in the he snapped the picture before beauty and magic of the night. they melted. It took him I’ve always been fascinated by snow flakes. I years to perfect the art of like to catch a few falling flakes on dark-coloured snow flake photography, but mittens and take a close look. I have to hold my he eventually became famous breath while peering closely, to avoid melting them. for his remarkable collection (These days I need my glasses, too.) Their delicate of snow flake photos. His photos were published in beauty is made even more precious knowing that Wilson “Snowflake” Bentley they’re so short-lived: as soon as they tumble to the Scientific American and ground they break or are crushed under the weight National Geographic, among conducted all his work there. He wasn’t a trained of other flakes. others. scientist, but he took the time to observe patiently After looking at many snow flakes in this way, He took over 5000 snow flake photos during his and carefully, and he developed a life-long passion I’ve noticed that most of them have that regular lifetime. Since they were all different, he came to for one subject – snow. He was the first person to six-sided shape, but few are perfectly formed. Most the conclusion that no two snowflakes were alike, successfully photograph snow flakes, and as such he of them have at least one branch shorter than the and he’s credited with popularizing that romantic made a valuable contribution to the study of nature. others or some other flaw. And not all snow flakes notion. In fact, the odds of two snow flakes forming He also photographed all forms of ice, and was the are hexagonal and flat. Sometimes snow falls as tiny in exactly the same way is quite small, but it has been first American to record raindrop sizes. needles or six-sided columns. But once in a while known to happen. Nancy Knight, a snow researcher As I pause to take rest from shoveling, I wonder I find the perfect flake. If only I could capture its from the National Center for Atmospheric Research how all those little flakes can be so heavy. But I’m loveliness and keep it! in Boulder, Colorado, published an article in 1988 grateful to people like William Bentley who remind Ever tried to take a photo of a snow flake? Wilson entitled, No two alike?, featuring a photograph of us that there’s so still much to explore in our own “Snowflake” Bentley (1865-1931) was a pioneer of two virtually identical snowflakes. backyards. The Buffalo Museum of Science has snow flake photography in the USA. He lived on a Wilson “Snowflake” Bentley was an example preserved all of Bentley’s original snow flake farm in Vermont, and became fascinated with snow of an outstanding backyard naturalist. He lived photos. You can see more snow flake photos by at a young age. His mother gave him a microscope on the family farm in Vermont his whole life, and Bentley online at www. Bentley.sciencebuff.org or at www.snowflakebentley.com. Happy shoveling!

Linda Burr lives in Old Ottawa South and is a biologist and avid backyard naturalist.

Wilson Bentley’s Snowflakes JANUARY 2009 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR Page 23 WRITERS IN OLD OTTAWA SOUTH The Left Bank of the Rideau: Mary Borsky

By Mary Lee Bragg observes a new uncle in the story same dryer as his.) While she’s been City Slickers: “He was tall and good- waiting, she’s made a pumpkin pie, alking north on Bank looking, though the curves of his face one of his favourites, then reduced Street you can drop in on were the slightest bit smoothed out, as it to a small black meteorite in the WKaleidoscope children’s if he’d been carved of soap, then used oven.” books, and a short rummage will turn once or twice to wash with. He wore Borsky’s wit and her unsentimental up Mary Borsky’s Benny Bensky tan-coloured pants and shirt, the shirt ironic view help us laugh through books, about a dog detective. Walk a squared with creases, as though it’d situations that would be unbearable little further, to Mother Tongue books, been pulled fresh from its package.” without them. Judges for the Ottawa and Benny’s creator appears on the The combination of the blurred Book Awards call the nine stories of shelves of adult books as author of face and the last-minute attempt at Cobalt Blue “exquisitely drawn and Influence of the Moon and Cobalt packaging signal an alcohol problem poignant” and “subtly affecting”. Blue. Borsky also teaches creative that reveals itself by the end of the They are as densely-packed as poetry, writing at Mother Tongue on Monday story. The closely-observed details and invite re-reading. Mary Borsky evenings. in its second paragraph prepare the When I talked to Mary Borsky Cobalt Blue was nominated for reader for what is to come. at Bridgehead, we discussed the novel at some point, but says it will the prestigious Ottawa Book Award in Uncle Dez tells Irene that she particular challenges of working depend on how the material evolves. 2008, along with books by three other is “astute”, and as she often does in the short story form. Publishers Material evolves out of the interaction in these stories, Irene heads for a and readers prefer novels; in many between real life and fiction in dictionary to fill her head with words. contexts the words “novel” and unpredictable ways: Borsky published “Mentally penetrating, the entry read, “book`` are used interchangeably. three children`s books between 2001 gifted with discernment, practically When we ask the question ``Read any and 2008, but is losing that momentum wise, exceptionally intelligent. . . . good books lately?``we don`t want now that her youngest daughter is 21. looking sideways into the dresser to hear the answer: ``Yes, the DM`s For now, Mary Borsky writes first mirror with a smaller hand mirror, I briefing binder.`` Or a short story thing in the morning, listens to the thought I glimpsed a hint of something collection. In our culture, readers of stories in our lives, and observes how different. There, on the curve of my fiction seek fictional oceans to sail we live in this place and time. eyebrow, wasn’t there the suggestion across, not an archipelago of stories of discernment? And there, in the line that require navigation and constant Mary Lee Bragg grew up in of my jaw, especially if I sucked in alertness. However, the rewards of Alberta, and lived briefly in Vancouver authors from this neighbourhood, my cheeks, I detected a certain quick visiting these islands are great. and Winnipeg before moving to Joanne Proulx, Elizabeth Hay and Rob intelligence.” Borsky does not rule out writing a Ottawa. Winger. With those odds, it was not The reader does not have to surprising that the prize came home to search to find the quick intelligence Old Ottawa South. and wit in these stories. Mary Borsky has been writing After growing up in High as long as she has been living in Prairie, Borsky attended university Old Ottawa South. In the early 80s, in Edmonton and lived briefly Borsky moved with her three children in Vancouver before settling in to a quiet street near the Rideau River, Ottawa. In Cobalt Blue, her second and began to take writing classes with collection, several stories are set in Frances Itani at the University of Ottawa, some in a neighbourhood that Ottawa. Her short stories have since is recognizably Old Ottawa South. appeared in literary magazines across One character scrapes a “porthole” Canada and been collected in two in the ice coating the inside of her books. windshield. Another dresses to The first book, Influence of impress her date in an elegant coat that the Moon, is a series of linked short leaves her blue-lipped and shivering. stories, or a loosely-structured novel, The stories feature a more varied about growing up in Alberta. The cast of characters than Influence of the Moon, and two stories re-visit Salt Prairie with an adult Irene who has moved irrevocably beyond its boundaries. The emotional and social universe of Cobalt Blue is as wintry as the climate-challenged city where the stories take place. In ‘People Like Us’ a woman prepares for a visit from her estranged son, who is returning from Australia for reasons that have nothing to do with making peace with his mother. “While she’s been waiting, she’s been considering stories follow Irene Lychenko through replacing her good silverware childhood in the fictional town of Salt with less pawnable hardware store Prairie and end with her departure for cutlery. While she’s been waiting, teachers’ college. The structure and she’s moved her best jewellery from tone are reminiscent of Alice Munro’s the retired butter dish, where she Lives of Girls and Women, and fans normally keeps it, to the bottom of of Del Jordan, Munro’s heroine, will her underwear drawer, where she’s find much to like in Irene. pretty sure he would be unwilling to Borsky’s heroine is sharp- venture. (“Gross!” he used to yell if eyed and sharp-witted, as when she her laundry so much as shared the Page 24 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR JANUARY 2009 TRINITY ANGLICAN CHURCH Trinity Children Bake Up Trinity Anglican Church Children’s Pageant Perfect Storm Of Cookies Dec. 13 Wows Audience Of Moms, Dads, Grandparents By Jim Robb

he cold, blustery weather was no deterrent to the children, moms and grandmas who turned out Saturday morning, December 13, for TTrinity’s second annual Christmas cookie bake. Dozens of cookies of all shapes and sizes were fashioned and baked, and some of them even escaped being eaten and went home for Christmas festivities. Anthony Taylor got some help from grandmother Sue Taylor while Amber Eggertson got some helpful advice from onlooking mom Laura Eggertson.

Father Ken Spear Is Interim Priest At Trinity Anglican By Jim Robb

ather Ken Spear is serving as interim priest at Trinity Anglican Church until a new rector is selected to replace Father Chris Dunn, who has Fmoved to All Saints Church, Westoro. Now semi-retired, Father Spear, a native of Ottawa, has served as an Anglican priest “up and down the Ottawa Valley” since he was ordained 28 By Jim Robb years ago. Father Spear says he enjoys the challenges posed by acting as interim acked by a children’s choir and disciplined role-playing, Trinity’s priest and helping parishes through the uncertain period before a new rector annual children’s Christmas pageant Sunday, December 21, was as is named. Bnear seamless a production as you can get in theatre. Most recently he has filled interim commitments at St. John’s Anglican What made it even more special were the new costumes for the cast, Church in Kanata and at St. Bartholomew’s, New Edinburgh. lovingly designed and sewn by Blanche Dunn, wife of Trinity’s former rector, “One appointment leads to another,” he said. Father Christopher Dunn. The pageant was presented at the 10 am family A native of Ottawa, Father Spear has always worked in the Ottawa service. diocese. He expects to be with Trinity until late March. For the first time in several years a real baby, not a doll, played the infant Jesus in the manger scene. He was Evan Scott, five-month-old son of Victoria *Jim Robb is communications chair at Trinity Anglican Church, 1230 and Randy Scott. Victoria is Trinity’s music director and choir master and Bank Street at Cameron Avenue. played a key role in putting the singing pageant together. The other central characters – Mary and Joseph – were played by Laura Burgham, 14, daughter of Mary-Sean and Mark Burgham, and Thomas Birtch, 14, son of Rosanne and Steven Birtch. The supporting cast – shepherds, sheep, donkeys, camels and wise men – milled around in convincing fashion And the audience of parents and grandparents loved it. The pageant service ended with the traditional pot-luck lunch, with plenty of hot dishes and scrumptious desserts. The Dec. 21 Sunday also marked the departure of Rev. Naomi Kabugi, who joined Trinity as an Anglican Deacon in the spring. She was ordained an Anglican priest on Thursday, December 4, at a moving ceremony at Christ Church Cathedral. She has been named assistant curate at the Anglican church of St. John the Evangelist at the corner of Elgin and Somerset streets. Rev. Naomi was presented with a bouquet of flowers at the conclusion of the family service by Warden Laura Eggertson and then cut a special cake ordered to mark her new posting at the pot-luck lunch.

Jim Robb is communications chair at Trinity Anglican Church, 1230 Bank Street at Cameron Avenue. Area Church Service Times

Sunnyside Wesleyan Chuch St Margaret Mary’s Parish 58 Grosvenor Avenue (at Sunnyside) 7 Fairbairn (corner of Sunnyside) Sunday Worship Service at 9am & Sunday Liturgies : 9:45 a.m. and 11am 11:30 a.m. Children’s program offered during Christian Meditation: Mondays at both worship services. 7:30 p.m. Evening Prayer: Tuesday at 7 p.m. Trinity Anglican Church 1230 Bank Street (at Cameron Southminster United Avenue) Sunday Services Church 8 am – Holy Eucharist 15 Aylmer Avenue 10 am – Sung Eucharist, with 10:30 a.m.: Worship and Sunday Church School and Nursery School - September through June Thursdays 10 am – Eucharist or Morning Prayer in Chapel JANUARY 2009 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR Page 25 CARLETON CORNER tudents at Carleton University Varsity Blues teams. relations under the new American wrote their last exams on Dr. Jayne Yack, a biology president. The strategy document will SDec. 17 and headed home professor, was featured at the Dec. be presented to the prime minister for the holidays. Everyone returns 3rd Science Café, held at the Wild and premiers on Jan. 20, 2009, the Jan. 5. It has been a busy fall, with Oat Café in the Glebe. Dr. Yack’s same day as the U.S. presidential over 1,000 students graduating at presentation was titled, Battling inauguration. The project is co- Convocation on Nov. 18. Mark beetles with ESP: Insights and chaired by Derek Burney, former Starowicz, executive director of applications from research on animal Canadian ambassador to the United documentary programming at the sensory systems. The Science Café States, and Fen Hampson, Director CBC, and pollster Angus Reid, is a regular event organized by of Carleton University’s Norman were awarded honorary degrees Carleton. Paterson School of International at the ceremony. Other highlights The Canada Foundation for Affairs. Colin Robertson is on loan include: Innovation announced funding from the Department of Foreign Carleton President Roseann on Dec. 12 for five university Affairs and International Trade to O’Reilly Runte invited members of researchers. They received a total direct the project, and the Centre Ottawa’s diplomatic community to of $623,959 that will, among other for Trade Policy and Law at participate in the Carleton Welcomes things, allow them to pursue research Carleton University has provided the World event on Nov. 17. More to reduce greenhouse gas emissions the secretariat. than 60 representatives from and improve the quality of life for embassies and high commissions problem gamblers. Congratulations Carleton Corner is written by presented their flags to the university to Ian Beausoleil-Morrison, Michael Carleton University’s Department during a ceremony at Porter Hall. Wohl, Tong Xu, Masako Hirotani of University Communications. The Ravens women’s and men’s and F. Richard Yu. As your community university, water polo teams each took silver Carleton hosts many exciting events medals in the Ontario University Coming up in January: of interest to Ottawa South. For Athletics championships hosted A blue-ribbon panel organized information about upcoming events, at Carleton Nov. 22 and 23. Both by Carleton’s Norman Paterson please go to carleton.ca/events. teams were defending provincial School of International Affairs champs and fought tough battles is developing a blueprint for the against the University of Toronto federal government on Canada-U.S. Darwin Celebration at Carleton

Monday, Feb. 9, 2009. extensive correspondence with people and parking is complimentary. These monumental anniversaries all over the world. For more information on Darwin will be celebrated internationally, Each lecture will be held at 8 Week please see www.carleton.ca/ particularly Feb. 12 which is Darwin’s p.m.in the Kailash Mital Theatre, darwinweek birthday. Southam Hall at Carleton University Carleton University professor Christopher Burn is the principal organizer of Darwin Week and says he initiated this event to help engage the university with the community. “Darwin is such an important historical figure. I wanted to take advantage of this pivotal moment and help Carleton celebrate Darwin’s bicentenary with the community by making a series of international lecturers accessible to the people of Ottawa,” says Burn. Charles Darwin was an English naturalist who, with Alfred Russell Wallace, proposed that species evolved over time by natural selection. He lived in the mid-19th century, when the establishment of Britain was undergoing slow but By Lori Lee Tarbett significant change, opening up public life to people from a greater diversity of backgrounds than had previously arleton University is been accepted. His ideas were radical, celebrating the 200th because at the time species were anniversary of Charles C thought to be unchangeable and Darwin’s birth and the 150th directly created. His ideas depended anniversary of the publication of On on recognizing that the world was the Origin of Species by Means of old - very old - a realization that was Natural Selection during Darwin seeping into consciousness as the Week from Feb. 9-13, 2009. geological record became established. Darwin Week will consist of a Although opposed initially, natural series of public lectures exploring the selection became accepted during work of Darwin from both traditional Darwin’s lifetime and has now formed and contemporary perspectives. The the basis of modern evolutionary University has invited lecturers from theory. The seeds of Darwin’s theory around the world including renowned were sown during his voyage in HMS philosopher Daniel Dennett of Tufts Beagle, but his work was substantiated University who will speak on Darwin by experiments in his gardens and and the Evolution of Reasons on through information he acquired in Page 26 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR JANUARY 2009 OCCSB TRUSTEE REPORT Monday Ice Hockey “PUTTING STUDENTS FIRST” For 6-8 Years Kathy Ablett, R.N. Matthew and St. Peter Families of Schools. By Brendan McCoy Chair of the Board & Trustee Mr. D’Amico was most recently the Principal of Immaculata High School and brings many Zone 9 years of experience as an educator and Capital/River Wards administrator to the new position. Telephone: 526-9512 Valerie McGillis has been appointed Principal of Immaculata High School and Catholic Board Elects New Chairperson Mr. Mike Raso has been appointed Vice- and Vice-Chairperson Principal from Acting Vice-Principal, also at he Ottawa Catholic School Board Immaculata High School. My sincerest best has elected Trustee Gordon Butler wishes for continued success in your new Tas Chairperson of the Board for the roles. coming year and Trustee Mark Mullen as The New Year has begun and before Vice-Chairperson. The Board’s Annual we know it, students will be writing exams General Meeting was held on December 9th in late January. I sincerely wish you all at the Catholic Education Centre. continued success in your studies and I have enjoyed being Chair over the renewed energy for the challenges that lie last two years and celebrating our many ahead. successes with all of you. Thank you for Best Wishes to all for a Happy and your tremendous support during that time. Successful New Year!

Supervisory Officer Appointed If, at any time, I can be of assistance to The Board announced the appointment of you please do not hesitate to call me at 526- Mr. Thomas D’Amico as Superintendent of 9512. Information Technology effective January 5, Sincerely, 2009. Mr. D’Amico will also be responsible Kathy Ablett for the Lester B. Pearson Catholic, St. “Your Trustee” hey shoot, they score. Every Monday afternoon, budding hockey players rush Tonto the ice at Brewer Arena ready to learn more about the game. The combination of skills development and fun is key to the success of this Ottawa South program for 6 to 8 year-olds. Dave Ho, the veteran organizer and on-ice leader, appreciates the importance of ensuring newcomers to the sport are encouraged and engaged as they attempt to master the rudimentary skills of skating, stick-handling, passing, and, of course, scoring. Scoring, says Sarah Moore, a talented veteran, is the best thing about the program. Another fine player, Alexander Leroy, agrees and adds shooting to the top of his favourites. When Lana Corbett-Wennekes, a potent goal scorer - “I have 15, I think” – isn’t putting the puck in the net she’s laughing at her instructors whose occasional spills really level the playing field. John Loop is a stellar on-ice assistant coach who took a tumble or two in the course of a skating drill. Over the weeeks, his patient supportive style brought remarkable changes to the most nascent skaters. As for his son Harry, already a competent and confident player, the best part of the program is “playing with my Dad.” Alex MacDonald, a thoughtful player, can’t narrow down his enthusiasm for the program to one or two things. “I like all of it,” he says “from sharpening the skates, to going out and getting a stick.” His mother, Heather MacDonald, is equally enthusiatic. “It’s great fun,” she adds. Nathan Denigris’s father Marco, a teacher himself, is also convinced that the real sense of fun makes the program effective. He credits the program’s success to the balance between the educational goal and the fun, the welcoming atmosphere, the great time of day and the good coaches and volunteers. Amelia Denigris, a very mature 4 ½ year-old, too young for the program, is one of the siblings who find themsleves in the stands during the sessions. The best part for Amelia? “I get to enjoy my family.” For her brother Nathan it’s the skating and stickhandling that stand out. Not surprisingly this deft stickhandler names Alexander Ovechkin as his favourite NHL player. While the play in the weekly scrimmages doesn’t resemble the NHL, it is full of surprising plays that show improvement week over week. It’s the scrimmages that Finley Trott says are his favourite feature of the session. His father Phil, a dedicated on- ice volunteer, is impressed by the progress that Finley has made over the course of the fall. “He’s done a great job,” he says. To see that improvement in skating from the first class to the final player-parent scrimmage in December is gratifying to Dave Ho. But he admits that his real reason for his continuing involvement year after year, “I just do it because I love it.” (See page 40 for colour photo of the team.) JANUARY 2009 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR Page 27 OCDSB TRUSTEE REPORT Community Schools

By Rob Campbell bus loop, standard at large suburban program at Hopewell by establishing years Hopewell is projected to grow schools. additional MFI centres north of the by almost a 100 students. More change he largest elementary school Hopewell makes a big sucking Queensway. may be needed. in the OCDSB is not in a fast- sound as it draws in students from The gifted move is a proposed Next year trustees and planning Tgrowing suburb but is, absurdly, as far away as the Byward market. response to crowding at First staff will flesh out what it means Hopewell Avenue Public School. The Board daily ships students out of Avenue PS. The Hopewell move gets to have a community school. Also, In my view, Hopewell was their neighbourhoods to maximize entrained by the First Avenue move should schools be devoted to English rebuilt too large. People were simply Hopewell usage. I don’t believe that fundamentally given that Fisher does or to Immersion or should they be ‘two happy to have the renovation but this is fair to other communities and it not have regular 5/6 immersion and track’? What is a good school size? expanding the school was a mistake. makes Hopewell less of a community given Hopewell crowding. Down the road other change The Ministry rating for the school school also. I believe in genuine The proposed MFI change is at other area schools also is likely. is for over 900 full-time students. community schools especially at the made given promises surrounding the The Old Ottawa South, Main Street The Board has set the planning size elementary level and the Board also phasing out of LFI (Late immersion) and Glebe communities will want to at 800. Natural site constraints and has declared a corporate emphasis on to substitute with MFI. Replacing define the sort of schools they believe community development needs for community schools. The question is LFI at Glashan with MFI and provide will best serve them. area neighbourhoods means that we whether we will walk this talk. some population boost to Centennial If you have a suggestion or a should realistically have no more than Two important motions are coming PS downtown would remove the concern, or would like to be added 650-700 students there. forward in January which would affect northern 1/2 of the Hopewell MFI. to my e-newsletter list, then please Hopewell is, to my knowledge, Hopewell for September 2009. One Please make sure your School contact me via [email protected] or the only school in the city with a street would move its intermediate gifted Council, Planning staff and I hear at 323-7803. Meeting and document running through its play yard. Its very immersion students, along with the you if you have alternative ideas re info available at www.ocdsb.ca large program catchments mean that a 5/6s from First Avenue PS, to Fisher the above. If both changes occur then lot of bus and private drop-offs occur Park PS. Another would halve the about 100 students get removed from but without the benefit of an off-street size of the Middle French Immersion Hopewell. However, in the next 2-3 To book an OSCAR ad call Gayle 730-1058 [email protected] Reading Recommendations From Sunnyside Library Jean McCarthy

ikely many have read “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime” by Mark Haddon. Told in first person, 14 year old Christopher Ldescribes his feelings about the death of the next door neighbor’s dog and his determination to solve the mystery. What makes this such an inspiring and moving book is that Christopher has autism and has no wish to interact with people yet he overcomes obstacles to solve this mystery. “Rules”, a children’s book, by Cynthia Lord is again about a boy with autism and how his sister manages to live with this. And a more recent adult publication, The Lottery by Patricia Wood, tells of Perry L. ( L for Lucky) Crandall who is considered slow by some but not by his grandmother. She firmly believes that he has many talents and without her influence Perry would not have been so lucky. The Lottery has been shortlisted for the 2008 Orange Broadband prize for new writers. These three books, all available at the Ottawa Public Library, greatly compliment each other, give insights into the lives of others and reminds that we all have some very special talents for giving. Log on to the OPL website (http://www.biblioottawalibrary.ca/index_e.html), reserve your copy and be ready for some great reading after the rush of the holiday season. CBC 2009 Canada Reads

* TV personality Avi Lewis defending The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill. * Singer Sarah Slean defending Mercy Among the Children by David Adams Richards. * Actor Nicholas Campbell defending The Outlander by Gil Adamson. * TV host Anne-Marie Withenshaw defending The Fat Woman Next Door is Pregnant (La grosse femme d’à côté est enceinte ) by Michel Tremblay, translated by Sheila Fischman. * Author Jen Sookfong Lee defending Fruit by Brian Francis.

Both Western Canadian adventure-mystery The Outlander, and Fruit, a gay coming-of-age story, are debut novels. th Page 28 The OSCAR - OUR 37 YEAR JANUARY 2009

BOOK REVIEW The Last Generation by stephen a. haines foreign rule, peoples go through their in South Africa, the lines were clear daily lives, interacting with whatever between Africans and whites. At administration has been placed among Grant’s second station, which was Zambia: Then and Now them. Yet, this aspect of imperialism graced by a swimming pool, there Colonial Rulers and Their has received scant attention. Bill Grant was no banning of African swimmers. African Successors has provided a start in filling this void But none ever swam in it. Europeans by William B. Grant with his own story. An administrator in could often flaunt the law with some the northwest corner of Zambia during impunity, but Africans might be * ISBN: 978-0-7103-1343-0 the 1960s he was in intimate contact arrested merely for “driving with * Published by: Routledge with local people and conditions. In elan”, whether or not the stimulation * Publication Date: this personalised account, the author was alcoholic. The first steps taken 10/12/2008 clearly conveys his own situation and to revise this de facto situation, an * Pages: 328 that of the communities he served. extension to the voters’ rolls, occurred He was among “the last generation” while the author was there. The The book’s cover and photographs of the British Empire in south-central change was a mixed blessing, since were the work of the author’s wife, who Africa. it meant a poll tax. Cash flow was is a local artist, Jinny Slyfield. Jinny Born in Scotland, Grant was not a major element in African life, accompanied Bill on the return trip to finishing university when the need and Grant dedicates a fine chapter Zambia and played an important role for employment loomed. Taking a describing its impact on society. in the writing of that part of the book. post in the Colonial Service, he was The enlargement of the voters’ how people went through daily life. A sent to a remote corner of what was lists inevitably brought forward nce, history was sweeping stunning example is Francis Pryor’s then Northern Rhodesia (and became developments in social change, visions and grand trilogy re-writing British history from Zambia 1964). First stationed in political activity - of various stripes - Opronouncements. Accounts prehistoric times through the Middle Mwinilunga, a community on the and the shifts of economic forces. As a were of Major Events and the Great Ages. Lunga River, he found himself in copper producer, Zambia, landlocked Men who dealt with them. A revision In all this change in the approach a community with no electricity or as it is, was a player on the world stage. in approach tightened the focus and to history, one area has been generally telephone service, 500 kilometres Grant covers the topics of politics, provided telling details of local areas overlooked - studies of locales under from the nearest major urban centre. education and economic fluctuations and how the populace lived. For a foreign rule. “Imperialism” is a Yet, with but three associates and some well, making these important chapters time, traditional scholars dismissed term of abuse these days, but it is an African messengers, he was assigned for anyone wishing to understand these sneeringly as “local” studies. historical reality. Colonial affairs are to cover over 50 thousand square conditions in this region of Africa. He But such work proved informative, more than battles of conquest and kilometres. Adding to his labours, addresses the rise and establishment providing new insights into events and resource exploitation. Even under he was almost immediately assigned of the government of Kenneth Kuanda the task of managing a cattle range and the domestic tribulations his long- for its absent owner. His “day work” term ascendancy gave rise to. In was primarily law administration short, these topical essays cover well - with taxes being a major concern. the transition from a colonial structure Criminal activities were left to police that administered but did not rule, to to deal with. With 15 - 20 thousand an African one which had to learn and local residents, plus transients to cope undertake both. with - heavy-handed police work To the casual reader, there is a was beyond the four young Colonial jarring displacement between the first Officers. segment of the book and the second. Transients covered a range of Where the first is given in a more types, from mineral prospectors to general view, the second is a highly refugees. Situated on the border detailed account of a return visit made with Angola and close to that of by Grant and his wife Jinny in 2001. the Congo, population movements Revisiting the district in which he was were inevitable. As time passed, a Colonial Officer, he provides an the rise of nationalist movements update of the area he administered. In in all three areas brought increased addition, there are cogent observations activity. Zambia’s main resource was of conditions in the surrounding areas. copper and movement of miners and The journey is, in effect, a return to suppliers was common. For most of the conditions of the localities the the legal administration, a technique pair visited. Some of the account is known as “Indirect Rule” - a gentle highly personalised, as a “journal” co-opting of village chiefs proved of travels must be, but it’s valuable the most effective method. Although as well for his observations of the applied with reserve, the British legal conditions of his former host nation a system, which rested on punishment, half century after his leaving. This is, clashed with local traditions based in many ways, a valuable book, giving on compensation. Grant’s account of insights meaningful and important to his own actions in enforcing colonial understanding today’s Africa. law make fascinating reading. It stephen a. haines may be contacted certainly differs from what one might by email at: bigbunyip@sympatico. experience on Elgin Street! ca The political unrest surrounding Grant’s station was based on Empire’s Bill Grant will be giving a greatest inequity. At the time of his public reading in the main library on arrival at Mwinilunga, of 3 million Metcalfe St. on Thursday, Feb 26th Africans in all of Zambia, there were at 7:00 p.m. but eleven voters. While apartheid was not government policy as it was JANUARY 2009 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR Page 29

BOOK REVIEW INTERVIEW Interview With Bill Grant

OSCAR’s senior staff writer, aid to Zambia, although most of its To ameliorate the educational gap, WGD: The wells are free and freely Stephen A. Haines, interviewed aid has gone elsewhere in Africa they should have started at the available. Some, placed too near Bill Grant on his experiences in - Kenya and Tanzania, for example. latest in 1950. But from 1953 to polluted rivers, are themselves Zambia and the writing of his Since the purpose of my 2006 visit 1963 education was controlled by polluted. Some villages have no times there. was to compare old haunts across the Central African Federation, wells, and still have to use streams. OSCAR: What brought you to the intervening time, I did not not by the Northern Rhodesian O: Given the poverty and traditional Ottawa, in particular, Old Ottawa happen upon any Canadian projects. government. The CAF was centred social structure, how well can South? O: Is there anything Canada should in the whilte-dominated Southern Zambia assume a model role as a W.D. Grant: I came to Canada be doing there? Rhodesia. Really, this was no hand- developing democracy? in 1967, centennial year, sailing WDG: In the book I do make a over plan and by 1960 it was too late WGD: As I noted earlier, elections into the Expo site in of the last number of fairly forthright general to develop one. You have also to have been infrequent, but quiet, CP passenger liners. After two criticisms of aid agencies, which I remember that in Scotland in 1958 with the resulting governments years’ teaching in Perth, I moved to see as doing work which should be about a third of students left school stable. The Zambia election of 2006 Ottawa, which, compared to Perth, done by the Zambians themselves. at 16 with essentally no diploma and was the most honest election ever, was a metropolis. I am a very recent The agencies are unwittingly and only about 5 per cent. made it to perhaps in all of Africa. This is very denizen of Old Ottawa South, only skewing the country’s priorities, university, so the African situation difficult to achieve in Africa where since 2000. My marriage to Jinny among other things. seemed less pressing. elections tend to be zero-sum games Slyfield was responsible. I have not O: Is this something policy-makers O: You mention the International - total influence or none. The one regretted the move. should take note of? Monetary Fund’s role in Zambia’s glimmer of hope from the Kenyan O: The book places you in the UK, WDG: I feel that the short-term “restructuring”. Was its role situation is that the people do not Northern Rhodesia, Zambia with a nature of most aid worker’s contracts ultimately good or bad for the now so readily accept rigging. light touch of your time in Canada. militates against developing the country? Every previous Kenyan election Where we you between Northern degree of understanding and WGD: Generally, the situation is was rigged - people just accepted it Rhodesia and Zambia? commitment or continuity that is better than before the IMF action, - including those in the West. WDG: I returned to Scotland for a desirable. The aid agencies and but not better enough. The problem O: OSCAR is very grateful you time after retiring from the Colonial their workers are genuinely trying to is not with the IMF, but with the were able to give us time for this service, emigrating to Canada in help and have some successes, but I economic profligacy which made the exchange. 1967 question the institution. It was not appeal to the IMF necessary in the WDG. You’re welcome. I’m O: What prompted you to write the my purpose to suggest new policy first place. grateful for this opportunity. book? directions. Others more able, such O: On your return trip there were WDG: I felt that colonialism and as Robert Calderisi, have not been wells where previously the people This interview took place early Zambia had both had a bad rap so reticent. drew water from the rivers. Are 2008. and want to redress that. I am not O: You portray a mixed image those wells freely available or are so much defending colonialism as of women in Northern Rhodesia/ they part of the “privatisation” an institution - in my article in the Zambia. The tax rolls you schemes of developing country Queen’s Quarterly, I call it a gift administered didn’t count them, but water supplies? better to give than to receive. Rather a woman was made chief during I am trying to defend the work of your return trip. How would you colonial officers, which is often summarise the status of women performed in difficult circumstances. there now? How can their status I try not to airbrush their faults. be improved? Some part of me never left Zambia WDG: I do devote a lot of space and I have always felt that it has to women’s role. Unfortunately, been ignored by Western media in except for a privileged minority favour of more trendy places like of women mains in the towns, Kenya. If the book does anything their role is a subordinate to redr4ess that I will be happy - but one. Things are improving - in surprised. colonial times the privileged O: Who should be reading it? minority did not exist. The WDG: I think that all those situation is paradoxical - that interested in Africa can read women are both very influential, it profitably. It cant be useful in everyday living - and very background for aid workers, powerless. Until that changes, I diplomats and people in similar don’t think Africa will really change. roles. Zambia is an interesting Too many women are still baby case because it has never had civil producers - often from a very early wars or serious internal strife. age - will little control over their Although it has been a one-party own bodies or minds. state, under somewhat autocratic O: You write of independence governments, there has never coming sooner than expected or that been a true dictatorship, and it has was prepared for. What should have emerged as one of Africa’s most been the first priority by the colonial democratic countries. It has twice authorities during the run-up? What changed Presidents democratically should take the first priority now? and peacefully, and is one of the few WDG: Independence came very African countries with a free and quickly. The biggest lack was independent newspaper. education. In 1958, most thought O: Canada has brief mention in the that independence would come about book. Can you relate what Canada 1980, not 1964. About 1960, they has been doing in Zambia? realised it might come in 1970. By WDG: Canada is active in giving 1962, they had really lost control. Page 30 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR JANUARY 2009 Merry Christmas Gifts From Women at Curves By Evelyn Hornbeck

oanna Patenaude and the women of Curves on Bank Street worked together to fill gift bags for JOttawa shelters -- The Shepherd of Good Hope and Cornerstone. Together with Curves locations owned by Patenaude’s family, downtown and in Stittsville, the women stuffed a mountain of bags that added up to a value of over $20,000. Every year, for their holiday drive, Curves patrons pick a charity that requests donations of bags of items. Patenaude does this every year because her patrons really enjoy marking the holiday season by putting together treat bags for other women in need. Curves members took home the bags and filled them with ten items from a list of suggestions. These included hats, mitts, pyjamas, bus tickets and a little treat. Though just 10 items were requested, Patenaude says most women who took part went way over that guideline. “People get tired of writing a cheque,” said Patenaude. With this kind of giving there’s no overhead. You know someone is getting what you put in there.” She adds that her patrons enjoy giving “the personal touch”. For many of the men and women at Shepherds of Good Hope and Cornerstone, one of these include a phone card or stamped envelope in the gift bags will be their only gift this holiday bags. She hopes that this will encourage the bags’ season. The packages from Curves are recipients to reach out. “Maybe they’ll tell someone almost all overflowing. Each bag is valued where they are,” she says. at between $50 and $100. Cozy suede Congratulations to Curves for spreading the slippers and warm ski gloves, hoodies spirit of the season. As Patenaude said, “This is a and blue jeans, all tied up with Christmas different kind of gym, a community”. bows. Patenaude encourages everyone to

To book an OSCAR ad call Gayle 730-1058 [email protected] Stay Safe This Winter of Snow hen you consider that a shovelful of snow weighs 5 to 7 pounds, you realize how much weight you have to lift to clear your sidewalk or driveway — on average, Wseveral hundred pounds! These tips will help keep your back in top shape:

Don’t let the snow pile up: If the weather report calls for several days of snow, frequent shovelling will allow you to move smaller amounts of snow at once.

Pick the right shovel: Use a lightweight pusher- type shovel. If you are using a metal shovel, spray it with Teflon first, so snow won’t stick to it.

Bend your knees: If you find you have to lift a shovelful of snow, use your knees and your leg and arm muscles to do the pushing and lifting, while keeping your back straight.

Warm up: Before tackling any strenuous activity take the time to warm up with some overall conditioning (a 10- to 15-minute walk, even on the spot, should do it), followed by some simple stretching.

Take a break: If you feel tired or short of breath, stop and take a rest. Shake out your arms and legs. Stop shovelling immediately if you feel chest pain or back pain. If you have back pain that is severe or that persists for more than a day after shovelling, see a chiropractor. If you have chest pain that is severe, see a medical doctor immediately. JANUARY 2009 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR Page 31 Red Apron Cooks Happy New Year!

ew Year’s is a time for support farming techniques that pepper. Slowly whisk in oil. Set marinade over the lamb. Let sit new beginnings, change improve soil fertility without the aside for at least 2 hours, or overnight in Nand resolutions. This use of petroleum-based synthetic Toast Almonds lightly in pan. the fridge. year, rather than spending money fertilizers. Remember to ask your Toss greens with Vinaigrette and When you are ready to start on Gym Memberships and Diet farmers about their techniques as separate onto four plates. Slice cooking, remove the lamb from Books, consider making some many practice organic farming but each pear and top each plate with the marinade (reserve marinade), simple resolutions that will impact are not certified. pear, goat cheese and toasted and heat 2 tablespoons of oil in your health, the local economy and almonds. Serve immediately. heavy large skillet over medium- the environment in many positive This January at the Red Apron high heat. ways. we will be featuring Spa inspired Working in batches, add lamb menus, forsaking butter and cream, Wine Braised Lamb to skillet and cook until browned 1: Resolve to never leave and using whole grains as much as on all sides, turning occasionally your house without a durable bag possible. We want to pamper you We cook Lamb about once and adding 2 more tablespoons oil to carry with you while running with lighter meals that are full of a month at the Red Apron, and to skillet between batches. Return errands. (This will be my hardest flavour and excitement! Visit our usually use the shank because the lamb and reserved marinade resolution to keep because I always website at www.redapron.ca for we like to cook meat on the bone to the covered dish and place in a forget my bags!) more details. – it makes for better flavour and a 300 degree pre-heated oven. Cook 2: Resolve to buy more locally much better sauce. However, you covered for 3-4 hours (stirring made and grown products. They May the New Year bring you can also use cubed Lamb Shoulder every hour) until very tender. If require less packaging, travel Joy, Happiness, Peace, Health and for this recipe. using shanks, the meat should shorter distances, and support an abundance of fresh local food! easily fall pull away from the people in your own community. 1 large onion, sliced bones. Visit the www.justfood.ca website Organic Greens with Goat 4 cloves of garlic - chopped Remove cooked lamb from for a list of local growers and Cheese & Poached Pear 1 tablespoon tomato paste sauce and strain the sauce through producers. Salad – Serves 4 2 cups beef broth a fine sieve into a small saucepan. 3: Compost leaves, garden 2 cups of full bodied red wine Let the sauce sit for a few minutes trimmings and food waste. If and scoop off the excess oil. 6 cups organic local greens 2-3 sprigs each of Rosemary and you are not up to the challenge Boil the sauce until reduced by 2 medium size firm pears Thyme – rough chopped of composting in your back-yard at least half and season with salt 1 cup white wine 4 Lamb Shanks (or 2-3 pounds of – find a farmer or a gardener in and pepper to taste. Return lamb 1 cup sugar cubed Lamb Shoulder) your neighbourhood who wants meat to the sauce, and re-warm to ½ teaspoon whole cloves Salt & Pepper to Taste your lovely, luscious compost. We serve. The Lamb can be served 1 cup water have been sending our compost immediately or re-heated at a later ½ cup olive oil or good quality Mix the first 6 ingredients to local gardeners and farmers for time, as it always tastes better the Canola Oil in large bowl. Place the lamb 2 years now and we are happy to next day! ¼ cup white wine vinegar in a deep covered dish and pour report that there are some very fat Sea salt and freshly ground and healthy chickens that are being black pepper to taste raised on Red Apron food scraps. 1 cup Canadian Chèvre (Goat 4: Resolve to spend less time Cheese) in the gym and more time on foot ¼ cup slivered almonds - try doing your shopping and (optional) errands in your community as part of your exercise program. Peel and halve pears, remove 5: Resolve to eat one Vegetarian core but leave stem if possible. dinner each week. Eating less meat In a saucepan over medium heat, is good for the environment as meat combine white wine, sugar, water production requires a tremendous and cloves. Bring to a boil, and Need Renovations? amount water and fossil fuels and stir until sugar is dissolved. Place runoff from livestock operations pears in saucepan and make sure may pollute rivers, lakes and even they are completely covered with drinking water. liquid. If necessary add more 6: Resolve to switch to water. Cover, and simmer 15 environmentally friendly cleaning minutes or until tender. Remove products, laundry soaps and body cover, and simmer an additional care products. Or if you are up to a 30 minutes. Remove pears from bigger challenge, try using natural, the liquid, and let cool. Reduce home-made cleansers instead of remaining poaching liquid by chemical ones. half and reserve ¼ cup of reduced 7: Resolve to incorporate liquid. more Organics into your weekly Wisk reserved poaching liquid grocery shopping. When you buy Custom Designed Additions and with white wine vinegar and salt/ organically produced products, you Major Renovations that respect the Craftsmanship and Architectural To book an OSCAR ad style of your older home. call Gayle 730-1058 594-8888 [email protected] www.gordonmcgovern.com Page 32 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR JANUARY 2009 Retirement Fears May be Ill Founded by Rick Sutherland, CLU, found that only 40% of people in their were about to be, or newly retired. your retirement income projection. CFP, FDS, R.F.P first year of retirement felt comfortable In order to reduce some of this Specialized computer programs are with their retirement savings. This stress it is important for Canadians to used to assist with these calculations. he thought of retirement can number dropped to 29% for those prepare a retirement income projection The result is a projection based on be frightening. For many it’s in their second year of retirement. before retiring. This allows for realistic best and worst case scenarios. The a journey into an uncharted However, confidence takes hold by the planning rather than unrealistic work will be worth peace of mind and T fifth year, when 58% said they were dreaming. It will show the financial a stress reduced retirement. financial territory. A recent study found that about two-thirds of Canadians comfortable about their finances and health of one’s retirement lifestyle The foregoing is for general who are approaching retirement are after ten years 80% were comfortable desires. Only then can one relax and information purposes and is the stressed about the thought of outliving about their financial future. settle into their new situation. opinion of the writer. This information their money. Once retirees settle into their new The study also found that is not intended to provide personal Although this study focused on situation they tended to live within professional financial advice played a advice including, without limitation, the financial aspects of retirement, their means. They started to feel better vital role in one’s comfort level, both investment, financial, legal, accounting it is important to remember that once they figured out how much before and after retirement. People or tax advice. Please call or write to there are many other non-financial money they actually needed to meet who work with a financial planner had Rick Sutherland CLU, CFP, FDS, considerations. These include hobbies, their retirement goals and lifestyle a higher level of financial confidence R.F.P., of FundEX Investments Inc. to volunteerism, fitness, lifestyle and needs. This study showed that many and felt better about their financial discuss your particular circumstances travel, just to name a few. These may, retirees were quite comfortable living health than people who do not use a or suggest a topic for future articles or may not, have a significant financial on 60% of pre-retirement income. planner. at 613-798-2421 or E-mail rick@ consideration. It is equally important Many previous studies told us that Financial planners have an invested-interest.ca to have plans for these aspects of the figure was closer to 75% or more. abundance of calculators and tools retirement life. This may have been partly the cause of to assist with the planning process. The survey of 2,200 Canadians uncertainty and concern for those who Speak to your financial planner about

Financial Divorce Specialist Avoid costly mistakes with professional financial Independent Legal Advice assistance in the division of assets. By Anna Sundin should not have to pay the money that was borrowed or guaranteed because ntario courts have had he or she did not understand the Contact: Rick Sutherland, CLU, CFP, FDS, R.F.P. occasion to explain the transaction that was entered into. 1276 Wellington Street, Ottawa ON K1Y 3A7 Opurpose of obtaining Another area where independent Phone: (613)798-2421 Email: [email protected] independent legal advice. It is the legal advice is often crucial is when following: “People are free to take entering into a marriage contract, a risks and make bad deals, as long as cohabitation agreement or a separation they are aware of those risks and the agreement. If someone is entering possible adverse consequences.” As into one of these agreements without a result, “ the purpose of requiring proper financial disclosure, the independent legal advice is to assure agreement may be set aside at a later that there is an appreciation of the date by a court. nature and consequences of completing Bruce LeVan discovered this a transaction with potential adverse when he insisted that his fiancee results”. obtain independent legal advice for Often a bank will require a person a marriage contract that excluded guaranteeing a loan or a co-borrower his share of the family business to obtain independent legal advice. from division in the event of a later Especially where the loan is for the separation and reduced his income for benefit of one of the borrowers more the purposes of calculating support. than for the other, such as when a He stated that his assets were To book an OSCAR ad spouse borrows money for a business “$80,000.00 + LeVan Family venture and the matrimonial home is Companies interest”. He never call Gayle 730-1058 used as security for the business loan. disclosed that his interest in the family The lawyer who gives the business was worth $14 million at [email protected] independent legal advice has the legal the date of the marriage. He also duty to tell his or her client about took an active part in interfering in the possible consequences to the the legal advice his fiancee received guarantor or co-borrower if the loan by suggesting that her lawyer was is not paid, which may include the incompetent when her lawyer objected Guidance, Protection loss of the mortgaged property and a to the agreement and by then sending reduction in the family’s overall net her to a lawyer who may not have worth. Part of the discussion may been independent and who only spent and Peace of Mind. even need to include the likelihood a short time reviewing the terms of Anna E. Sundin, Barrister & Solicitor of the parties separating. The lender the agreement with the fiancee. All GEnErAl PrActicE includinG: is then protected if the loan goes of this took place within weeks of the Family Law, Wills, Real Estate, Incorporations, Litigation and Collaborative Family Law into default and there are collection wedding when the fiancee was stressed – A Cooperative and Dignified Approach to Separation and Divorce.– proceedings. about the wedding plans in any event. Often, after collection Seven years later the parties proceedings have started, the separated and it was discovered that guarantor does not remember the the husband’s assets had grown to $33 advice he or she received from the million since the date of the marriage. lawyer who gave the independent The court set aside the marriage legal advice before the loan contract. Ms. LeVan was awarded +$3 transaction was completed. With million for the division of assets and a clear notes of the advice that was substantial sum for child support based given, the bank is protected from on an imputed income of $370,000.00 the guarantors’ claim that he or she annually for Mr. LeVan. JANUARY 2009 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR Page 33

M.P.P. OTTAWA CENTRE The Power of Community Support

By Yasir Naqvi, MPP community. These groups, such as the Relationships grant. Just this year, and budgetary restraints. Though there Social Planning Council of Ottawa and we invested $135,000 in the Youth will be some changes in government e often hear a lot in the Somerset West Community Health as Leaders project at Minwaashin spending in 2009, I would like to the news about major Centre, will use this money to offer a Lodge Aboriginal Women’s Support highlight the continued support and Winvestments being made range of programs like festivals, dance Centre, and $65,875 in the Fédération investments we are making in social by the government. Announcements lessons and leadership conferences de la jeunesse franco-ontarienne for services, the arts and the environment such as $77 million to support that foster knowledge and respect for workshops teaching the importance of in our city. infrastructure in the City of Ottawa, cultural history. respectful behaviour between boys and Programs like the Ontario or $10.8 million to upgrade labs and Another fantastic organization girls. This is in addition to the $225,000 Community Builders Awards and buildings at Carleton University, are is the Ontario Trillium Foundation. in capital funds we invested to improve Celebrate Ontario are grant programs prominent in the daily news. But we Operating as an arm’s length, not- accessibility and facility requirements that will continue to be available in rarely hear about the great investments for-profit granting institution, the at St. Matthew’s Harmony House. 2009. Through these programs, and in our local community programs. To Ontario Trillium Foundation provides Recognizing the important agencies like the Ontario Trillium an afterschool program or a non-profit much needed funding to a variety of role that arts and culture play in Foundation, our government will organization creating job opportunities organizations that provide an array the vitality of our communities, the continue to invest in the grassroots for new Canadians, a small investment of services in our community. From Ontario Government also continues programs and services that make a real by the government can mean the November 2007 to November 2008, to invest in our local festivals and difference to our community. difference between helping people and our community of Ottawa Centre has arts programs. Through the Celebrate When times get tough, we must closing their doors. received over $4.1 million in grants Ontario grant, eleven organizations respond by becoming closer to one As 2008 draws to an end, I would through the Trillium Foundation. in Ottawa received over $1.2 million another; we must reach out and do our like to take the opportunity to highlight The groups that have been supported in support this year alone. These part to build a better community for some of the local not-not-for-profit provide essential services in our organizations included the Ottawa everyone. I would like to help you do groups in our community that are community, such as, energy audits Folk Festival, the Summer Solstice this by helping your community group receiving support from our government and environmental workshops Aboriginal Arts Festival, SuperEx, or service organization to access the for the great work that they do to at EnviroCentre; organizational Canadian Tulip Festival, Cisco resources you need to continue the enhance the lives of our neighbours. support for the Ottawa Chamber Ottawa Bluesfest, Winterlude 2009, great work you are doing. So please, The Community Builder’s Award Music Society; victim assistance and Ottawa Race Weekend, CanoeKayak do not hesitate to contact me! I am is a grant program offered through support through the Victim Assistance Knockout, Ottawa International Jazz also always available to visit your the Ministry of Citizenship and Services of Ottawa Carleton; language Festival, the Rideau Canal Festival, community association or service Immigration that supports organizations and employment training for new and the CIs Men’s National Ice Hockey organization to speak at your meetings, to recognize the rich diversity of Canadians at LASI World Skills; Championship. tour your facilities, or sit down over cultures in Ontario by celebrating their improved accessibility at the YMCA/ With a lot of the talk lately focused coffee to talk about how we can work contribution to the social and cultural YWCA; and the list goes on and on. on the global economic crisis, many together. fabric of this province. Recently, seven We have also improved support people are worried that governments This holiday season I wish you groups in Ottawa received a total of for women and children suffering will begin to scale back in the coming and your family peace, health and $52,500 to fund cultural events and from domestic violence through months. We hear a lot in the news about prosperity in the New Year. programs that celebrate diversity in our the Promoting Healthy Equal potential deficits, program cut-backs

COMPUTER TRICKS AND TIPS By Malcolm and John at www.snopes.com. Especially in send your friends the link so they can Malcolm and John Harding are the Harding, of Compu-Home these politically busy times, a great view them there. Inform your email owners of Compu-Home, specializing many outrageous “facts” you are being correspondents that you do not wish to in assisting computer users in your sent are based on half-truths and out- receive huge attachments. home and office. Visit www.compu- Some Time-Saving Tips of-context statements. If someone : Until you empty your Recycle home.com for a description of our You Should Know (but persists in sending you this nonsense, Bin, you have not reclaimed that space services. Maybe Don’t) tell him or her gently but firmly to on your hard disk. Write to harding@compu-home. remove you from their list. By the : Ctrl+x, Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V are com or phone 731-5954 to discuss e aren’t big fans or readers way, Snopes makes very interesting keyboard shortcuts to Cut, Copy and computer issues. of blogs, but we’ve recently reading even when you are not doing a Paste, respectively. come across an especially specific check. W : Place shortcuts to utilities you good one, by David Poge of the New York Times. In a recent post he listed use often in your Quick Launch Bar. several computer shortcuts and tips Right-click on your Start button, select that everyone should know but often Properties, and the Taskbar tab. Make get overlooked, forgotten, or never sure there is a checkmark in the box for learned in the first place. Soon readers “Show Quick Launch” and close. Now were writing in with more suggestions you can drag shortcuts to this area for and now the thread goes on for several your word processor, browser, email pages! Here are a few from http:// client and any other frequently-used pogue.blogs.nytimes.com interspersed programs. They are always available with some of our own. for multi-tasking, and your desktop : When you are filling in won’t be so cluttered. information on a web page, tap the Tab : Rest your cursor on the Clock in key to jump to the next box, to avoid the bottom-right corner of your display, having to take your hand away from and the date will appear. Double-click the keyboard to grab the mouse. When the clock and a calendar will pop up. you are finished with the page, look for : Don’t take the time to drag your the box such as “Submit” or “OK” that cursor through a word to highlight it has an extra highlighting line around it; for deleting, copying, underlining, etc.; pressing Enter will perform whatever double-click it instead. Triple-clicking that action is. will highlight the whole paragraph. :When you receive an email that : Nobody’s mailbox or patience is a “Forward,” never send it on to will accommodate attachments of others unless you check its accuracy more than 2 photos. Instead, post your photos to Flickr or Picasa and Page 34 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR JANUARY 2009 Do You Ask Around? Communing with Nature Recommendations From Your Neighbours at 600 Calories an Hour

By Nicola Maule launch Ask Around.ca. Ask Around.ca uses nce a practical necessity for people living in the power of the internet to share information northern climates, snowshoes are winning the hen you buy your first house you can trust. Ohearts and minds of outdoor enthusiasts around you feel proud and all grown up. At Ask Around.ca you can read the world. People are embracing snowshoeing as a fun WHowever, you very quickly learn recommendations about local trades people way to make the best of a cold, long winter. the words - replace, repair and refurbish such as carpenters, painters, plumbers, Snowshoeing is an effective low-impact workout - especially if you own an older home in roofers, electricians, and snow removal that burns more calories than hiking or cross-country Old Ottawa South. Maybe the home needs companies as well as service providers such skiing. Just about anyone can enjoy it at his or her own rewiring, the roof needs new shingles, or the as pet sitters, massage therapists and graphic pace. And it’s becoming known as an eco-friendly hot pink bathroom needs to be repainted. But designers. Wendy vets each recommendation activity in which the biggest footprint left behind is who do you call and who do you trust to do before it is posted on the site to be sure it shaped like a snowshoe. the work? is reliable information. The site’s detailed What’s great about the sport is that minimal Your first instinct may be to let your fingers recommendations include the glowing equipment is needed. First and foremost, you need do the walking through the yellow pages and testimonials or horror stories that you would a good pair of snowshoes. One size does not fit all, call whoever has the best ad. However, now hear when talking to your neighbours. The however. Consider what your snow conditions will there is a better place your fingertips can go. site also offers a convenient on-line directory be before picking the right size snowshoes because Get invaluable recommendations online by of businesses. lighter, powdery snow requires bigger snowshoes than visiting www.AskAround.ca. Ask Around.ca Be sure to visit Ask Around.ca before heavy, wet snow. Snowshoe design has come a long is a website where you can find out who your you start your next home improvement way from the big, cumbersome wood-framed ones. neighbours recommend and also post your project. Then return after the project to Today’s aluminum shoes are light-weight and easy to own recommendations. The website is a time make a recommendation that will help manoeuvre. and money saving tool especially when your your neighbours make informed and smart Good winter footwear is equally important. It’s home renovation projects start to get into the decisions. recommended that boots should be comfortable, triple and quadruple digits. waterproof and flexible. With seam-sealed, waterproof Local resident, Wendy Stone, is the For more information visit www. construction and moulded, rubber midsoles, some creative force behind Ask Around.ca. When AskAround.ca. Wendy Stone and Nicola winter boots are lighter and more comfortable for she returned to Ottawa and set about updating Maule are proud members of the Old Ottawa easier mobility. Styles with nylon shells allow for better her home she was determined to keep her South Women’s Business Network. The flexibility in extreme temperatures. old-fashioned bathtub but it needed to be network meets on the third Tuesday morning Snowshoeing can be a source of fun and exercise refinished. The obstacles Wendy surmounted of each month. Call 613-730-3739- for more that the whole family can enjoy in the great outdoors while trying to salvage her bathtub, which details. with the right gear from head to aluminum-framed toe. included outrageous quotes and less than punctual trades people, gave her the idea to

Important Differences Between The RRSP And TFSA By Bob Jamieson effective alternatives for saving on tax. If the tax rate at the time of withdrawal will be lower than at the time of new opportunity became available to Canadian contribution, the RRSP comes out ahead. If the tax rate at investors as of January 1 with the introduction of the time of withdrawal will be higher than at the time of Athe Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA). contribution, the advantage goes to the TFSA. Because Any Canadian who has reached the age of majority most Canadians can expect to experience a lower tax in his or her province can invest up to $5,000 per year rate during their retirement compared to when they are in a TFSA. Your account can hold investments such as working, the RRSP is probably the preferred savings stocks, bonds and mutual funds, to name a few. Any option for the majority of us. growth on your investment is tax-free, so choosing the Of course, we all have different circumstances that investments you think will return the most is important. shape our investment decisions, and there are many other What’s more, any withdrawal you want to make is tax- factors to consider, including some additional differences free too. between the RRSP and TFSA. Of note: This makes the TFSA different from the federal • There are maximum age restrictions for contributing government’s long-established Registered Retirement to the RRSP, while there is not for the TFSA. Savings Plan (RRSP) program. For example, when you • You can re-use contribution room after funds are make an RRSP contribution, your taxable income for withdrawn from the TFSA, in subsequent years. You that year is lowered by the amount you contributed to cannot do that with that with the RRSP. your RRSP. It means you will pay less income tax that • RRSP contribution maximums per year are year compared to what you would have paid had you not generally larger than the $5,000 amount for the TFSA. made the RRSP contribution. However, when you take For the 2008 tax year, your RRSP contribution can be as that money out of your RRSP at a future date, the amount high as $20,000, or 18 per cent of your earned income, as becomes taxable at that time. reported on your 2007 tax return (whichever is less). In other words, it’s like using “pre-tax” funds when • Unlike the RRSP, income earned in or withdrawals you put money into your RRSP. That’s just the opposite made from a TFSA do not affect your eligibility for of what happens with the TFSA, where you’re using federal tax credits or income-tested benefits such as the “after-tax” funds. You might think of it as putting into Canada Child Tax Benefit, Old Age Security (OAS) or the account a portion of your income that’s already had the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS). all its tax deducted. Given all of the different considerations – and the A common question being asked is whether the uniqueness of your particular situation – speak with a TFSA should take precedence over the RRSP as a financial advisor to determine what RRSP and TFSA vehicle for housing retirement savings. From a tax- strategies make the most sense for you. advantage standpoint, a key consideration involves Bob Jamieson, CFP tax rates at contribution and at withdrawal. If the two Edward Jones, Member CIPF rates are identical, the TFSA and the RRSP are equally JANUARY 2009 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR Page 35

Local Veterinarian - Dr. Emily Black For Auld Lang Syne/ In Memory

ver the past few weeks I have asked for more and I have never felt presence, predictability and routine been privy to a number of more emotionally satisfied, but it has are all things which contribute to our Obeautiful things and although brought with it its own sorrow. sense of wellbeing, of comfort and of my job is undeniably difficult at I have been let into these people’s friendship. times, it is those aspects which make lives and as such have been privy to Alas, to them we are immortal, we it difficult that also take my breath the unbelievable selflessness, care are there when they arrive, we never away. and compassion they have for their seem to age and we are present when A number of my clients are pets. A relationship which is both they pass, and often their lives are so New Year. facing Christmas alone for the first extraordinarily substantive but which fleeting, a decade maybe two if we time in many, many, years. They also carries with it some aspect of are lucky, but during that short time, And ther’s a hand, my trusty have unexpectedly lost their furry guilt. The relationship we are capable they have so much to give that when friend, companions down the road of life of developing with our pets is easy. they are gone we have lost what that And gie’s a hand o’ thine; and they have been touched more And that’s what makes it so much relationship made us, we have lost a We’ll tak’ a right good willie- deeply than either they or I could have less complicated than many of the bit of ourselves, and undoubtedly, it waught,, anticipated. relationships we form with our fellow was our better selves. For auld lang syne. We are a new hospital but we human beings. So in this time of family, of (Auld lang Syne : Robbie Burns) have moved in and been welcomed It is simple and uncompromised, remembering and of good will, I with open arms by an established our animals are nonjudgmental would like to raise a glass of kindness Dr. Emily Black is the veterinarian at community which has done without confidants and their manipulation is so to our furry companions past, present Centretown Veterinary Hospital. She the services we offer for almost a overt as to be funny. Their anticipated and future. May their lives be filled grew up in Old Ottawa South and decade, and my clients and their pets presence, the things they have to with warm beds, kind hands and soft now lives in the Glebe. She is owned have quickly become fast friends and offer; a warm soft head, a lick when words and may our hearts be the better by her three cats and her fourteen (in fixtures of my life. I couldn’t have you’re feeling down, even their mere for it. Merry Christmas and Happy March) year old dog.

To book an OSCAR ad call Gayle 730-1058 Closure of Block Parent® [email protected] Program in Ottawa

OPS - he Ottawa Police Service is actively supporting the Ontario Block Parent® decision to close the Block Parent® Program in Ottawa Tand is requesting that all Block Parent® window signs be returned to Ottawa Police by January 31, 2009. The police service is working closely with Ontario Block Parent® to implement further sign recall procedures in order to retrieve any unreturned signs in February. Further information is available at ottawapolice.ca.

Block Parent® Window Sign Recall Block Parent® window signs should be returned to the nearest police station by the end of January in one of the following ways: In Person: A full listing of police stations is available on line at ottawapolice.ca or in the Red Pages in the front of your Bell phone book. By Mail: Signs may also be returned by mail to: Ottawa Police Service, ATTN: Community Development, P.O. Box 9634, Station T, Ottawa, ON K1G 6H5. Pick-up: If a sign cannot be returned in person or by mail, residents can contact the Community Development Section by phone to arrange for pick up by calling 613-236-1222, ext. 6417. The Ottawa Police Service is committed to community-police partnerships, which are key in developing and maintaining programs such as the Block Parent® Program. Unfortunately, since 2001, local support and leadership initiatives for the program declined. While the program has been on hold, the Ottawa Police Service invested significant time and resources to work in partnership with the few remaining Ottawa Block Parent® representatives to renew the program. Unfortunately, attempts to renew the community driven program have been unsuccessful, as community interest has dwindled significantly over the years. On October 2, 2008, the Ontario Block Parent® Program sent a letter to all registered Block Parent® volunteers in Ottawa indicating that the program was closed. To assist in the closure, volunteers have been asked to return their window signs to the nearest police station. The Ottawa Chapter of Block Parent® has provided more than twenty years of community service in Ottawa. Volunteers who kept the program viable during that time should be commended for their important work and years of dedication. Page 36 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR JANUARY 2009 SURROUND CIRCLE YOGA Yoga ~ A Transformative Experience by Maureen Fallis, morning of yoga each week as it is a Surround Circle Yoga time when I focus on the moment and not on everything else going on in my f you step onto a yoga mat, life.” even just once, you will notice The physical benefits are excellent something special happens. If you reasons to practice yoga, yet they I only hint at the extraordinary and carve out time for a regular practice (even a few minutes a day), you transformative power of this deeply will see tremendous improvement spiritual practice. in your flexibility, balance, muscle The transformative process is best tone, and endurance. But if I were a understood as an amalgam of three betting woman, I’d bet you will also components, healing, growth, and experience a feeling of tranquility and spiritual awakening. Many people vitality flowing through your body come to yoga to address health concerns not only during a yoga class but well or to find a refuge from exhausting and after you have rolled up your mat and hectic lives. No doubt, we are in need gone home. of healing, the process of returning Maureen Fallis by the Rideau Canal Photo by Brian Ure One of my very first students to normal functioning after trauma or at Surround Circle Yoga, Maureen injury. While the clearest example of L., had these words to say about her healing is physical, as when a wound mental levels. whole and complete, and you don’t yoga practice, “I really enjoy my or broken bone mends, parallel types Students who stick with their yoga need to change a thing. The “true or of healing occur on emotional and practice are pleased to discover that it essential Self”, is depicted in yoga as stimulates a steady stream of insights being infinite, eternal and whole. that help change them in positive Everyone proceeds down the path ways. Sylvie, a new student sent these of transformation in his or her own words about her recent experience, unique way. Your experience will “Although many emotions are stored depend on the specifics of your life deep within my body; with yoga the history and current circumstances. other night, I am more open. The Rather than a linear progression, it’s a feeling was amazing!” spiralling path forward in which you This kind of growth usually is a are constantly healing, growing and gradual unfolding, and incremental awakening to deeper levels. progress, but it can also include This year Surround Circle Yoga is exciting quantum leaps brought on by launching INSIGHT Workshops. By peak cathartic experiences. Setbacks different models of experimentation, also provide grist for the mill of you will seek the ultimate truth of your growth, as major lessons are learned life by exploring what’s real, what’s from seeing ourselves respond to realistic, and what’s possible. The failures, loss and crisis. first Insight Workshop will be held on An experience of spiritual Saturday, February 21, 2009. Check awakening is a bit different from website www.surroundcircleyoga. healing and growth. It is when you com for details. suddenly realize that you are already

To book an OSCAR ad call Gayle 730-1058 [email protected]

ELMVALE BRANCH LIBRARY

Elmvale Acres Branch Household Pests 1910 St. Laurent Blvd. December 4, 6-8 pm 613-738-0619 ext. 3 Call: Angela Warren 613-737- 5115 ext. 2411 Adult Programs : Tenant Information Sessions: Eviction Process Social Housing Registry December 11, 6-8 pm Application Call: Angela Warren 613-737- November 20, 6-8 pm 5115 ext. 2411 Call: Angela Warren 613-737- 5115 ext. 2411 Children’s Programs: Reading Circle Getting Repairs Done Saturdays 2-3 pm November 27, 6-8 pm Come and join in the fun! Help Call: Angela Warren 613-737- your child develop his/her 5115 ext. 2411 learning skills! Call: Noorin Shivji 613-816- 1403 JANUARY 2009 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR Page 37

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE LIBRARIES Sunnyside Branch Library Programs for the month of Computer tutorials, every Wed, Toddlertime, Tuesdays and 7:00 p.m.(1 hr.) Registration January for Sunnyside Branch Dec 3, Jan 7-March 25, 10:00 Thursdays at 10:15 a.m. January library: registration 13-March 3, January 15-March 5. Special Programs: Saturday, (30 min.) Registration January 24, 2:15 p.m. Let it snow! Adult Book Clubs: Teen: Snow stories and crafts. Ages 5-7. Cercle de lecture de L’Amicale a girlzone, Fridays, 12:00pm, Jan Storytime, Wednesdays at 10:15 (45 min.) Registration Saturday, la bibio: Les mardis, 13 janv., 10 16, Feb 27(1 hr) registration. a.m. January 14-March 4 (30 Feb. 14, 2:15 p.m, mars, 19h (1 h) registration Book grades 7 and 8 min.) Chat, Fridays, 2pm, (1hr) Jan 30, Happy St. Valentine’s Day! Feb 27 Preschool Programs: Bookclubs: Lovely stories and a craft. Ages 5- Registration for Preschool Mother Daughter Book Group. 7 (45 min) Registration. Programs of interest: programs begins on Wednesday, Ages 8-9. January 12, Feb. 9, 7:00 Seasonal Affective Disorder Jan 7, 2009 Babytime, Tuesdays p.m.(1 hr.) Registration (SAD) with Julek Meissner, Jan at 2:15 p.m. January 13-March 3 Mother Daughter Book Group. 21, (1hr) 15 minutes (30 min.) Ages 10-12. January 19, Feb 23, Alta Vista Branch Library

Alta Vista Branch Chris Taylor from OPCUG shows and underwater. for everyone in the family. Ottawa Public Library how to prevent others from Friday, Feb 13, 2 p.m. (1 hr.)* Wednesdays, 14 janvier-4 mars, 2 2516 Alta Vista Dr. accessing Teen Programs p.m. (45 min.) To register call: 613-737-2837 your computer due to a poorly x28 configured router. Game on! BOOK CLUBS / CLUBS DE Thursday, Jan. 29, 6:30 p.m.(1.5 Get gaming at the Library with LECTURE Adult Programs hrs.) your Un livre à partager friends. Try out our Nintendo Wii, Club de lecture pour ceux qui Book Banter French Conversation Dance Dance Revolution and aiment lire. Pour les 8 à 12 ans. Drop in to share the enjoyment of Improve your spoken French in a more. Ages 13+ Lundi 19 janvier, 16 h 15 (45 good books in an informal setting. relaxed setting. For those with an Friday, Jan. 30, 3:30 p.m. (1.5 hr.) min.)* Thursdays, 2 p.m. (1 hr.) intermediate level of French. Jan. 8: The End of the Alphabet by Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. (1.5 hrs.) Teen Book Club Timbit Girls C.S. Richardson Jan. 13, 20, 27, Feb. 3, 10, 17, 24 Get together with other book lovers An after-school book club for girls Feb. 5: Incendiary by Chris Cleave to discuss your favourite reading who love to read. Ages 8-12. English Conversation Group material. Ages 12 and up. Monday, January 26 , 4:15 p.m. (45 Infusions littéraires Improve your spoken English and Wednesday, Jan. 28, 7:00 p.m. (1 min)* Partager une tasse de thé ou de meet new friends in a relaxed hr.) tisane en discutant de livres. setting. Teen Book Club Les mardis, 14 h (1 h) Mondays, 6 p.m. (1.5 hrs.) PRE-SCHOOL / Get together with other book lovers 20 jan. : Spirit Lake de Sylvie Tuesdays, 1 p.m. (1.5 hrs.) PRESCOLAIRE to discuss your favourite reading Brien Babytime material. Ages 12-17. 17 fév. : Tom est mort de Marie Knit 2 Together For babies and their parent or Wednesday, January 28, 7 p.m. (1 Darrieussecq Meet with other knitters to share caregiver with stories, rhymes, hr.)* patterns and ideas and offer songs and activities. Ages 0-18 Tuesday Book Group assistance to each other. months. Teen programs Join us for a discussion of non- Saturdays, 10:30 a.m. (1.5 hrs.) Thursdays, January 15-March 5, Games on! fiction Jan. 3, Feb. 7 10:30 a.m. (30 min.) Get gaming at the Library with books. Meets every other Tuesday. Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. (1.5 hrs.) your friends. Brawl on the Wii or Jan. 13, 27, Feb. 10, 24 Jan. 21, Feb. 18 Toddlertime duel on the DDR to rack up points. 7 p.m. (1.5 hrs.) For toddlers and a parent or Ages 13 and up. Computer Tutorials for Adults caregiver with stories, rhymes, Friday, January 30, 3:30 p.m. (1.5 Mystery Readers Book Club Help with the library catalogue, songs and activities. Ages 18-35 hr.)* Would you like to get together accessing the Internet or e-mail. months. with other fans of felony to talk Register for a 30-minute one-on- Mondays, January 12-March 2, N.B Registration for winter about your favourite mystery one 10:30 a.m. (45 min.) programs starts on January 7./ authors and find out about new session. L’inscription pour les programmes ones? Thursdays, 10 a.m. (1 hr.)* Storytime d’hiver commence le 7 janvier./ Please come to a planning Jan 8, 15, 22, 29, Feb. 5, 12, 19, 26 Stories and rhymes for young Registration for March break meeting on Thursday, Jan. 15 childen-parents and caregivers are programs starts on February 11./ at 6:30 p.m. (1 hr.) Somerset Island: White Ghosts welcome to join. Ages 3-6. L’inscrption pour les programmes Country (Bilingual) Tuesdays, January 13- du congé de mars commence le 11 Computer Security Discover the wildlife and the flora March 3, 10:30 a.m. (45 min.) février./ Programs followed by an * Chris Taylor of the Ottawa PC of Canada’s 12th largest island. Contes require registration. / L’inscription Users Group offers advice on how Presented by photographer Contes et rimes pour les enfants. est requise pour les programmes to keep hackers away and keep France Rivet. Parents et fournisseurs de soins sont suivis d’un *. your computer safe. Friday, Feb 6, 2 p.m. (1 hr.) les bienvenus. Pour les 3 à 6 ans. Thursday, Jan. 22, 6:30 p.m.(1.5 (Bilingue) Les mardis, 13 janvier-3 hrs) Galapagos Islands mars, 10 h 30 (45 min.) Local photographer, Tony Alfoldi, How to Secure a Home Wireless explores the wonders of the Family Storytime Network Galapagos Islands both on land Program with stories and rhymes Page 38 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR JANUARY 2009

CLASSY ADS

CLASSY ADS are free for Old Ottawa South residents (except for businesses or for business activity) and must be submitted in writing to: The OSCAR, at the Old Firehall, 260 Sunnyside, or sent by email to [email protected] by the deadline. Your name and contact information (phone number or email address) must be included. Only your contact info will appear unless you specify otherwise. The editor retains the right to edit or exclude submissions. The OSCAR takes no responsibility for items, services or accurary. For business advertising inquiries, call 730-1058.

kitchen, family room. Air conditioned. sympatico.ca For Sale Direct access to Windsor Park. Non- Looking For smokers are invited to email rental. Child Care For sale: century upright Mozart piano [email protected] for additional Looking for professional editor to and bench. 730-4804. information. Rent of $2,500 includes assist Ottawa South History Project ------all household costs except long Space Available for child aged with newspaper and website articles. Sony Trinitron Wega TV, 24 inches. distance phone calls. References 2 or older, in elementary school Please contact us at HistoryProject@ Very good condition. $75 OBO. required. teacher’s home daycare. Bright OldOttawaSouth.ca or 730-9851. Ikea TV bench, 19” h x 46” w x ------and busy playroom, fully fenced/ ------20” d, excellent condition. Beech Looking to rent, small studio space equipped backyard. Nutritious foods, Looking for neighbourhood veneer. Tempered sliding glass for graphic artist in OOS/Glebe near wholesome program. For more accounting services for IT consultant cabinet doors with childproof lock. Bank St. In either commercial bldg or information, contact Stacey at 239- year end: tax returns, GST, T4, $50 OBO. 730-7581 Paul. church. Please call 613-730-4725 or 1607. corporate resolutions. No formal audit ------contact [email protected] after Jan. 5. ------required. Contact John, 730-9851 1997 Chevy Cavalier, 136,000 km, 2 ------Tutoring / Education: Math, Media ------door, automatic, air con, AM/FM/CD For rent, $800.00 per mo. plus heat/ Literacy, more. Individual or group. Looking to rent, small studio space player, emissions-tested, not safetied. hydro.Very special spacious one Experienced educator, coach. B.Math for graphic artist in OOS/Glebe near $1000. Call 613-795-6923 bedroom home in the Laurentians,fully (UWaterloo), B.Ed (QueensU). 613- Bank St. In either commercial bldg or furnished. Spectacular view of the 656-5498 church. Please call 613-730-4725 or river and mountains. Ideal for a ------Accommodation contact [email protected] after Jan. 5. writer/artist .Located near Arundel, Looking For: Are you newly retired? Qc. 1 1/2 hrs. from Ottawa, 25 min. A recent empty nester? Missing Education For rent: West facing loft condo, to Mt. Tremblant, xcountry skiing, your grandchildren? Looking for an Ecocite,, 1014 Bank. February 2009. snowshoeing nearby. Available Jan.4 energetic, fun loving, flexible part Learning in Retirement at Carleton 613-730-4804. -May15,09.email [email protected] or time caregiver for our 3 children University offers day-time, non-credit ------call 617-558-9275.for details. If interested, please call Jessica 613- courses in a wide range of subjects Cozy, newly renovated 1 bedroom ------733-2143 taught by experienced instructors. basement apartment for rent in Old Looking for a 3,4 or 5 bedroom rental ------Our Winter 2009 session begins Jan. Ottawa South. Perfect for mature/grad house, apartment or condo for May Wanted: Student to work with grade 12th. For more student or new graduate. Walking 1st 2009, 1 year lease min. Group of 6 student for about 1 hour, 2 days per information or to register go to www. distance to canal, shops, restaurants, responsible, academic female students week after school (Wed. & Thurs.) on carleton.ca/cie/linr or call 613-520- Bridgehead, Starbucks, Carleton with good references. Contact acox3@ grade 6 math, grammar and writing. 6624. University. $600/mo includes all connect.carleton.ca Both subjects in French. My son is utilities, AC and internet. Separate ------currently in french immersion but will entrance. Available Feb 1, 2009. Please Looking for: 2 bedroom apartment enter the french school system next Found contact Jay at [email protected] or (excluding basement units) year. Great job for a grade 8 or 9 fully call (613) 730-7555 if interested. Professional female, non-smoker, bi-lingual student. All study materials Stolen Bike found in Old Ottawa ------quiet, no children, non-smoker. If supplied, our home. If interested call South. To claim, phone 613-230- Furnished House for Rent: May 3 to you are going on sabbatical or have a Kate @ 613 - 730-7399. 8319 with description. Oct 31, 2009 – 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, place to rent, please contact: Heather: living room, dining room. Large 613 739-8277 or e-mail: hanson1@ Around Town Make a difference in your community the benefits of breast-feeding for baby to be there yet find the Failsafe book Come walk together with the growing by joining the dynamic team of and you, borrow books about breast- interesting, you can order online at: number of dedicated people who face volunteers at The Ottawa Hospital. feeding and related parenting topics. http://www.failsafebook.com/order. the challenge and fight this awful There are many opportunities Meetings every third Thursday of htm disease. Join as an individual walker available, from providing support to the month from 7:00 to 8:30 PM at or band together with family, friends, patients and visitors in areas such as 36 Glen Ave. Next meeting January Christian Meditation: A or colleagues to make teams. Together information desks, ER and clinics, to 15. For more information call 613- Contemplative Path Tuesday, we are changing the world. Around volunteering in the shops. 238-5919, the local La Leche League February 24, 2009 - Ottawa Public the Ottawa area, on one weekend a Please Call 613-761- 4279. phone line. Library, Auditorium, 120 Metcalfe (at year, people walk 60 kilometers to Laurier) 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Paul Harris, raise money and awareness for this La Leche League Canada has a Learning in Retirement at internationally renowned speaker, fight. Participants come away from the group in Old Ottawa South Are Carleton University offers day-time, retreat leader, and author on Christian event having made new friends, been you breast-feeding your baby? Are non-credit courses in a wide range Meditation, will speak on this simple part of a life changing experience, you pregnant and planning to breast- of subjects taught by experienced way of silent prayer re-introduced by and knowing that they made a feed? A La Leche League meeting instructors. Our Winter 2009 session the late Benedictine Monk John Main. direct contribution to research and is a relaxed, supportive and non- begins Jan. 12th. For more No cost or pre-registration required. treatment in our community. United judgmental place where you can: information or to register go to www. For more information contact Florence we are forging our way to the end meet breast-feeding women, ask carleton.ca/cie/linr or call 613-520- Marquis-Kawecki at 613-523-1309 or of breast cancer! specific questions about breast- 6624. [email protected]. To find out more information about this feeding, learn more about breast- amazing event and to register please feeding from accredited leaders who Ian Prattis, author of Fail Safe The Weekend to End Breast go to www.endcancer.ca and visit the have breast-fed their own children at Main Library Auditorium of Cancer® Benefiting the Ottawa Weekend to End Breast Cancer event. and who volunteer their time, get the Ottawa Public Library, 120 Regional Cancer Foundation 60km For any inquiries or information tips for working through best breast- Metcalfe St, Ottawa, 613 580 2945. that can change the world - June call (613) 722-7224 or email us at feeding challenges, find out more Wednesday January 14, 2009 at 5-7, 2009. Join and be part of the [email protected] about getting ready to breast-feed (if 7.00pm He will give a talk with book weekend that is changing the lives you are pregnant), find out more about signing afterwards. If you are unable of many people in our community. JANUARY 2009 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR Page 39 YourMarketplace

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RELIABLE QUALITY CARE RPN (38 years experience) Relief for Family Caregiver Are you a parent looking for child care? Private Duty Are you a home child care provider with Palliative Care Provided available space? By Michael Moynahan The Child Care Providers Resource Net- 730-4957 work (CCPRN) can help! Cell: 240-9394 Call 613-749-5211 ext. 2 or go to www.ccprn.com Extra Mile Renovations Quality bathrooms, kitchens, porches & more Trim work, installations, plumbing, electric, doors, fixtures Local Renovator Creative Solutions Reasonable Prices References Available Please call (613) 297-8079

Gibbon’s Painting and Decorating Local House Painter - Bonded With 17 years experience • interior/exterior painting Customer satisfaction ALWAYS GUARANTEED For a free estimate please call Rory 731-8079 Ask about my $25 referral rebate Book now for your interior painting needs www.gibbonspainting.ca cell: 613-322-0109 Page 40 The OSCAR - OUR 37th YEAR JANUARY 2009 Monday Night Ice Hockey Team

See page 26 for aticle by Brendan McCoy