Reforming Healthcare Funding to Address the Needs of Our Aging Population

 Why we need a publicly funded insurance program for home care and long-term care By Réjean Hébert Funding home care and long-term care is fast becoming the main challenge of our outdated medicare system – a system developed in the mid-twentieth century for a young population that mostly required acute

Poking the Hive

 In this era of elevator pitches, sound bites and speed networking, you might think that everything in life has become instant, optional, superficial and fleeting, including our connections. Everyone seems to be overwhelmed and in transition, so there is no time or need to grow deep roots anymore, right? The

A Lakeside Paradise — The Mirror Lake Inn Wins Yet Another Award

 If you’re looking for paradise on earth, then look no further than Lake Placid. The Mirror Lake Inn Resort and Spa is a luxury waterfront retreat in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains. The only thing more impressive than the breathtaking views is the resort’s impeccable service. The Mirror Lake

Voguemobile — Ottawa’s Fashion Truck

 Hold on to your hats Ottawa, because street style is being redefined, and it has wheels! Voguemobile is our city’s first mobile fashion boutique. The fashion truck rolled into O-Town neighbourhoods this month, selling unique designer clothes in a new and convenient delivery system. Follow Voguemobile online to stay up

OPSEU’s Claire Tortolo Shines a Light on Inequality

 The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) represents a diverse group of 130,000 public employees across Ontario. OPSEU empowers members to solve workplace problems. The union's expertise extends to collective bargaining and dispute resolution, workplace health and safety, and protection of human rights. Gender equality in the workplace is just

‘Canadian Songbook’ Tour Captures its Last Note in Ottawa

 All photos by Eric Murphy.  A journey that began three months ago will end this evening when classical crossover singer Eleanor McCain and the NAC orchestra strike the last note of the seven songs they’ve been recording together. The seven songs, all re-interpretations of Canadian classics and contemporary hits, are

It’s Time to Discover Niagara

 We’ve all heard of Niagara Falls, and rightly so, it’s a gem in Canada’s national landscape. But if you haven’t really discovered the Niagara region yet, it’s time to book your trip! We teamed up with Expedia.ca to bring you some must-do’s to help you plan your trip: 1. Visit the

Cycle City: Where Should You Buy Your Next Bike?

 Road bikes lined up at the Glebe Kunstadt Sports. Photo by Eric Murphy.   There are a ton of decisions that go into choosing a new bike, and none of them should be taken lightly. You need to decide if the frame you like or the handlebars you like suit the

Slideshow: CanWNT Beats Brazil at TD Place

 During last night's 'Road to Rio' match in the TD Place,  Canada's Women's National Soccer Team swept Brazil with a penalty-time goal that ended the match 1-0. Ottawa's face-off was a chance for the Canadian team to even the score with Brazil after the yellow-clad team beat the Canadians 2-0

#OLMExplores – Chinatown

 All photos courtesy of Arizona Lanceleve. Last week I spent the afternoon exploring Chinatown with a good friend. We walked down the streets looking at all the different shops and houses. A lot of buildings were painted with beautiful designs and animals, there was always something interesting to see. Most of

Ottawa Race Weekend: Improving Health and The Community

 It was a weekend full of athletic gear, encouragement and perseverance through the heat. With over 48,000 runners participating the largest multi-distance run in Canada, Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend was a success, as always. However, this year’s success was not only great for the participants; but organizations and the community

The Last Chapter: Death on Your Own Terms

 A Supreme Court judgment now permits some Canadians to approach death on their own terms. Who should those Canadians be? An essay by Catherine Frazee For some of us, the book of life will close abruptly. A sudden pop or crunch or snap, and we’ll be gone. Perhaps some body

The Scientific Link Between Culture and Health for Canada’s Indigenous Populations is Strong

 Wab Kinew has been telling scientists and health care professionals for years that culture is medicine. Epidemics of obesity, diabetes, infectious diseases and suicide that plague First Nation children across Canada are complex and multi-faceted.  Yet government solutions often focus on simplistic bio-medical approaches – when they address the crises

Combating the Over-medication of Seniors

 Time to accelerate the rate of change. The case of ‘too much medication’ in Canadian seniors is finally starting to be recognized for the serious problem it has become.  Seniors are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of too many prescription drugs because aging affects their ability to process medications.

A Good Life, A Flawed Novel

 A God in Ruins - Kate Atkinson Reviewed by Don MacLean June 2016 Kate Atkinson likes to write about ordinary individuals swept up in extraordinary circumstances. In two separate but companion novels, Life After Life and A God In Ruins, Atkinson tells the stories of Isabel Todd and Teddy Todd,

Ending Homelessness Through Housing First Initiatives

 Up to 15 per cent of the homeless population in Canada is struggling with mental illness. Could giving them a permanent home be a way off the streets and into a healthier life? In this interview, Evidence Network's podcast editor Mélanie Meloche-Holubowski speaks with Dr. Jino Distasio, Director of the Institute of Urban Studies

‘Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike’ at the Gladstone

 Chris Ralph as Vanya, Mary Ellis as Sonia and Teri Loretto-Valentik as Masha. Promotional photos by David Whiteley.  It is going to take a lot to convince people that on a beautiful sunny, warm day that the place to be is inside a theatre watching a play.  However, that is

A Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax is not the Answer

 There has been increasing interest in the use of a sugar-sweetened beverage tax to curb the burden of obesity in Canada – call it a ‘pop tax’ if you like. A recent Senate report on obesity in Canada recommends assessing the possibility of a sugar-sweetened beverage tax and points to

Bring Back the Bees – How to Help Bee Populations With Your Garden

 Did you know that honeybees are responsible for approximately 90 per cent of the world’s nutrition? Due to many environmental and human factors, more than 10 million hives have been destroyed to date. The decline in the bee population is a serious concern for everyone around the world, but most

Is your Organization’s Website Accessible?

 Making your organization’s website accessible to as many clients or customers as possible is good business. But navigating the internet can be tricky for those with disabilities, especially those that require assistive technology to access the web. Consider closed captioning for the deaf or hard of hearing, augmented keyboards, mice

Why American Doctors Are Calling For Canadian-Style Medicare

 And How Canada Risks Losing the Health Advantage it Has. In a dramatic show of physician support for deep health care reform in the U.S, more than 2,200 physician leaders have signed a “Physician’s Proposal” calling for sweeping change. The proposal, published May 5 2016 in the American Journal of

Ottawa Police Services Crisis: The Cart Pulling the Horse

 Ottawa Life Magazine has been writing about the problems with the Ottawa Police for the past five years. In 2011, we said that Councillor and Ottawa Police Services (OPS) Board Chair Eli El-Chantiry should resign over his all too cozy relationship with then Police Chief Vern White. El-Chantiry saw no

The Mechanics of Modern Art

 A glimpse of Inferno. Photo by Gregory Bohnenblust.  Imagine if before watching a contemporary art piece, you and 24 others were strapped into robotic exoskeletons that jerked, twisted and lit up in front of the rest of the still-sitting audience. Some people might say that would be hellish, which is exactly

Walking with Abel: Journeys with the Nomads of the African Savannah

 Author: Anna Badkhen Riverhead Books, New York, 2015 Reviewed by Don MacLean Anna Badkhen’s wonderful book Walking with Abel: Journeys with the Nomads of the African Savannah documents her journeys with members of the nomadic Fulani, perhaps the largest group of nomads living today. The Mali-based Fulani migrate across the

Shining Light on Turkish Art

 Art is just one of the many ways countries around the globe connect with one another. Different areas may have different practices, laws, traditions and cultural norms, but art is art. The Embassy of Turkey in Canada and Terra Art is putting on an art exhibition, "Mavi Art – Colours From