The Best Ships Are Friendships: Irish Ambassador Eamonn McKee on Diplomacy and the Utilities of History

 Eamonn McKee is Ireland’s Ambassador to Canada, Jamaica, The Bahamas and just recently Antigua and Barbuda. (Ireland has a consulate-general in Vancouver and honorary consulates in Calgary, Edmonton, and St. John’s.) He joined Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs in 1986, a year prior to graduating from the National University of

Delusions of adequacy: How Russia and Pakistan lie to themselves in similar ways

 The ongoing assault on Ukraine by Russia has drawn plenty of comment, with the focus primarily on those aspects that are now apparent at a glance, and are particularly troubling. They are easy to list. The Russian action is evil. Its justification was absurd. Its conduct has been incompetent beyond

Ukraine is our wake-up call: Canadian Forces lack capabilities to be operational

 OP-ED by Lieutenant-General (retd) J.O.Michel Maisonneuve The chickens have come to roost. The current crisis in Ukraine has shown that our lack of preparation on many fronts and our obsession with the woke agenda now precludes us from taking action like the serious nation we should be. The CAF Canadians

The ‘other’ heroes of Putin’s war

 As outlined in my two previous articles for this magazine and in endless media reports around the world, the heroes of this war are, by far, the Ukrainian people. Their spirit of resistance, solidarity, and valour have been remarkable to behold. Every day we watch Putin’s hideous military aggression, our

As the world keeps spinning, so do the wheels

 I feel that I didn’t say enough last week about what’s happening in Ukraine. So, this week, I’ll discuss it a bit about it. I’m not an expert on the subject. I keep up with the news as much as my mental health allows me, but that seems petty to

Spend a Day in Ukraine Right Here in Ottawa

 Ottawa Life’s Festival City Series is back! We'll provide a unique look at some of your favourite events. We’ll go beyond the music with artist interviews, volunteer profiles, concert reviews and spotlights on the tastes, sights and sounds of the festival season.  Your city! Your festivals and events! Like a good sunscreen,

Lemon Bucket Orkestra is Ready to Bring the Party to Chamberfest!

 All photos by Andre Gagne. It’s like they descended out of the Carpathian Mountains, wild eyes, frantic, bodies full of lightening. You can picture them roaming the roads shortly after the midnight hour, from village to village, these roving Romany with only one need: to pump into an audience as

The Capital Ukrainian Festival – In Pictures

 All photos by Andre Gagne. Full of vibrant colours, tasty foods, dancing, music and tradition, the Capital Ukrainian Festival was a sharing of culture and community for the thousands who attended. Relive some festival highlights in our photo gallery.   Ottawa Life’s Festival City Series will provide a unique look at

Two festivals combine for an evening of Ukrainian music

 All photos by Andre Gagne. September, 1891. With little more than what could be carried the first immigrants from the Ukraine left their homeland with all the fears, worry and wonder that accompany the following of hopeful dreams in an uncertain time. Hearing about the free land of Canada, a

Justina McCaffrey: How I got my name back

 By Justina McCaffrey For me, fashion is a journey that defies the constraints of the runways around the world. It’s an industry to which I have given myself for over twenty years. However, my journey as a designer and entrepreneur has not always been easy, and like fashion, I too defied constraints to find my way to where I

Politics, Perogies and Celebrating Ukrainian Heritage

 Photo courtesy of Lemon Bucket Orkestra. This weekend, the first ever Capital Ukrainian Festival is bringing a handful of amazing bands and about 16,800 perogies to Ottawa. Aside from celebrating Ukrainian arts and heritage, the events will shine a light on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and the country’s long struggle

Be Glued to the Tube for Para Normal

 Photo courtesy of TVO Hats off to local filmmaker Rostyslav Makushak for winning the 2015 TV Ontario (TVO) Short Docs contest with his film Para Normal. Makushak beat out 126 other submissions in the competition. The theme for this year’s TVO contest, which is aimed at aspiring documentary makers, was

Baird, Poilievre, Trudeau – Ottawa’s cold winter parliament warms up for Ukraine

 It’s been a busy season for politics during the deep freeze of winter. Ottawa West- Nepean MP and Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird has been busy on the home front addressing the needs of his constituents while ensuring he represents Canada with a strong voice internationally. He leveled a stern