It’s High Time We Had Policies Guaranteeing Sick Time for Canadian Workers

 Letting sick workers stay home is good policy and smart business. A food handler going to work with a cough, a parent sending their sick child to school, or an emergency room nurse making snap decisions through the fog of a flu. It doesn’t take a medical degree to appreciate

If I only had $100…I would buy at LCBO Vintages

 For someone who is not a winter person the LCBO Vintages release this Saturday Jan 23 are real perk me ups. This release features the dynamic duo of Argentina and Chilean wines and since Buenos Aires is on my travel list, it’s great timing. Not to mention there are fabulous

You Drink It – We’ll Deliver

 On my fridge there is a magnet that reminds me: “so many wines, so little time.” The truth is that we are creatures of habit and despite so many options, it’s often easier to simply reach for a bottle of wine that we know. A friend called me recently and asked me to

Rising Rates of Kidney Failure Signal Need for Public Health Strategy

 As many as 40 thousand people in Canada are affected by kidney failure – a problem that is increasing across the country, with significant consequences for our health system.   A report released this month from the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy projects an increase of 68 per cent in

Get Ahead of the Curve with Algonquin Trades

 Algonquin College has been training students in skilled trades for over 45 years. Additionally, out of 20,000 students at Algonquin College, 1,900 are enrolled in skilled trades programs. Matthew Dicaire can't wait to enroll at Algonquin College in the Basic Electrical program. On top of his education, he also has to complete 9,000 hours in

Ottawa Legal The Big Picture: Ottawa Law Firms are Amongst the Best in the World

 It is the trade of lawyers to question everything, yield nothing, and talk by the hour. — THOMAS JEFFERSON From international media coverage of gripping court cases to the dramatic portrayals of lawyers on television and film screens, we love to watch the law. As a city that is home to some

CIBC Banks on New OAG Expantion

 This week the Ottawa Art Gallery (OAG) and longtime supporter CIBC announced a new and considerable Art Now – L’art ici Capital Campaign gift of $100,000. CIBC has become a lead sponsor for the gallery and it’s events during the past decade, including le pARTy Art Auction and the Partners in

Cobble Beach: Georgian Bay’s Extraordinary Waterfront Golf Resort Community

 Written by: Alessandra Gerebizza & Mike McEwan. Upon turning onto Cobble Beach Drive you will get your first glimpse of the hidden gem that will keep you talking and coming back for years to come. From that first turn, a sense of relaxation and purpose should begin to enter your body as you are

What’s Missing from Ontario’s New In-Vitro Fertilization Funding Policy?

 Children of IVF deserve to know their genetic history After a week of uncertainty and some confusion, the Ontario Ministry of Health finally announced its policy on in-vitro fertilization (IVF) funding – but the details remain minimal.  What we know for certain so far, and what has been met with

Arthaus – Ottawa’s Uber-Cool Condo Project

 The condo building topping off the future Ottawa Art Gallery and Groupe Germain hotel will be named ‘Arthaus,’ the building’s developers announced October 2. The new structure will stand just beside the old arts court, on the corner of Daly Avenue and Waller Street, and should offer nearly 100 condos beginning at

Can Wait Times for Hip Replacements in Canada be Shortened?

 Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.  I spent my life teaching actuarial science at a university. As a result, I calculated lots of numbers:  averages, expected values, variances. But, they were only numbers. What I didn’t see was the individual human story behind each calculation. But now that I am the

Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame Profile: Sandy Hawley

 2015 marks the Year of Sport and the 60th anniversary of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. In recognition of these important milestones, OLM will be featuring Honoured Members of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in a weekly Profile piece. Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame aims to share the stories and

Four Things We Can Do to Improve Healthcare in Canada

 What’s next for primary care? Healthcare is the purview of the provinces in Canada, but health leadership–setting big picture goals, helping achieve best practices across the country and providing long-term, sustainable funding models–is the role of the federal government. As the federal election campaign wages, Canadians should be pressing federal

It Shouldn’t Matter Where You Go To School, But For Kids With Diabetes, It Does

 Provinces, school districts need to adopt comprehensive diabetes policies now Summer is a time to put thoughts of school aside, but some families are already worrying about September.  For parents of kids with diabetes, the beginning of each new school year brings not only the usual preparations, but also fears

The Safe Water Project: Clean Water for the Community

 Above: The Keewaytinook Centre of Excellence All photos courtesy of Keewaytinook Okimakanak The issue of drinking water and boiling water advisories in First Nations communities has been a prominent concern for many years. A report released by the Council of Canadians indicated that as of January 2015 there were 169 drinking water advisories in 126

Working Together Towards Equality

 The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) comprises working men and women from a variety of fields. From education to health care to social services, OPSEU represents about 130,000 workers across Ontario. One of the many causes OPSEU fights for is gender equality, an important issue for so many of

Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame Profile: Brian Orser

 2015 marks the Year of Sport and the 60th anniversary of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. In recognition of these important milestones, OLM will be featuring Honoured Members of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in a weekly Profile piece. Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame aims to share the stories and

In Defence of Parliament

 As I watch the frenzied, over-the-top media coverage of the supposed Senate scandal, I'm reminded of the famous Will Rogers adage. “All I know is just what I read in the papers, and that's an alibi for my ignorance.” Lost in this mass media morass is balance and proportionality. There

Bluesfest Beats

 Photo courtesy of Steve G The RBC Ottawa Bluesfest is here! As the festival plays on, OLM will continue to highlight must-see performances by some of the acts that you may have not yet discovered–so Ottawa music lovers listen up! An exciting variety of bands and artists will rock the festival this

Bluesfest Beats

 Photo courtesy of Steve G The RBC Ottawa Bluesfest is here! As the festival plays on, OLM will continue to highlight must-see performances by some of the acts that you may have not yet discovered–so Ottawa music lovers listen up! An exciting variety of bands and artists will rock the festival this

Don’t Miss Craig Cardiff this Summer

 Craig Cardiff is coming back to Ottawa this summer! The Canadian, Juno nominated, singer-songwriter from Arnprior, Ont., known for his steady and smooth folk rhythms, is hitting the Ottawa festival circuit with performances on June 13 at Westfest and June 28 at the Tim Hortons Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival. Don’t

The Rhythms of Life

 Family Furnishings: Selected Short Stories 1995 - 2014 Alice Munro Reviewed by Don MacLean May 2015 The short story can sometimes seem in jeopardy of being forgotten if not dismissed. This danger is not at all due to a dearth of this particular form of storytelling. Countless are written and many

Doors Open Ontario Hits Ottawa

 The word ‘heritage’ has been a regular part of my vocabulary since the age of five. I grew up in Markham Heritage Estates, a neighbourhood in Markham, Ontario, dedicated to preserving heritage houses. I call an 1871 Gothic Revival farmhouse ‘home,’ even though my friends say it resembles more of

Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame Profile: Bobbie Rosenfeld

 2015 marks the Year of Sport and the 60th anniversary of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. In recognition of these important milestones, OLM will be featuring Honoured Members of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in a weekly Profile piece. Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame aims to share the stories and

Is it Fair to Make a Public Appeal for a Live Organ Donor?

 The public response to the appeal on behalf of Eugene Melnyk, owner of the Ottawa Senators hockey team, for a liver donor has been a heart-warming demonstration of the generosity of our community. Fortunately, a donor was found and the transplant was performed in time to save his life. But