From Ottoman to Ottawa

 Canada is a nation of immigrants with a long and proud tradition of celebrating diversity. Part of that diversity includes citizens of Turkish origin. Turks first arrived in Canada in 1901 in small numbers from the Ottoman Empire, working mainly in Ontario in mining and logging camps. However, deteriorating relations between the Ottoman Empire and

It’s Time to End Canada’s Opioid Epidemic – An Open Letter to Canada’s New Minister of Health

 Dear Minister Philpott, Congratulations on your appointment as Minister of Health. As an experienced physician, you bring valuable perspective to the post. While there are many contentious matters before you, including a new health accord, physician-assisted dying and marijuana legalization, few could be more pressing than the prescription opioid epidemic,

Five Quick-Wins for Trudeau’s First Day in Office

 Photo by Jean-Marc Carisse While it takes time for a new prime minister to translate campaign rhetoric into effective policies, there are at least five quick-wins that Justin Trudeau can achieve on his very first day in office. All five can be implemented in a few minutes through simple orders-in-council

Spur Celebrates Politics, Art and Ideas

 Photo by Beibei Lu As the fervour surrounding the election wanes and Ottawa adjusts to new leadership on the Hill, the air is rife with a variety of questions raised in October: From the local: How is it that in a city and country as wealthy as this one, more

Back to the Future

 Photo by Jean-Marc Carisse. Last night Liberal leader Justin Trudeau won a majority government in a historically long three-way race. Moving into his father's old house, Trudeau has created what many are calling Canada's first political dynasty. The Liberals swept across Atlantic Canada early on, taking every available seat in

Why Affordable Housing Should be a Federal Election Issue

 It’s time to make affordable housing an issue in the federal election campaign. Four million people are struggling to find affordable housing in Canada today.  By affordable, I’m using the Canada Mortgage and Housing (CMHC) standard rule of thumb of about 30 percent of income going to housing that is

Bringing Order to Chaos in the Debate on Marijuana?

 In the midst of Presidential Primary races in the USA, a federal election in Canada and myriad internationally supported and jurisdictional laws in place on the issue elsewhere on earth, marijuana has quietly dominated the media, political and business landscapes. Yet little, it appears, seems to be understood by the

Arrested for Sleeping?

 The struggle to occupy public space. As humans, we need to sleep. It is biologically unavoidable. Yet, on both sides of the border, sleeping can be considered a criminal act, especially if you are homeless and have no place to rest your head other than in public spaces such as

Canada’s Euthanasia Legislation: From the Perspective of Canadians with Disabilities

 By Peter McGrath. On Feb. 6, 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada struck down Canada’s assisted suicide law, opening the door to physician-assisted suicide. This is an incredibly complex topic, one fraught with moral and ethical issues. Peter McGrath, a Counsel in the Department of Justice, gives his opinion from

Could This be the Best Campaign Ad Ever?

 In what may be the greatest campaign ad of our time, Wyatt Scott announced his MP candidacy for the new Mission-Matsqui-Fraser Canyon riding by flying on a giant Canada goose and then stabbing a dragon in the head. “My name’s Wyatt Scott, and I’m running for parliament!” he roared just

Light-Rail gets $1 Billion Boost from Feds

 The existing O-Train passes over the Rideau River. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. In a letter to Mayor Jim Watson dated July 22, Orléans MP Royal Galipeau announced his party’s intention to give $1 billion to support Stage 2 of Ottawa’s light-rail plans. That money will make up one third

Mother Canada also about embracing immigrants, not just honouring war dead

 It is not news to point out that Canada accepts more immigrants, per capita, than any other nation in the world, as Globe columnist Jeffrey Simpson recently pointed out. It is a distinction that serves us well as we build a welcoming society, bereft of the deep social turmoil that

Provincial Health Ministers Right to Push for National Pharmacare Program–But What Kind?

 Quebec’s outdated drug coverage policies should not be model for rest of Canada In spite of very high expenditures for drug coverage, one in 10 Canadians cannot afford to fill their prescriptions. The current patchwork of public and private plans across the country means that Canadians are covered for their

Five Things Everyone Should Know about the Relationship Between Poverty and Health in Canada

 With a federal election on the horizon, certain high level policy topics are bound to make the headlines beyond the personalities of the political leaders: the economy, energy prices, jobs prospects even climate change. But what seems surprisingly absent from the political hustings so far has been a fulsome discussion

Putting Healthcare on the Federal Election Agenda

 A federal election could be called any time in the next few months, judging by the media coverage and the ramping up of political activity. Many issues have been crowding into the media headlines in anticipation of the election -- but with a notable absence of any consideration of healthcare

Phoenix Players: Rexy!

 Take a step back in time with Rexy! Phoenix Players is back at the Gladstone Theatre with a production of the beloved political satire, Rexy! Phoenix Players, a staple in the capital community since 2001, brings affordable, high quality live theatre to the communities in and around Ottawa. Dedicated to

Publisher’s Message: Poilievre Deserves A Shot

 Pierre Poilievre was first elected to Parliament in 2004 for the riding of Nepean-Carleton at the young age of 25, upsetting then Liberal Defence Minister David Pratt. As a parliamentarian, he has demonstrated an unwavering loyalty to Prime Minister Harper, Conservative values and a centre-right ideology. He has been very

Publisher’s Message

 Illustration: Claudia Salguero This is Ottawa Life Magazine’s 14th Annual Top People in the Capital list. This year our theme was “under the radar.” We wanted to select people who make great contributions to our city but who often go unnoticed or unrecognized. Take, for example, our number one pick

Working to Build a New Ottawa: Martin Canning

 There is a change happening in Ottawa, according to city councillor hopeful Martin Canning, and he wants to be a big part of that change. Canning’s campaign began in January with the launch of his website and vision, ‘New Ottawa’. The Somerset ward candidate defines New Ottawa as the most

Why Our Governments Need to Address Poverty Now

 Canadians might be surprised to learn that 86 families now hold more wealth than the poorest 11.4 million Canadians. Is this a Canada to be proud of? Hardly. According to many studies, the Canadian poverty rate remains high. A recent OECD report shows that the very rich are taking an

Fair Elections start with an independent Commissioner

 Elections law enforcement starts with a strong Commissioner, who has the independent authority to investigate offences. The Fair Elections Act empowers law enforcement by giving him sharper teeth, a longer reach and a freer hand. Sharper teeth means tougher penalties for existing offences which has received broad support from parliamentarians,

Group Launches National Letter-writing Campaign to Push Political Parties to Change Bill C-23 to Make Federal Elections Fair

 Democracy Watch recently called on the federal Conservatives to make the so-called “Fair Elections Act” (Bill C-23) actually fair, and detailed the 10 really unfair measures in the much-delayed bill which was supposed to be introduced in Parliament in September 2012, and the 10 missing measures that must be added

Shopping for Votes: How Politicians Choose Us and We Choose Them – Susan Delacourt (Douglas & McIntyre)

 Here is an insightful and provocative look at the inside world of political marketing in Canada – and what this means about the state of our democracy in the 21st century – from a leading political commentator. "Canada is now a nation of shoppers… We may want to ask whether

Building the Orange Wave: The Inside Story Behind the Historic Rise of Jack Layton and the NDP (Douglas & McIntyre)

 Building the Orange Wave is a true insider’s account of Jack Layton and the NDP’s rise to success.  Brad Lavigne was not just the campaign manager of the New Democratic Party's 2011 breakthrough election campaign that took Jack Layton from last place to Official Opposition - he was a key

Stephen Harper’s Assault on Democracy

 Last November, hundreds of delegates from across Canada gathered in Ottawa for the 93rd Annual General Meeting of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC). Discus- sions focused on the government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s ongoing cuts to programs and services that continue to jeopardize the