A Glaring Double Standard: Many Canadians seem incapable of understanding the Trump Phenomenon

 After spending several days in the scenic Adirondacks in New York state with less than a week to go before the American election, I’m struck by the political contrasts between Canada and the U.S. During my visit, I saw Trump and J.D. Vance signs far outnumber those for Kamala Harris

The truckers roll into town rudderless

 As the nation’s capital, the city of Ottawa and its citizens are accustomed to their share of protests. As the seat of our federal government, stakeholders are continuously in town to address and bring publicity to their causes. So much so, that local residents are almost indifferent. Not that they

To Impeach or not to teach?

 By Howard Adelman One of the interesting items to note about the whole affair of Donald Trump and the storming of the Capitol is that impeachment was not really a question for almost all the legislators. Virtually all Democrats knew what they wanted to do. A small group of Republicans,

America, we need to talk.

 Well, if that was the American election, we had it. Notwithstanding the almost inevitable chicanery and nonsense likely to occur between now and January 20th about which I’ve written previously, the fat lady has sung and Joe Biden will win the presidency by 36 Electoral College votes and 5m+ direct votes.

Education, Information and Democracy

 Fretting about the health of democracy has recently moved from being an esoteric activity of academics to a widespread preoccupation across much of the developed world. We treasure the ideal of democracy for good reason. While there are many forms of democracy, some more direct than others, some more secular

Hey parliamentary press and national media – wake up!

 Above: RCMP officers physically remove Keean Bexte, a Rebel News journalist, from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's daily press conference. Inset, Justin Trudeau and CBC's Rosemary Barton taking a selfie together. When a journalist is arrested at a protest, the free and fair gathering of the news is arrested, too. When a journalist is arrested by

Coronavirus: Two nations, two systems, one pattern

 To no-one’s very great surprise the United States of America handled the first few stages of the Covid-19 pandemic badly. After a period of dithering, denial, and poor attention to expertise, the various levels of government began to act, but unevenly, with poor messaging, fulminating partisanship, and the disadvantage of

Turkish Canadian Community Raises Money for CHEO

 On Saturday April 23, distinguished guests gathered to celebrate Turkish National Sovereignty and International Children’s Day at a fundraising gala organized by the Turkish Cultural Canadian Association (TCCA), the proceeds of which will be donated to the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO). This yearly event, organized by the Turkish

Liberals Have Plenty of Talent to Make Up Gender-Balanced Cabinet

 Photo by Jean-Marc Carisse. Justin Trudeau promises to have gender parity in his cabinet. He announced that in his Democracy package back in June and, when asked about this on the weekend, he reaffirmed his position. So who are the women who could make up his cabinet? In a 30-member cabinet, Trudeau

Opinion: Something is Rotten in the State of Ottawa

 It has been said that the reason nothing changes in the criminal justice system is due to the ‘four horsemen’ of political inaction: inertia, ignorance, apathy and cost. When it comes to the Ottawa Police Services Board and their lackadaisical attitude to the issue of carding, it appears all four

History, Religion, Geography and Great Food: Majestic Israel Has It All

 To even attempt to adequately describe Israel is, to put it mildly, a daunting task. While well-known images of the country abound, absolutely nothing can prepare you for the complete amazement or the unexpected emotions you may feel as you explore this magnificent country. Whether you are religious or not,

The 2015 Federal Election is a chance to put the disastrous Harper era behind us

 ABOVE: The Conservative Party led by Stephen Harper won a majority in the 2011 federal election. (PHOTO: CBC) By Paul R. Meinema After nine years of scandals and cynical policies from Stephen Harper's Conservative government, it is clear that Canadian voters have grown weary of the Conservatives' ideological, secretive, and

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

The ABCs of Teaching Democracy

 In an effort to connect Canadians with democratic values and traditions, Canada’s fourth annual Democracy Week will be this September 15-21. To celebrate Democracy Week, Elections Canada and their partners are holding or participating in several activities and events across Canada. One of these activities is a panel discussion called

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

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

An interview with Russian Ambassador to Canada Georiy Mamedov

 Ottawa Life will takes you into the heart of the new Russia. We will look at the business opportunities, bilateral relations, cultural and arts scene, and tourism potential and get the pulse of a country very similar to our own. We begin our series with Russia's man in Canada, Ambassador

No First Ladies in retirement, please

 Teresa Heinz Kerry and Laura Bush may differ in public personalities and the way in which they campaign for their husbands; however, there is no comparison to the obvious lack of action from our Canadian "First Ladies." These ladies lack the zest, courage and obvious public profile that helped their

Heroes betrayed —The Merchant Seamen story

 By Cliff Chadderton It is mid-January of 1940 in "an East Canadian port." Canada is at war. The recruiting offices are open. You see a poster of a soldier in a tin hat. You recall the slaughter of the trenches in Flanders in World War I and mutter: "No thanks."