Education/Reaching higher series: Leading the Way in French Language Education

 Nineteenth Century American poet Oliver Wendell Holmes once said that “language is the blood of the soul into which thoughts run and out of which they grow.” Learning a new language opens the door to new cultures, new experiences and new ways of viewing the world. In the National Capital

High Tech, Low Stress

 Winter in Ontario is no time to hibernate. Whether heading outdoors excites you or you prefer to stay indoors, activities in Eastern Ontario await you. For outdoor types, there are countless ski trails and hills,  dog sledding, snowshoeing, ice climbing. For those who prefer warmth, there are lots of indoor

Paul Dewar: He’s in to Win!

 Paul W. Dewar, 48, New Democratic Party Member of Parliament for the riding of Ottawa Centre, is running a spirited campaign for the hotly contested leadership of the NDP in the wake of the untimely death of Jack Layton in August 2011. On May 2, 2011, Layton led his party

Home Series: A Dresser Saves the Day

 January is here and thoughts may turn to ways to cut the clutter. Take a second look at how you store all of your day-to-day stuff. Perhaps the greatest, most versatile storage workhorse in your house – the dresser – can save the day. One of my favourite spots to

Austria the Winter Away

 For anyone who has had a glimpse of life in Vienna, seen the joie de vivre of the Viennese and experienced the ethos of their amazing city, it will come as no surprise that the City topped the 2010 Mercer consulting group’s annual Quality of Living survey of world cities.

Giddy up to Colorado!

 From the novice to the most experienced rider, the very young to the very old, whole families come together while enjoying the great outdoors. Valet parking, Colorado style, involves a few cowboys, a chuck wagon and a tour of the grounds. This toss back in time is a great way

Ottawa Senators Monthly Report: February

 As the Ottawa Senators continue their rise up the Eastern Conference and NHL standings, any notion of tanking the season for a high draft pick becomes fainter and fainter. The later parts of the 2011-12 season have been devoid of any mention that the Sens may be compromising their rebuilding

Jen’s Jibberish: Taking Care of Your Ticker as We Bid Adieu to Heart Health Month

 Somehow it just feels wrong to end the month of February without once again paying homage to the heart. While we were subjected to Valentine’s Day ad nauseum, February is also heart health month, and that is by far more important. As part of my foray into learning more about

Canada’s New Health Care Discord

 By: Dan Donovan and Claire Tremblay In December, federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty unilaterally unveiled a new non-negotiable health-care funding plan that runs to 2024. Under this plan Federal healthcare transfers will continue to increase by six per cent until 2016-17. After that, increases will be tied to economic growth

Capital Holiday: Edmonton blogger Janis Galloway checks out OFW with the Westin

 Janis Galloway loves fashion. She said her love affair started as a child with red plastic heels from the Dollar Store. “It’s how it makes me feel. When you put the right outfit together...It’s so invigorating for me,” she said. Fittingly, Galloway, from Edmonton, was the winner of The Westin

Keeping You In The JUNO Know: Awards Show Fever Is Here

 With less than a month before the festivities commence, talk of the JUNOS is revving up in the capital city. Early media events have slowly started to divulge information about the Canadian music awards show and the inevitability of it consuming the attention of Ottawa during the last week of

Arctic Series: Tackling Polar Change

 The world’s greatest polar scientists will head to Montreal this April to try and find workable solutions to some of the biggest dilemmas facing the world’s polar regions, including issues such as climate change. While Canada’s international reputation on the environment took another beating in Durban at the UN climate

Thirst Impressions: Big Wines… Small Prices

 Another year begins and with it comes a bunch of new wines to look forward to enjoying. The LCBO always starts the year off right by giving us its release of “Smart Buys”, inexpensive wines that take the sting out of the post-Christmas blues of having little (or no) money.

Ottawa Fashion Week Wrap Up Day 3: Cardigans and Craftsmanship

 The third and final day of Ottawa Fashion Week featured ready-to-wear clothing the average Ottawan could pull off the hanger and strut down Sussex in, with the exception of Sukhoo Sukhoo. Frank Sukhoo, a veteran Ottawa designer, was granted the coveted spot of closing the show on Sunday night. This

Linsanity and the NBA’s Point Guard Revolution

 In many ways, this column came to be because of Linsanity: the rise of Jeremy Lin from undrafted free agent to starting (and starring) point guard of the New York Knicks. He has Linvigorated both his teammates and the jaded New York fanbase. He has transformed Steve Novak, Bill Walker

Ottawa Fashion Week Wrap Up Day Two: Charming and Colourful

 The second day of Ottawa Fashion Week (OFW) showcased plenty of colour and charm. The event began Tribal Sportswear's business casual apparel, the label showcased basics and classic styles that fit right in with the business aesthetic of the city. Tribal Sportswear, established in1976 is known for it's "sophisticated and

Newfoundland’s Powerhouse Premier

 Don’t mess with Newfoundland and Labrador’s Premier Kathy Dunderdale. Armed with experience in many fields, (she is a social worker, has served municipally as deputy mayor and is, of course, a provincial politician), Dunderdale is a powerful lady with a lot of clout. As Minister of Natural Resources under former

Ottawa Fashion Week Wrap-up Day 1: Dark and Twisty

 New designers at a new time in a new place... Ottawa Fashion Week (OFW) Fall/Winter 2012 opened last Friday at the Westin Hotel. The seventh season of OFW took place during Winterlude for the first time this year. Another welcomed change was the new riser seating to improve the audiences’

Arctic Series: Power Women Of the North

 As we move into 2012 , Canada’s North is in the hands of women. Northern Premiers, Kathy Dunderdale of Newfoundland and Labrador and Premier Eva Aariak of Nunavut now preside over a huge chunk of Canada's oil, gas and mineral reserves. In natural resource-dependant Canada, this means that while Dunderdale

DIY Your Big Day

 Wed by Hand is one of five alternative wedding shows across North America, according to Krista Leben, co-founder of the event. In Fall 2009, Leben said she was inspired to merge a craft show with a wedding show and Wed by Hand was born. In 2010, she partnered with a

Go Natural With Rocky Mountain Soap Company!

 Beauty is no longer just skin deep. The average Canadian uses up to 10 different personal care products on his or her body every day – potentially exposing ourselves to more than 100 chemicals in just twenty-four hours. In that most of these chemicals are not being tested by either

Hot Gold Needs Cold Cash

 For Kate Chisholm of Capital Power Corporation, the turning point came when Olympian tri-athlete Simon Whitfield requested a humidity-infused cargo ship to train in. While the request might seem strange, Chisholm was more than willing to fork out cash to rent the ship. After all, success at modern day Olympics no

Last Weekend to Experience Winterlude in Ottawa

 A winter highlight in the capital region since 1979, Winterlude offers adults and children alike the opportunity to embrace the carnival benefits of living in a snow (and ice) covered landscape. If you have not taken part in Ottawa’s Winterlude activities in 2012, this weekend is your last chance. Outdoor

Jen’s Jibberish: Want to score? Get her tickets to the Viennese Opera Ball

 Happy Valentine’s Day!  Ok, so we’re down to the wire here.  If you are in a last minute panic, can't get out to a shop and are scrambling to come up with an original yet romantic gift, how about taking a new approach to Valentine's Day? Last weekend, I had the

Jen’s Jibberish: Let Your Kink Out This Valentine’s Day

 Looking for a unique last-minute Valentine's Day gift this year? Even if you missed this weekend's 5th annual adult consumer show Sexapalooza (www.sexapalooza.ca) held at the new Ottawa Convention Centre, fret not. Whether you are in the market for some lingerie, books, videos, classes or perhaps you are into exploring the wilder