Summer 2016

NEWS/POLITICS/FOOD/ARTS/SPORTS/FASHION/LIFESTYLE $4.95

SUMMER 2016

WATERSHED

moment

The Economy and the Environment, Can the Liberals Save Both?

Legal Series

The Faces of Ottawa’s Legal Future

Eleanor McCain

Searching for Canada’s Sound

Patient-Centred Health Care

ottawalife.com

QCH President Tom Schonberg Leads Our Best-Managed Hospital

Day to Night Summer Fashion * Patrick Gossage * Michael Coren * Sweet Montreal

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contents 17

What does Canada sound like? Some would say it’s the whisper of a cold wind blowing through the needles of a pine tree, or the sudden crack of a slapshot. Eleanor McCain has a different idea.

Environment

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Pipelines and Petronas gas plants: are they the future of Canadian Climate Action? The Liberals have made their dedication to environmental stewardship clear, but dirty energy can still bring big money. We spoke with federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna and some of her critics about the big decisions on Canada’s climate horizon.

Not Her First Rodeo

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Interim Conservative Opposition Leader Rona Ambrose is authentic, likeable, smart, popular and principled. So, remind us all again why the Tories are searching for a new leader?

Health Care

Canada/Kazakhstan Friendship........ 25 Reaching Higher: Algonquin......... 32 The Law and You/Legal Series.... 33 Canada/Turkey Friendship............ 38 Canada/China Friendship ..................... 41

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Get carefree in Cancun, golf the day away by Georgian Bay or reboot in the beautiful Cayman Islands. If close to home is more your style, explore Montreal’s chocolate heart. Seek out the richest and sweetest treats the beautiful city has to offer.

Publisher’s Message ............................ 4 Best Picks ........................................... 5 Savvy Selections .................................. 7 John's Reno Tips ................................. 9 Haute Couture ................................... 11 Music ................................................ 13 Gallery .............................................. 18 Opinion: Pipelines .............................. 25 Opinion: Michael Coren...................... 49 Opinion: Patrick Gossage.....................50 Saint Paul University .......................... 54

series

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Ottawa’s ageing population is expected to double over the coming years. Our best hospital says it’s ready.

Travel

columns

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Dress to impress in the office without having to switch outfits before a night on the town. Alexandra Gunn has everything you need to plan your summer style.

PHOTO: VALERIE KEELER

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PHOTO: K TEMPLE

The True North’s Serenade

PHOTO : LARRY ZELIGSON PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO : PAUL COUVRETTE

PHOTO: PAUL COUVRETTE

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PHOTO : COURTESY COBBLE BEACH

JULY/AUGUST 2016 VOLUME 18 • NUMBER 3

publisher’s message by Dan Donovan

Prime Minister Trudeau…So Far, So Good…

But Soon, The Rubber Hits Road.

By all counts things are going well for Canada’s new Liberal government. Aside from Prime Minister Trudeau’s brief off-side when he unintentionally elbowed NDP MP Ruth Ellen Brosseau in Parliament, leading to a possible Oscar or “Golden Raspberry” for her and Thomas Mulcair for best performance for feigned outrage.

It was a last sorry moment for Mulcair, who was earlier unceremoniously dumped as NDP leader. In contrast, interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose stole the show and surprised just about everyone with her exceptional performance and holding the government to account. Still, the Trudeau Liberals did well. They signed the Paris Climate Accord, met their target of bringing in 25,000 Syrian refugees, passed tax relief measures for middle income Canadians, passed Bill C-14, the controversial bill on assisted dying, announced a plan and process to decriminalize marijuana and outlined the methodology they will use to ensure Bill C-5, Canada’s controversial anti-terrorism law, has more Parliamentary oversight, scrutiny, review and more protection for the public. Trudeau also met his election pledge to increase public works spending for infrastructure projects across Canada, which will significantly increase Canada’s debt in the short term. The Conservatives were upset at the plan, saying the increased spending was not required while the NDP complained it was not enough. So it appears the Trudeau Liberals landed squarely in the middle which is where they like to swim. However, the rubber really hits the road for the Liberals in the fall.The government swore up and down during the election in 2015 that it would follow evidence-based decision-making. The first real challenge will come when the government decides whether or not to stand behind the National Energy Board (NEB) decision to approve the Trans Mountain pipeline plan. The NEB is recommending the multi-billion dollar pipeline be constructed if 157 conditions are met, including 49 environmental requirements. Another looming issue rests with officials at the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA) who have requested and been granted a three-month extension by Environment Minister Catherine McKenna to finish the review of the detailed construction work plans and schedule by Pacific Northwest to export liquefied natural gas from Lelu Island in British Columbia. The island, near Prince Rupert, is the site of a proposed $12.4-billion export terminal. The CEAA has expressed concerns about the project’s impact on juvenile salmon habitat on Flora Bank, a sandy area located next to Lelu Island and has already concluded that Pacific Northwest LNG’s project would likely harm harbour porpoises and contribute to climate change.

Proponents say the export terminal could be built and operated without causing major ecological damage. However, more than 90 of the world’s leading climate change experts have signed an open letter to Trudeau and McKenna, signaling their alarm at the significant adverse effects that will be caused by a dramatic spike in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions if the Pacific Northwest LNG project gets a green light.

McKenna says the decision will be based on science and evidence and Canada’s commitment to climate change.

Many First Nations and organizations like the Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition are adamantly against the project and have also warned that the project will have a devastating impact. Even if the CEAA approves it, Cabinet can override the decision. It’s a classic economy versus environment argument. The issue is whether or not there is room to swim in the middle. The Skeena Watershed Coalition has been strategically using its resources to challenge Prime Minister Trudeau to walk his talk.This poster has appeared in key locations in Ottawa in recent months. OLM was so impressed with the design of the work, we asked the artist to design the cover of this issue. We thank them for their excellent cover image n CORRECTION: The cover of the Spring Issue of OLM featured the makeup artistry of Klava Z. www.klavazykova.ca 4 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

publisher/managing editor

Dan Donovan copy editor/senior features writer

Jennifer Hartley art director Karen Temple director of operations Isabel Payne web editor/features writer Eric Murphy cover

Leah Pipe, artantler@gmail.com photographers

Clive Barber, Beverley Daniels , Paul Couvrette, Andre Gagne,Valerie Keeler, Trevor Lush, Miv Photography, Quame M Scott, Studio 7, Karen Temple,Vrx Studios, Larry Zeligson Photography, fashion editor Alexandra Gunn accounts Joe Colas C.G.A director of Creative Services George Stryker contributing writers

Anna May Burke, Shane Carmichael, David Contant, Marie Corbett, Michael Coren, Anne Dion, Dan Donovan, Andre Gagne, John Gordon, Patrick Gossage, Alessandra Gerebizza, Alexandra Gunn, Samantha Lapierre, Alex Mazur, Justina McCaffrey, Eric Murphy, Frank Raso, Karen Temple, Simon Tremblay-Pepin, Debbie Trenholm, Greg Vezina, Luo Zhaohui web contributors Angela Counter, Anne Dion, Andre Gagne, Katie Hartai, Jennifer Hartley Alex Mazur, Arizona Lanceleve,Vic Little, Don Maclean, Isabel Payne, Mona Staples, Mireille Sylvester, Mike Tobin, Simon Vodrey, Meagan Simpson, corporate advisor J. Paul Harquail,

Charles Franklin corporate counsel Paul Champagne editor emeritus Harvey F. Chartrand student intern Talia Meade, Tess Durham advertising information

For information on advertising rates, visit www.ottawalife.com call (613) 688-LIFE (5433) or e-mail info@ottawalife.com Canadian Publication Mail Product Sales Agreement #1199056.

Ottawa Life Magazine, 301 Metcalfe St. Lower Level, Ottawa. Ontario K2P 1R9 tel: (613) 688-5433 fax: (613) 688 -1994 e-mail: info@ottawalife.com Web site: www.ottawalife.com Follow us on Twitter @ottawalifers Like us at www.Facebook.com/OttawaLifeMagazine Ottawa Life is listed in Canadian Advertising Rates & Data (CARD).

Ottawa Life subscription rates: one year $42.00, includes postage, plus HST (six issues). Two years $70.00, includes postage, plus HST (12 issues). Add $20 per year for postage outside Canada. Subscriber service is 613-688-LIFE (5433) Ottawa Life Magazine is printed in Canada on recycled paper.

best picks

Camp in Comfort

Be prepared for any climate. Designed to for use in temperatures ranging from -1.1 to 21°C, the Coleman 3-in-1 sleeping bag features a removable liner to adjust to changing temperatures. Whether you use both the bag and liner or just the liner, it will ensure that adventure is comfortable. colemancanada.ca

1000 Islands Playhouse

The 1000 Islands Playhouse sits right on the edge of the peaceful St. Lawrence River, the atmosphere could not be more perfect and serene. This year the Playhouse is embarking on its 35th performance season, and will feature 10 dramatic, hilarious and breathtaking plays for all to enjoy. Whether you’re into ghosts, adventures or music, you’ll find the entire Playhouse experience truly unforgettable.

1000islandsplayhouse.com

Safety to Go

Protect your valuables while on the go with SAFEGO. Great for trips to the beach or college dorms, SAFEGO is lightweight and can attach to almost any surface fixture. This neat little safe also has a headphone plug opening so you can listen to music while keeping your electronics safe from hazardous conditions. safego.us

Rockin Heels In Comfort

PHOTO: JUAN VASQUEZ

Killer Heels Comfort high heel inserts are specifically designed to keep your foot from sliding around in your shoe, preventing the toe-crunching, heel-blistering pain infamous to high heels. The two-part, customizable inserts stay in place, giving you stability and support usually lacking when walking in heels. killerheelscomfort.com

Sandal Days On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!

The FlipBelt stores your phone, keys, ID, money, and pretty much anything and everything you need to take with you while on a run or at the gym. Attach the Million Mile Light while on your night jog and let it lead the way. With a pulse of light with every stride, you are kept visible and safe, no batteries required. flipbelt.com

These strappy sandals from KEEN are the perfect shoes to wear to your next warm weather fling. KEEN sandals were inspired by a love of the outdoors, and these stylish and versatile sandals can easily go from the boardwalk to the coffee shop. KeenFootwear.com

5 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

best picks

Active Wear to Help You Get Moving

Cool Sipping

Founded in Ottawa, Amazeballs are well… amazing! Made from food safe grade stainless steel, Amazeballs keep your drink cooler for longer. Unlike ice, Amazeballs won’t water down, dilute or alter the taste of whatever you’re sipping.

Cheers to that.

Rugged Sound

BRV-XXL is the biggest and baddest Bluetooth speaker made for the outdoors. Braven Speakers are known for being ultra-rugged, waterproof, and App-driven with Smart battery solutions, and the BRV-XXL does not disappoint. It can hold its own against accidental drops, dirt, sand, dust, rain or shine. Customize the sound of your tunes with adjustable EQ settings or get the party started with the BRV-XXL’s built in microphone jack. Whatever you do, be sure to do it big.

Braven.com

Whatever the season, Columbia has got your active wear needs covered. Keep dry, cool, protected, all while remaining stylish and comfortable with Columbia’s latest spring arrivals. Look great while hitting the trails or taking long walks on the beach. columbiasportswear.ca

Illuminate darkness

with the The Coleman Conquer 250 Lumens Headlamp is rugged and has a run time of three hours on high mode, change between five light modes with a simple wave of your hand and autoadjusts brightness for short and long distances. colemancanada.ca

Music to Your Ears

Alfa Genus V2 headphones are high quality, refined and, pardon the pun, music to our ears. Lightweight and durable, they feature a unique tuning filter system that brings out the best in your favourite music. You can even control the highs, lows and neutrals. rockjawaudio.com

Look. No Hands.

Reboot

Sometimes, we all need to hit the pause button on life and just float. ISO Spa, one of Ottawa’s only isolation tank floatation centres, can help you escape the stresses of the workaday world in a unique and relaxing way. isospa.ca 6 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

Pfister’s new touch-free REACT kitchen faucet stays clean even when you’re not! The REACT has many useful features like touch-free activation, a pull-down spout with an extralong hose, as well as the ability to preset water temperatures. All this comes in a gorgeous modern design made to look good in any kitchen. pfisterfaucets.com

savvy selections by Debbie Trenholm

Beat the Heat Bevvies What drinks make you think of summer? a. Refreshing Rosé b. Mouth-watering Cider c. Cold Radler Beer

d. Big bold Cabernet e. Fruity Sangria f. All of the above

Finally, a multiple choice quiz with no wrong answer.With more sun-filled days, long weekends and lazy afternoons, summer brings time to relax and unwind with a glass in your favourite beat-the-heat bevvy. Shift to summer sippers, with these suggestions from our team of Savvy Sommeliers & Brew Crew: Fielding Estate Rosé VQA 2015 NIAGARA, ONTARIO

Nothing says summer like a glass of chilled Rosé. There are plenty to choose from all parts of the world, ranging in colour from a hint-of-pink to bright candy floss and from bone dry to a touch of sweetness. Try Fielding’s Rosé. It is has soft pink colour with aromas and tastes that will remind you of ripe strawberries and rhubarb.

It’s a lovely wine that's delicious with fish (poached or grilled), prosciutto wrapped asparagus, lemon roasted chicken, corn chowder or even a summer salad. $15.95 County Cider Co. Pear Cider PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY, ONTARIO

County Cider Company is a familyrun operation that has been crafting ciders in The County since 1995 — long before the region became known for its wines. The Pear Cider was inspired when owners Jenifer and Grant Howes visited an area of Normandy, France renowned for Cavardos (Pear and Apple Brandy). For this summer sipper, pear juice has been blended with carefully selected apple cider for a dry, delicious quench thirsting summer drink.Available

from the producer or contact Savvy Company to deliver some to your doorstep. $7.95 Kichesippi Brewery Radler OTTAWA, ONTARIO

Last summer, it seemed that every craft brewery was making a Radler! They are not a new creation, rather a resurgence of a summertime beer that was first introduced in Deisenhofen, Germany back in 1922. Intentionally made to be lower in alcohol (typically 3%), this is a great beer to enjoy during lunch on the patio, or to pop into your panier to quench your thirst during a bike ride.

Kichesippi’s Radler is a blend of their lager with grapefruit soda. Be sure to try plenty of Radlers this summer to find your favourite. Available at the LCBO this summer. $2.85 each 13th Street Estate Winery Meritage VQA 2012 TWENTY VALLEY (NIAGARA), ONTARIO

A powerhouse red blend of 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot and 33% Cabernet Franc. Get out your largest wine glasses, this big red wine is begging to be served with anything off the BBQ: thick steak, lamb chops, spicy sausages with loads of fresh

grilled veggies. A very special wine as only 220 cases were made. Every sip will remind you of black cherry, dark chocolate , black plum with a dash of fresh ground pepper and warm spices (think cloves, Chinese 5 Spice and steak spice). $34.95 Available only when you visit the winery this summer or subscribe to Savvy Selections’ wine-omonth club and it will auto-magically arrive at your home or office.

Summer won’t last forever, so mix it up with a pitcher of sangria. Whether you make it with red wine or use white, this fruit ladened cocktail make your summertime Happy Hour, even happier.

Debbi’s Secret Sangria Recipe MAKES 1 LARGE PITCHER

1 bottle of red wine (select something under $18. After all, you will be adding fruit to it.)

10 to 15 strawberries, sliced A handful of blackberries 1 lemon, sliced & quartered 1 lime, sliced & halved 1 orange, sliced & quartered ½ of a tin of frozen Five Alive juice concentrate ½ to a full can of club soda or 7-Up optional – if you want a little spritz to your sangria. 7-Up will make your sangria sweeter.

Place fruit into a large pitcher or jug.

Pour in Five Alive concentrate, club soda or 7-Up (if using). Fill with red wine. Stir until well mixed. Chill for one hour before serving to let the fruit marinate. Pour into a tall glass with lots of ice. Garnish with a slice of fruit on the rim. Enjoy n

Love Rosé wines? You’ll love this We make it easy to Clink & Drink Pink. Each

month throughout the summer, our Savvy Sommeliers will select a different assortment of six rosé wines from across Ontario.These are extra special as you won’t find them at the LCBO. Order a small bouquet (a parcel of 6 different Rosé wines) or a full bouquet (a parcel containing 12 bottles - 2 of each of the featured Rosé wines). There is a different bouquet of Rosés each month! Next to the taste, the best part of this new way to buy hard-to-find rosé wines is free shipping. Order yours or give as a gift at www.savvycompany.ca/rose 7 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

Control the temperature of your home year round with award winning Krumpers Solar Blinds TM

Smart tech from Krumpers allows you to enjoy a clear view, and be comfortable.

Call 613.864.4921 for a free consultation www.krumpers.ca 8 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

JOHN’S RENO TIPS re you looking to renovate A your home this year? Often times, without much in the way of

experience, renovations can be more of a nuisance than anything. Some of the biggest problems can typically arise from the smallest of details.

The demolition and remodelling of an area in your home can be a hassle if it is not done correctly. From determining a suitable time of the year, having the correct measurements of a room, determining the length of time to complete the work, to even simply making sure that you have decided on the best paint colour; these are tasks which can quickly become overwhelming.

To make life a little more simple this spring, John from Your Reno Guys has narrowed down the biggest DOS and DON’TS for your next renovation.

Make concise decisions, but not hasty ones

This is quite simple and can certainly help lift some of the burden of renovating. Of course, no matter the size of the job, we, as homeowners, are inevitably investing a decent amount of money into a home renovation.You want to ensure that your home will look absolutely perfect.

One of the main issues that we hear is that often homeowners are undecided on the final picture, after the renovation is said and done. This can actually result in causing a slew of problems. Not only will this delay the renovation, no one wants to be

Home Reno Dos and Don’ts living with renovations for months and months on end. Determining whether you should take down that wall in the living room for a more open concept, or what kind of tile you want for the kitchen floor, are all extremely common issues. Our biggest tip for this, is to have a rough plan in mind before starting any of the steps in purchases, ordering and so forth.

Often, indecisiveness can result in having to reschedule many steps along the way, I.E; the plumber, electrician, mudder, tiler (the list goes on). If you know what you want before getting your feet wet,it will save heaps of stress and wasted time.

You get what you pay for

We have all heard the old saying “you get what you pay for”. When it comes to renovations, you should never leave the quality of your work up to chance, using dodgy products. This is not about opting for a less expensive tile here, tile is not poor quality simply

Shower rough-in using Schluter Kerdi waterproof membrane.

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

homes by John Gordon & OLM Staff

because it is inexpensive. It is about skimping out on steps that protect and guarantee your work. Use Schluter Kerdi waterproof membrane for your shower surround, to ensure you are shielding your drywall and foundation thereafter from water and mold.

Do not bypass the use of Ditra Mat subfloor, which is hands down, the number one uncoupling membrane to protect your tiles and grout from shifting and cracking (and carries a ten year warranty).

If you are a hands-on type of person, this can be a great attribute when it comes to renovation work. If not, never be shy to have a renovation company help you out along the way. If you are comfortable completing parts of the reno on your own (and save yourself some money) this is always a treat. If you are the imaginative one of the family, and are capable of envisioning the final product, you could even spare yourself a designer.

Patience and understanding are the biggest keys to a successful renovation, and knowing that these things take time. You cannot expect them to be done overnight, yet if you are willing to be a bit flexible and expect to have a few delays along the way, this makes the process a whole lot more enjoyable, for everyone involved. Spring is here and it is time to make a positive change around the house. Whether it is just a fresh coat of paint or the addition of a cozy reading space, the options are endless and always at an arm’s reach.

No dream is too big and no project is too small n 9 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

THANK YOU | MERCI TO THE 2016 SPONSORS AND PARTICIPATING ARTISTS! À NOS COMMANDITAIRES ET AUX ARTISTES QUI ONT PARTICIPÉ À L’ÉDITION 2016 DE L’ENCAN D’ART LE PARTY !

ART LOVERS RECEPTION SPONSOR | COMMANDITAIRE DE LA SOIRÉE DES AMOUREUX DE L’ART

PREVIEW EVENT SPONSOR | COMMANDITAIRE DE L’AVANT-PREMIÈRE

PARTNER SPONSORS | PARTENAIRES DE L’ÉVÈNEMENT

PLATINUM SPONSORS | COMMANDITAIRES PLATINE

DIAMOND SPONSOR | COMMANDITAIRE DIAMANT

CRITICS’ CHOICE SPONSORS | COMMANDITAIRES DU CHOIX DES CRITIQUES

Hattie Klotz COMMUNITY PARTNERS | PARTENAIRES COMMUNAUTAIRES

CULINARY ARTISTS | LES ARTISTES CULINAIRES

ARTISTS | LES ARTISTES

Barry Ace , Shahla Bahrami, Karen Bailey, Mimi Cabri, Mustapha Chadid, Margaret Chwialkowska, Chayle Cook , Duncan de Kergommeaux, Brendan A. de Montigny, Laura Demers, Tim Desclouds, Christopher Lea Dunning, Dale Dunning, Stephen Frew, Isabelle Gauvreau, Chantal Gervais , Christopher Griffin, Petra Halkes, Sandra Hawkins, Robert Hinchley, Sayward Johnson, David Kaarsemaker, Joy Kardish, Sharon Katz, Sharon Kelly, Marcia Lea, Whitney Lewis-Smith , Gavin Lynch, Rebecca Mason, Juliana McDonald, Meryl McMaster, Alan Mirabelli, Patricia Morris, Andrew Morrow, Drew Mosley, Marie-Jeanne Musiol, Marc Nerbonne, Patti Normand, Cynthia O’Brien, Andrew and/et Deborah O’Malley, Eryn O’Neill, Leslie Reid, Uta Riccius, Erin Robertson, Benjamin Rodger, Susan Roston, Frank Shebageget, Andrew Smith, Michael OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016 Stelmackowich, Norman Takeuchi, Anne Wanda Tessier, Rémi Thériault, Jeff Thomas, Sproule,10Patrice Stanley, Cindy Amy Thompson, Cara Tierney, Sharon VanStarkenburg, Carol Wainio, Eric Walker, Erin Wallace, Joyce Westrop, Yvonne Wiegers, Anna Williams, Justin Wonnacott, Jinny Yu, Russell Yuristy.

haute couture by Justina McCaffrey

PHOTO: QUAME M SCOTT

Memories of Sussex Drive

Y

ears ago I was inside my store late at night. The lights were dim except for the bright lights focusing on the dresses in the window. I caught sight of

an emotional moment between two teenagers. They were dirty, disheveled, and had squeegees in hand as they kissed each other on the sidewalk in front of my window framing a crisp white satin wedding gown. The contrast was striking.

There was something so raw and real about these teens. The scene in front of me drove me to tears as I thought of all of the weddings in which I have participated.

Some weddings were truly exceptionally beautiful experiences.

They included warm people who were unaffected and clearly led by their hearts to create a wedding that was meaningful and depicted who they were to their loved ones attending. These people understood why everyone was gathering together and there was a complete ease in their actions. They created their own extravagance of experience through this eternal symbiotic love, natural and pure. All of these weddings had a public and daring risk of desire and affection; it was the same emotion that captured and raptured the squeegee kids that night in front of my store.

This dramatic display of emotion was attractive and true.

Some of the other weddings that I have been a part of were more like calculated productions of the calibre of the Academy Awards. There were layers of bureaucracy, hundreds of

workers, with thousands of decisions.

The invitation list was a who’s who list of whatever group these people belonged to rather than a personal event, engaging friends and family.

Certainly these toneless events were entertaining. These are weddings that people remember year after year, because of the team of planners, lighting directors, choreographed wait staff, and a cake taller than the groom. These spectacular events have limitless budgets, but yet no room for the couple getting married. From an event perspective these weddings are quite impressive, but I wonder, “where is the love ?”

It’s easy to feel excitement and frivolous drama while planning a wedding, but I wonder how many engaged couples really understand what they are embarking upon. The triumphant selflessness and monotony of surrender that is required. It is an exercise of impossible strength and perseverance and a reminder that while the two have become one, that there is an ever present responsibility to uphold a dignity for the other person, in consideration of the other person. It can become more complicated with children and

their needs. Parents have to teach their children how not to be selfish and at the same time need to live unselfishly themselves. Life gets complicated and the challenges to maintain a union can become overwhelming.

Given the reality of marriage, a wedding should give people the opportunity to congratulate the couple on the decision to deny selfishness and a pilgrimage pointing toward spiritual maturity. This type of acclaim should be reflected within a wedding.

There should be a focus on the raw beauty of the event, this lifetime change for two people – a celebration of a decision and duty, intimate, not a performance. It might even be difficult to find 200 friends with whom to share that same contemplation of spirit, people willing to focus more on the ceremony and consider the reception a joyous afterthought. No doubt, this runs the risk of clearly omitting some of the traditions that people have come to think of as necessary.

Rather than pulling off a major production, a successful wedding hinges on carefully drawing the guests into a profound intimacy of love. It’s not about entertainment but about witnessing the beauty of love and celebrating these everlasting decisions.

That remains a far greater privilege, not unlike the privilege I had that evening when I witnessed those two teenagers in front of my store n 11 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

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THE REGIONAL GROUP

music text and photo by Andre Gagne

THE

Blues Lady’s Vision She opens her eyes. “Failure…failure…” The two-syllable echo has woken her once again to face the dim light of another uncertain dawn. The voice follows her to the mirror, inescapable, as she studies the changes to her face, what should be familiar now foreign.Will she still be able to see that reflection in a year, she wonders? The face looking back at her wears the hardships of a life that has endured abuse, pain, poverty and loss; that woman in the mirror with so much vision now fighting to hold onto her own sight. Still, she smiles and starts to sing. She has to keep singing. It’s the music that pushes her forward into another day in the life of Maria Hawkins, Ottawa’s Blues Lady.

The eldest of six, she was born on July 13, 1957 into a musical household. Her Maritime mother played piano, often accompanied by Maria’s grandfather on the fiddle as the young girl watched. She was always singing. Sometimes she’d put on Chubby Checker records and do the Twist with her siblings, bellowing out rock and roll, not necessarily the singing nun her mother envisioned her to one day be. At the age of six, she was quickly enrolled into vocal lessons with the Royal Conservatory of Music, under the tutelage of Francis Davies.

13 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

THE “Mrs. Davies knew how to work with a child who had the attention span of a gnat,” recalls Hawkins with a bit of a laugh.

Maria learned that music was something you didn’t just hear; it was all around her. She could feel it, touch it, and smell it. She performed her first show at the age of seven singing “Somewhere over the Rainbow” to a crowd of nearly 1,000.

“She has been into music all her life,” recalls sister Niki, who sometimes found Maria singing out her window into the cold night air performing a private concert for the universe.

But, like many times in Maria’s life, things didn’t stay wonderful very long.

Her mother’s choice for a lover taught her lessons far removed from the classroom of Mrs. Davies. From him she learned how to avoid a punch and how to run. Pregnant at 16 and fearing that her stepfather would turn his angry gaze upon her child, she left home and moved from one bad relationship into another. One was a stalker; another became a convicted murder. Playing music helped her escape from a world of hateful words, violence and struggles raising her children.

“I've been assaulted, threatened, verbally abused, and felt my life in danger a few times as a result of my career choice,” she says.

Defiant to not let go of her dreams, Hawkins started performing at a local soup kitchen when she was 18. Helping those in need through music was something she continued throughout her life. However, it was wandering into a blues jam session one night that altered her path in music forever. Blues harmonica player, Larry “the Bird” Mootham was on stage and, inspired by him, Maria started hitting up every jam in town eventually forming her own band. The Downstairs Club, the Rainbow and Irene’s, if there was somewhere to sing the blues, Hawkins was there.

“She’s both positive and fearless in performance,” says Vince Halfhide, 14 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

Blues Lady’s Vision

former guitarist in Mootham’s band.

“At a jam she’ll get up and sing with anyone and even if there’s not a lot of common ground she’ll make something happen out of nothing. “ Ottawa’s blues music scene became synonymous with the name Maria Hawkins. She went on to be an opening act for Colin James, played with Jack de Keyzer and Bernard Allison, and once had Amanda Marshall singing backup for her. She received the NAC Award for Artistic Excellence and was prominently featured on CBC television.

“She owns the stage once she starts singing,” says Peter Beaudoin, onetime drummer in the Maria Hawkins Band.

As she made a name for herself in music, Hawkins continued to pursue ways to share her abilities to benefit others. She’s worked with 54 local charities over the years, most focusing on children, while developing her own programs like the Tooth Fairy Project that provided dental care for musicians, and Blues4Kids, an initiative that brought her into the fold of Bluesfest where she helped found the Blues in the Schools program. At her peak she worked 40 schools a year. One of her young students, before tragically succumbing to cancer, gave Maria the name Blues Lady. It stuck.

“She is a strong, talented, loving and respectable woman. To me she is love,” says Elaina Martin, founder of Westfest, on Maria’s giving nature.

Her efforts won her the W.C. Handy Award, the highest accolade musicians can be given in blues music. However, many times Hawkins foot the funding bills for her charity projects out of her own pocket; a practice that found her deeply in debt.

“You see, the only person I could give for free was me. The rest of my band got paid whether I did or not,” she explains. “I found it very difficult to be selective about who I helped as I watched the state of support for charities dwindle over the years.”

Nearly destitute, in 2008 she filed for bankruptcy and left her home. Hawkins dumped as much as she could into a couple of suitcases and moved into the YMCA. She still continued to write music and perform.

“Music is my life's work; sharing it and using it to inspire others to seek the best of life for themselves,” she says, recalling nearly giving up hope when in her lowest moment she was knocked lower by somebody she thought would help.

“I was told by a social worker: Maria you’re a failure as a musician.You'll have to find another source of income.”

The words taunted her, almost causing her to give up what she cherished. A bout with illness followed and, last year, she was told she had Fuchs Endothelial Dystrophy, a hereditary condition that greatly affects her vision. The first surgery altered the shape of her facial features. A winter spill on the ice that caused her to bounce her head off the hood of her car didn’t help matters either. As she laid there in the snow it finally dawned on the woman who had helped so many that she now needed help herself.

In order to make ends meet as she undergoes two partial cornea transplants, Hawkins has set up a fundraising campaign: gofundme.com/ mariahawkins. Despite her hardships she remains hopeful, plans to finally record an album and says she’s not going to stop helping people.

“It is the stability and sensitivity of your support system, the capacity of your will to strive towards your desires, the endurance to overcome the pain and frustration of your limitations and the stimulation of inclusion into the greater community that enables personal growth. These are the things that truly matter.”

There’s also the music, those beautiful blues to sing in the face of adversity.

Even if her vision is going she still has her voice. It’s something she reminds herself each night before she closes her eyes n

in search of style by Alexandra Gunn

Follow Alex on Twitter: @AlexandraGunn

STYLE MADE EFFORTLESS:

Summer Guidelines Power Dressing for Work

u Banana Republic Gerber Daisy, One-Button Blazer $215

1

Don't be afraid to add prints Be bold and master the officeappropriate pattern play. Floral prints and stripes are a safe bet for most work environments, especially when you stick to traditional suiting colours (black, white, and navy). Try adding a floral print blazer or blouse to your standard office look or try on this look for casual Fridays.

2

Reach for White For summer, stock your work wardrobe with standout white pieces. Think of them as fresher versions of your classic navy and black favourites.

If you’re worried about stains, wear white as an easily removable separate — like a cardigan or vest. t H&M Conscious Collection

t H&M Lace Cardigan

p Old Navy Shirtdress

Define your #Girlboss Style The look of the working wardrobe has evolved dramatically over the past 10 years from stuffy skirtsuits to a more flexible and fashion forward dress code. The modern executive style should be cool and commanding. In lieu of a traditional suit, the new power dressing is all about a mixing and matching separates to create a silhouette that says ‘stature’.

3

p ECCO Sculptured Folding Tote $395

t Kate Spade Draped Leather Jacket

p Kate Spade Brush Stroke Dress 15 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

Read Between the Lines

Whether they’re vertical, horizontal, or a mix-match of both, stripes are the new-season style. Rare was the designer who didn’t send some kind of super stripe down the catwalk, but my top marks go to Missoni, Prada and Dolce & Gabbana, who experimented with layered shades, bold stripes and even perfected the classic stripe. It’s the flexibility of the stripe that lies behind this current moment in the sun. We are all used to the traditional black or blue and white stripe which were strictly vertical or lateral and uniform in width. But in the Spring/Summer shows, designers incorporated stripes into the designs of two-piece suits and even evening attire.

For the bold at heart, try mixing stripes of different sizes by sticking to the same colour palette. For simplicity sake, take a cue from designers this season and color between the lines. t Addition Elle Swing Dress $120

p Joe Fresh T-Shirt Stripe Dress $39

p Multi-Stripe Wide Leg Pant and top from Banana Republic

Ask Alex: Double Duty

Q

What can I wear to the office on Friday that will also transition into an evening outfit, so I can join my friends for drinks (or go on a date) without having to head home first?

Friday night is the best time to meet up with friends or meet interesting new professionals like yourself after work. By simply bringing a few different accessories to work, you can switch out your o f f i c e look for a simply sweet date look. For the office, pair a date-night dress with a blazer, a pair of flats and classic jewelry. When the clock strikes 5, switch your flats for heels, add a statement necklace or earrings and grab a cocktail!

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Too much sun? SIBU Sea Berry Therapy is a potent firstaid treatment for scrapes and minor burns. sibu.com

Skip the salon and get an AMOPE Pedi Perfect for easy shower touch ups. amope.ca $79.99

PHOTOS: Valerie Keeler www.valeriekeeler.com HAIR: Stefania Capovilla, Society Salon www.societysalonottawa.com MAKEUP: Christina Crosier 16 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

profile by Eric Murphy

The True North’s Serenade

What does Canada sound like? Some would say it’s the whisper of a cold wind blowing through the needles of a pine tree.

Others think of the sudden crack of a slapshot and the bitter hiss of a skate blade digging into a turn.

For Eleanor McCain, Canada’s sound is orchestras from all over the country working together to re-interpret 33 of our greatest hits, songs that have moved Canadians from the ‘60s to today. Her latest project, a doublealbum called True North: The Canadian Songbook, had the celebrated classical crossover singer working with 10 orchestras in eight provinces to reimagine the songs.

“It’s been a lot of intense planning by a lot of people,” says McCain, who started developing the project way back in January 2014.

We caught McCain on the first day of her cross-country recording spree, just before her session with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.The four-month process ended right here in Ottawa June 14th when McCain recorded with the National Arts Centre Orchestra. Most of the orchestras recorded three songs each, but the NAC put out seven over two recording days.

PHOTO: BEVERLEY DANIELS

While travelling the country provided unique musical experiences, stopping in her native New Brunswick held special meaning. “New Brunswick is very sentimental for me,” she says.“The province has been very supportive of me and it’s just amazing.”

Now that each orchestra has wrapped up recording, McCain will give the instrumental tracks some time to breathe before adding her own vocals.

She plans to have the entire doublealbum finished by Spring 2017, just in time to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday.

“We want to celebrate Canada, that’s what the whole theme of the project is,” McCain says.

So far, the album’s playlist is still under wraps, as are the names of any musical guests, although McCain did say listeners should expect a track originally by Juno-nominated singersongwriter Sarah Slean.

“I think these are songs that everyone will know,” McCain says.“They’re pop, they’re Celtic songs, maritime songs, some jazz standards.”

To give the album an even more Canadian feel, if that’s even possible, True North’s double CD will come alongside a coffee table book filled with gorgeous landscapes from around the country, each captured by Canadian photographers. Shining a light on locations from to Iqaluit to Vancouver Island, these images will allow True North to showcase Canada’s sights as well as its sounds.

“It’s not just a musical journey,” says McCain. “It’s just a privilege and an honour to do this, not just to work with everybody but to travel across the country…and really capture the diverse beauty and landscape.”

You can find out more about McCain and the True North: The Canadian Songbook project at eleanormccain.ca n 17 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

gallery by Anne Dion

A DASH OF COLOUR:

GETTING TO KNOW SARA ALEX MULLEN

Sara Alex Mullen knew she had found her artistic calling when she made the final brushstroke on her first landscape painting. The local artist has been painting for 15 years, but discovered her real affinity for capturing the Canadian outdoors while taking courses at the Ottawa School of Art in 2009. Luckily for us, over the last two years Mullen has made painting a professional focus. Mullen is represented in Ottawa’s Santini Gallery and is a rising star within the Capital’s artistic community.

For those who have not already been struck by the elastic contours or piqued by the energetic colours, Mullen’s landscapes evoke the spirit of the land from which they come.

“I paint classic Canadian landscapes and I like finding my inspiration in my everyday surroundings.” says Mullen.

“To describe it I would say I’m Impressionistic–using bold strokes and vibrant colours.”

To anyone who’s been to a Canadian art gallery, these landscapes may recall the work of the Group of Seven painters, and rightly so.

“I love the Group of Seven,” says Mullen. “I love how they show so much underpainting through. I cover more of my canvas but I’m definitely inspired by them.” Underpainting, as the name suggests, is the process of layering the stages of a painting, gradually adding detail to the base colours which block out the scene’s compositions. The Group of Seven is famous for leaving chunks of these base shades visible underneath the 18 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

detail, creating a collage of complementary colours. While Mullen’s local scenes recall this impressionistic approach, her work exudes a more youthful tone, with unrestrained brushstrokes and splashes of turquoise and yellow.

For her, finding inspiration in the everyday means never leaving the house without her camera. Working by photograph in her studio, Mullen then sits down to sketch and underpaint. Often planning the painting is what takes the longest, Mullen says. “I like to put a lot of energy in my pieces so I like to complete a painting in one sitting.

I try to paint different moods of nature and my mood is often reflected in the painting.” It is perhaps this kinetic energy visible in her work that becomes her signature, and to which her paintings owe their captivating quality. “I find if I pick up on a different day I have a different energy and it comes out disjointed.”

Looking at her paintings, you can trace her instinctive and intuitive process in every brushstroke. Mullen mixes colours before even setting brush to canvas, picking and choosing what to use as she goes. Painting with a limited colour palette of only four to five colours, and simplifying her scenes down to variations of the two main hues, this technique is what lets her kinetic and bravely intuitive energy shine from within the art’s surface.

“Once I sketch from the photograph, I never look at it again. Instead I paint based on my instinct and intuition, recalling my interpretation of colours from the live moment or letting my artistic senses take over.” says Mullen.

Mullen’s exciting career is expanding through a recent commission for 16 paintings by the new Opinicon resort, nestled among the Rideau Lakes. Her vibrant landscapes will be hanging above the fireplaces in each of the resort’s newly renovated guest rooms. The quiet but poignant energy that they exude makes Mullen’s work the perfect fit for the historic site’s reopening.

Another exciting spot on Mullen’s horizon is an event of her own organizing—a New Edinburgh Studio Tour (NEST). From September 17 to 18, Mullen, along with a dozen other neighbourhood artists, will be opening her doors to the public to catch a glimpse behind closed doors, and enjoy a free chance to engage with the artists in their studio space.

“Studio tours are a great way to engage with the public in a new way and make new connections with artists in the neighbourhood,” Mullen says. For this rising star, being active in the community and looking for opportunities to grow and evolve is an important key to her success.

For budding artists, she offers sage advice. “Study the art that you love. I spent a lot of time in the museum just studying Group of Seven paintings - looking at every brushstroke, dissecting them, thinking how can I recreate that or interpret it?” Like her upcoming NEST tour, Sara Mullen suggests seeking out opportunities to grow, to challenge yourself, and engage with what’s around you.

With such a bright future, it looks like this young artist’s career is only just getting started. Mullen’s story can stand as a valuable lesson to those hoping for similar success. With such a positive attitude, obvious talent, and cheerful ambition, it’s no wonder that Ottawa is responding so well to the charming achiever. Needless to say, we wish the artist luck on her future plans, and will be keeping an eye out for more news of her success.

As well as her position in the Santini Gallery on Preston Street in Little Italy, Sara Alex Mullen and her body of work is taking flight on social media. You can find her online at saraalexmullen.com, on Instagram and on Facebook for sneak peeks of upcoming works n 19 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

Watershed Moment

The Stern Paddler: Environment Minister Catherine McKenna and the Liberal Government’s Great Portage Between the Environment and the Economy.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been actively putting forward a different approach to governance: one that champions transparency, freshness, action, something that says this time it’s different.

One of his ministers in particular, seems to be the embodiment of that sentiment. There’s a positive vibe when entering Environment Minister Catherine McKenna’s Centre Block office on Parliament Hill. Maybe it’s the young staff milling about, busy but polite, well dressed and intelligent.

Or maybe it’s the tremendous birch bark canoe hanging from the ceiling, an emblem of Canada languidly floating over the bustling office.

Canoes were once a necessity for the Innu (Montagnais-Naskapi), Ojibwa, Maliseet and Algonquin people to allow them access to the land. Later the Coureurs de Bois and voyageurs used birch bark canoes to explore and trade with Indigenous peoples in the interior of the country, and to connect fur trade supply lines with central posts from Montreal to points east and west. Samuel de Champlain noted the canoe’s elegance and speed, and remarked that it was “the only craft suitable” for navigation in Canada.

It’s fitting then that McKenna associates herself with such a symbol; with her at the helm, she and Trudeau aim to steer Canada away from a fossil fuel based economy to return to a country’s whose economy works in 20 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

harmony with the environment.

McKenna is a lawyer by profession and has experience in government, business and the NGO sector. She is not only calm, confident, funny and focused, but she is also on top of her file, and fully aware that her role as Canada's Environment Minister comes at a critical time.

“We have a Prime Minister who’s absolutely committed to climate change. He believes like I do, that this is the biggest challenge of our generation, and that we have an obligation to take action,” said McKenna.

She believes that unlike the promises in Kyoto, and unlike the past Conservative government, this time, it really will be

different. When asked what makes it different, she was clear.

“I have young daughters and if we don't take steps now to fix these problems, their future will be very different. I got into politics because of my concern for my kids and the problems with how we were treating our greatest resources and the planet.”

The problem is that the Liberals have many, and sometimes conflicting, promises to keep. Climate commitments, their promises to First Nations communities, and their guarantees to industry all hover uncomfortably, an unbalanced mixture that will surely test their leadership in the coming years.

But moving on climate change was one of Trudeau’s first big moves, and certainly one of his most visible.Just over a month after he was elected, he went to Paris for the snappily named United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) for the 21st annual Conference of the Parties or (COP21). There, 195 countries signed an agreement to commit to keeping the world from warming above two degrees from industrial levels, a limit that if passed, scientists predict catastrophic consequences. Canada, for its part, has held to the previous

PHOTO: PAUL COUVRETTE

cover by Alex Mazur

Harper government commitments, and pledged to cut its carbon emissions by 30 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030.

Promises roll off the tongue with ease, of course. Actions, however, are harder to implement, a reality that McKenna encountered in her first day of taking office. Fresh to her role as Environment Minister, she was tasked with whether to release billions of litres of raw sewage into the St. Lawrence River, and she needed to choose quickly. Montreal’s Mayor Denis Coderre was insisting on its necessity for the safety of the city, while others cringed at the thought of sewage flowing through their water.

Talk about a first day.

In the end, she decided to do it.

After the fact, Montreal released the results of their water quality testing, which showed bacteria levels akin to those during heavy rainfalls when sewers overflow into the river, and therefore not far out of the ordinary.

In the end, the controlled release got a go-ahead based on McKenna’s consultations with scientists, and from precedent, making it a fact-based decision. Unfortunately, Indigenous groups were not consulted prior to the release. Mohawk Council Chief Clinton Phillps in Kahnawake, whose community would be directly affected by the sewage, was highly critical of the dump, saying that he had only heard news of the decision in a quick call from McKenna right before the release.

Afterwards, in light of their concerns, McKenna sat down with Kahnawake’s Mohawk Grand Chief Joseph Tokwiro Norton and Phillips to discuss how she should move forward when dealing with First Nations communities.

“To be fair, we were somewhat critical but we also recognize that she just came into office and was thrown into this issue the day before heading to the Paris Climate Change negotiations.

We welcome her commitment

regarding these things,” said Norton.

“She’s a very sincere person, but the issue will be how convincing she can be with other ministers to work with Kahnawake and other First Nations across Canada.”

According to Norton, the Kahnawake Mohawks and other Mohawks in the region have a long history of butting heads with their neighbours. Due to their geographic location, they have the rare position of being directly in contact with Canadian, Québec and U.S.governments on nation- to-nation negotiations on a variety of issues.

Now with Trudeau’s and McKenna’s promises at hand, the Kahnawake Mohawks are in a prime location for the federal government’s engagement with First Nations, and they’re optimistic that further interactions can be constructive.

LISTENING AND LEARNING, AND THEN ACTING WHEN YOU HAVE ALL THE EVIDENCE AND FACTS OR THE BEST INFORMATION AT HAND, IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.

The Honourable Catherine McKenna Minister of the Environment and Climate Change

“The Trudeau government has made a pledge to take a very different approach regarding Aboriginal affairs. Hopefully it’s not all talk.They are going to need a coherent and clear understanding that Canada and Kahnawake and Canada and other First Nations are embarking on a process that is no longer business as usual.It’s going to take courage and creativity to achieve their goals. We’ll have to wait and see,” Norton said.

McKenna now has an Indigenous advisor on staff, and says that in hindsight, the sewage release was a learning moment for her a minister

in that she realized that for all future decisions she needed to have a framework for how she will approach difficult decisions.

“Listening and learning, and then acting when you have all the evidence and facts or the best information at hand, is very important to me,” said McKenna.

One major element she has to consider is Trudeau’s promise to tax carbon emissions.

Provinces in some cases have taken the lead on this. B.C. plans to tax carbon emissions at $30 a tonne, whereas Alberta has already set a cap on its greenhouse gas emissions to 100 megatonnes a year, and is also introducing a $20 carbon levy in 2017. Québec has been involved in an emissions cap and trade system with California since 2013, a system that Ontario’s Wynne government will now join, along with implementing other measures such as incentivizing electric vehicles.

But some experts don’t believe a hodgepodge of singular provincial regulations will do the trick, because some might choose to opt out completely. McKenna acknowledged that the northern territories expressed a carbon tax would threaten their dieselbased lifestyle. Saskatchewan, for its part, has been playing hardball, arguing that its carbon capture program will be enough of a contribution to Canada’s efforts to reduce its emissions.

Jeff Rubin, previously a chief economist for CIBC World Markets, argues that the only way to reach Canada’s Paris target is to implement a substantial national carbon tax.

“If it doesn’t cost to be dirty, then it doesn’t pay to be green,” said Rubin.

Rubin argues that if a national tax isn’t implemented, Canada will miss the 2020 target from anywhere from 120150 megatonnes, and the 2030 target by as much as 300 megatonnes, which 21 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

would constitute misses by 50-60 per cent.

He added that a key element to getting all provinces to sign on would be to level the playing field for the natural gas and fossil fuel industry in North America and apply a cross-country carbon tax.

Talks are underway between Canada, the United States and Mexico, but the outcome is murky so far.

A national tax may seem like the simplest route to curb our emissions, but adding stress on an already limping oil and gas industry isn’t just putting businesses at stake, but also the people who depend on those resources for their livelihoods.

This is why Alberta premier Rachel Notley and Saskatchewan premier Brad Wall say that pipelines are the only life rafts that will buoy their economies through troubling times.

And although some Canadians fear pipeline expansion, Canada’s National Energy Board (NEB) has approved both the Energy East Pipeline, a project that would potentially open up the oil supply form Alberta to St. John’s Newfoundland, and the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline, that would bring oil from Alberta to the docks in Vancouver.

Both are meant to bring Canadian oil to Asia and Europe, markets that are meant to be more eager than the United States, who, thanks to their shale fracking boom, no longer rely heavily on Canadian oil.Trudeau is not about to leave those markets out of the question. He’s stated that he believes new pipelines are necessary, and that the transition away from Canada’s fossil fuel economy should be paid for by, ironically enough, the fossil fuel industry. But he can’t jump the gun on pipelines either, because pipelines do spill, and they will expand the oil sands, which is the country’s highest emitter of greenhouse gases.

That’s why the Liberals have implemented new interim measures 22 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

to review major resource projects that include the consultation of Indigenous groups, as well as measures that weigh a project’s potential environmental impact. Along with these measures comes significant delay.

Conservative environment critic Ed Fast says that adding more hoops to jump through for projects that have already been approved by the NEB is hurting Canada’s economic prospects.

“They have injected an unprecedented uncertainty into the economy. The investment community has taken notice and that they are considering pulling money out of Canada,” said Fast.

TheY (THE Trudeau government) are going to need a coherent and clear understanding that Canada and Kahnawake and other First Nations are embarking on a process that is no longer business as usual.

Grand Chief Joseph Tokwiro Norton Grand Chief of the Kanawà:ke First Nation

Although Fast strongly welcomes the growth of the clean tech industry, he doesn’t believe that this could replace the contribution from the current energy sector.

McKenna has different views on innovative green technology. She referenced a study recently put out by the International Renewable Energy Agency stating that going greener could save the global economy over $4-trillion a year by 2030.

“I’m talking with all sectors, all industry associations, and everyone’s excited.This is an opportunity, and they recognize that we need to take action,” said McKenna. “It was businesses that

were ahead of government on this.

When I hear businesses saying yes, put a price on carbon, I know it’s good news. Businesses want certainty.”

In Paris, Trudeau also committed to participating in Mission Innovation, a program spearheaded by Bill Gates that includes 20 countries who have the intention to accelerate the development of the clean energy sector.

“We have a very serious process underway, with a timeframe,” said McKenna. She pointed to the federal government’s workings groups that will present solutions in the fall on how to reduce emissions in building, vehicles, the oil and gas sector, carbon pricing, adaptation, clean tech jobs and innovation.

Despite these steps forward, there are some other voices in Canada that claim the Liberals aren’t moving away from carbon emitting industries fast enough.

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson travelled to Ottawa, along with leaders from First Nations communities to protest the Trans Mountain pipeline.

Robertson argued that the pipeline would increase tanker traffic by seven times in his city, multiplying the possibility of oil spills and the amount of emissions in Vancouver to an unacceptable amount.

Montreal, along with the Government of Québec, have openly blasted Energy East, stating that the project cannot go forward due to environmental risks, no matter what the cost to Alberta.

Countless environmental groups around the country are vehemently opposed to any sort of pipeline, oil sands, or liquid natural gas expansion.

It’s clear that Canadians need some unification on what direction to take climate change policy, and nowhere was that clearer than when Trudeau met with Canada’s premiers to create his pan-Canadian framework on climate change in early March.

This meeting was meant to delineate

Canada’s climate strategy, but it resulted in delaying to finalize the plan in the fall.

“Canada is a federation, so we have to respect the right for governments to make the decisions they make,” said McKenna. She added that it’s more a federal responsibility to set the structure, and to listen to the unique needs of the provinces.

The truth of the matter is that if Trudeau and McKenna expect to hit their targets, there have to be major changes somewhere.

David Hughes, a scientist for the Geological Survey of Canada for over 30 years, recently released a report called Can Canada Expand Oil and Gas Production, Build Pipelines and Keep Its Climate Change Commitments?

Hughes calculated a best-case scenario, which would allow for a 45 per cent expansion of oil sands and the introduction of only one liquid natural gas (LNG) plant in B.C. by 2030.

Hughes’ calculations take into account B.C.’s fairly strict regulations, but he argues that even with these relatively low expansions of emissions, the rest of the national economy would have to shrink its emissions by 55 per cent in every sector over 14 years; an outcome that he finds almost impossible without great economic damage.

In B.C., Premier Christy Clark has promised several LNG plants as a way of paying off the province’s debts and creating jobs, and although several have been approved by the NEB, none have been built. LNG plants have remained in limbo for the same reasons new pipelines have, no one can find a consensus on if they should be built.

One shining example of this indecision is found in northwest B.C.’s Skeena Watershed. The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA) approved an $11.4-billion Pacific Northwest LNG plant, backed

by Malaysian state-owned energy company Petronas.The proposal gained national attention this year thanks to

the Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition (SWCC), who penned a letter, signed by 130 international scientists, addressed to the federal government, contesting the science reviewed by the CEAA.

the bigger the forest grows.”

Shannon McPhail, the executive director of SWCC, said that the area proposed for the plant is the site of the second largest salmon estuary in Canada, where every year, anywhere from 300-million to 1-billion salmon come to spawn. She, along with those scientists, argue that the LNG plant would be catastrophic for the salmon’s ecosystem.

McKenna admitted that she’s aware of the potential danger to the salmon, and also acknowledged that there will be significant emissions from the plant.

The CEAA reported that if built, the plant would emit 5.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide yearly.

The area proposed for the plant is the site of the second largest salmon estuary in Canada, where every year, anywhere from 300-million to 1-billion salmon come to spawn.

Shannon McPhail Executive Director Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition

The salmon are a $110-million industry for the people in the Skeena Watershed, a community heavily represented by Indigenous peoples.

“When the salmon come, the entire community shuts down in a way, because we’re all out fishing, pulling nets, cleaning, soaking, smoking, canning, flaying,” said McPhail.

“Every leaf, and every needle from every tree in this watershed has salmon in them. If you cut down a tree and look at its growth rings, you can estimate how many salmon returned that year by the size of the growth ring: the more salmon that come up

Petronas offered a $1-billion deal to the people of the Skeena Watershed as compensation, which was, according to McPhail, unanimously rejected.

The B.C. government, on the other hand, justifies the plant’s construction on the basis that the natural gas shipped overseas would help ween China off of burning coal for energy, a big hitter on the global scale for greenhouse gas emissions.

Now tasked with making a decision on the plant, McKenna said that the federal government will weigh its choice on the best available science, evidence and facts. In reality, the decision is more complicated than just science and facts. Trudeau’s cabinet must consider it’s promises to Indigenous groups, to climate commitments, to industry, to the needs of B.C.’s economy, their own popular opinion, and the people’s lives who will be affected by the plant itself.

“If they were to approve this project they would send the message to First Nations and to all communities in the area that Malaysia and Petronas are more valuable to them their own citizens, and certainly more valuable to them than keeping their word about climate change,” said McPhail, who admitted that not even she would want to have to make such a decision.

It would take a miracle to make everyone happy, and at this moment, it’s unclear which direction McKenna’s canoe will take us. She and Trudeau have to choose to move the country forward, without leaving half the country behind. Whatever the direction, no doubt it will be a “watershed moment” for the Liberals and for Canada itself n 23 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

24 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

opinion by Frank Raso & Greg Vezina

An Alternate View on Pipelines — Transport Ammonia not Crude

T

ransCanada Corporation’s (TCC) Energy East Pipeline (EEP) has been getting a lot of coverage in the news lately. Rather than building additional capacity in Alberta to refine Canadian bitumen and crude oil into high value finished products, the oil industry has been looking for ways to export oil to U.S. refineries with excess capacity.

Due to a lack of pipeline capacity to supply them much of Canadian oil was transported by rail, which caused it to be sold at a discount to offset its higher transportation cost. The failure of the Keystone Pipeline Project was the supposed impetus for the creation of the EEP. According to the Washington, D.C. based Association of Oil Pipe Lines (AOPL) the U.S. had built 12,000 miles of pipe between 2010 and 2015, more than ten times the capacity of Keystone.

In early 2014 TransCanada started transporting what would become 500,000 barrels / day of Canadian tar sands crude via its southern portion of the new Keystone the pipeline network, using the renamed Gulf Coast line which was removed from the larger project in 2012.

This gave TransCanada an effective way of getting around President Obama’s veto of the remaining Keystone XL Pipeline Project which would have eventually doubled capacity to 1 million barrels / day.

EEP is a 1.1 million barrel/day, 42” pipeline to transport oil from the western provinces to marine ports in the east that includes a repurposed 3000 km. natural gas pipeline from Burstall, SK to Iroquois, ON, and a new section to connect to three refineries: Suncor in Montreal; Valero in Quebec City;

and Irving in Saint John and marine terminals in Cacouna, QC and Saint John, NB. However, it is unlikely that much western oil transported via EEP will ever be refined in Canada because the Quebec refineries are already supplied

by Enbridge’s Line 9 reversal and the Saint John refinery has supply contracts for imported oil.

Alberta oil sands bitumen is very viscous and is upgraded to synthetic crude (syncrude) before being refined.

It is typically diluted with a lighter petroleum product to be transported by pipeline and heavier than water, which makes spills in waterways catastrophic and very expensive to clean up.

RATHER THAN BUILDING MORE INFRASTRUCTURE TO EXPORT

along the St. Lawrence River in SaintAugustin-de-Desmaures, QC. Rather than building more infrastructure to export unrefined oil commodities, it would be wiser to instead manufacture high value anhydrous ammonia (NH3) from Canadian natural gas and petroleum resources.

Ammonia is one of the most manufactured commodities in the world and is used both as an industrial feedstock and as a fertilizer. It is commonly made from brown sources (like natural gas) but it is ideally suited to be made from green sources (like wind, solar, and hydroelectric power), and it gives us the ability to store and transport electricity economically in existing pipelines.

PETROLEUM RESOURCES.

Because it is consists of 3 hydrogen atoms bonded to a single nitrogen atom, ammonia contains more hydrogen than liquefied hydrogen, and it handles much like Propane (LPG), so it can also easily be used as a carbonfree fuel for both internal combustion engines and fuel cells.

The largest inland oil spill and one of the costliest spills in U.S. history was the 2010 Enbridge Line 6B pipeline rupture which spilled bitumen into Talmadge Creek, a tributary of the Kalamazoo river outside of Marshall, Michigan.

The University of Ontario Institute of Technology is developing a process for manufacturing ammonia from fossil fuels (including natural gas and oil sands bitumen) that avoids greenhouse gas emissions by producing carbon-black instead of carbon dioxide (CO2).

Using the existing 40 year old EEP as planned will pose serious threats to local water supplies and communities along its route including in Winnipeg, Kenora, Thunder Bay, North Bay and Area, Temagami, Sturgeon Falls, the Trout Lake watershed and Mattawa River through to the Mattawa area, lands around the Rideau River and the Ottawa region’s rural residential areas, and be meters from residences

We can use EEP to safely transport ammonia manufactured in Canada to export terminals and to the existing ammonia pipeline system in the USA n

UNREFINED OIL COMMODITIES, IT WOULD BE WISER TO INSTEAD MANUFACTURE HIGH VALUE ANHYDROUS AMMONIA (NH3) FROM CANADIAN NATURAL GAS AND

First in a series of four articles for OLM

by Greg Vezina, Chairman, and Frank

Raso, Chief Scientist, Hydrofuel Inc. and C.A.E.C.- Canadian Alternative Energy Corp.

25 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

26 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

canada/kazakstan friends by OLM staff

Astana Emerges: Expo 2017 Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan is inviting the world to attend Expo 2017 in Astana, one of the world’s most modern and green cities.

The Expo 2017 global gathering will highlight developments from around the world in the field of green, renewable and sustainable energy. Expo 2017 will place Astana, Kazakhstan in the international spotlight for three months from June 10 to September 20, 2017. During the world-class event, Kazakhstan will host delegations from over 100 countries, and will showcase cutting-edge green energy and sustainability technologies that could provide solutions to energy issues around the world. It will draw three to five million visitors, which would make it the largest international gathering of its kind for both Kazakhstan and Central Asia.

Kazakhstan is a major producer of non-renewable energy sources, but it has been using the profits from these successful ventures to transition to a “green” economy. Expo 2017 is expected to increase foreign investment, international trade and tourism in the country and raise its international profile, making it one of the most influential states in Central Asia.

Roman Vassilenko, Chairman of the Committee for International Information, said that a key part of Expo 2017 is the Future Energy Forum.

“Future energy is one of the most universal discussions of our time, which is why we have chosen it as the central theme for Expo 2017.”

The Future Energy Forum will attract the world’s leading experts in green energy, renewables, green technologies and science-related matters. Organizers hope the Future Energy Forum will be the nexus to establish cooperation between international governments, social and business structures and academic communities, including universities, academic institutes, research centres, public foundations and NGOs.

Vassilenko explained that Kazakhstan will also use the 2017 global fair to call for increased use of renewable energy resources and “will be an important platform for innovations in renewable energy, including wind, solar and hydro power.” Organizers expect that the Expo will expand Kazakhstan’s global cooperation with industrialized, developing and less developed countries. Kazak officials have a particular focus on developing nations south of the equator, hoping the Expo will trigger a new era of expanded development programs with them. President Nazarbayev believes Expo 2017 will be “the greatest achievement at the international level since Kazakhstan’s independence.”

Canada is expected to have a strong presence in Astana. Canadian Foreign Affairs officials have been actively working with Kazakhstan on governance models for over a decade, and the Canadian Ambassador to Kazakhstan, Shawn Steil, is highly regarded by government and business officials in the country. In addition, the Centre for International Governance 27 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

Solid Hardwood • Exotic Hardwood Flooring Engineered Flooring • Laminate• Tile • Vinyl • Cork Railing & Staircases • Recapping Staircase • Refacing Staircase

28 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

Innovation (CIGI), a highly respected Canadian think tank, has been working closely with Kazakhstan officials and using its in-house expertise and its worldwide network of practitioners to share its knowledge on some key governance issues in the country.

CIGI is also a partner in the Balsillie School of International Affairs (BSIA), an institute for advanced research, education, and outreach in the fields of global governance and international public policy.

BSIA founder Jim Balsillie (founder of BlackBerry) is currently the Chairman of Sustainable Development Technologies Canada (SDTC), the Canadian government’s six billion dollar clean tech fund. SDTC works to bring economically viable, clean technologies to the market. SDTC invests in globally competitive Canadian companies that produce tangible environmental benefits that make Canada’s economy more competitive. It is expected that Balsillie and Environment Minister Catherine McKenna and other senior Canadian officials will be invited to attend the global expo along with green energy stalwarts like Al Gore, Elon Musk, Laurent Fabius and many of the key participants in the 2015 Paris Climate Change agreements.

Over 2.5 billion people live in close proximity to Kazakhstan, and it’s only a three-hour flight from the capital city of India, a five-hour flight from the capital of China and a three-hour flight from Moscow. In addition, there are excellent connections from North America for western visitors.

The government of Kazakhstan has allocated almost half a billion dollars to construct the Expo site and build a new generation of mass transit and roads to serve it.The Expo itself will be

Fi everywhere, so that every corner of the world with access to the Internet can see this historic event,” said Aidar Kazybayev, Chair of the Trade Committee of the Ministry of Economic Development.

Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Astana will become the first digital Expo, with video cameras and Wi-Fi everywhere, so that every corner of the world with access to the Internet can see this historic event.

held on 113 hectares (279.23 acres) of land at the end of Millennium Alley in the new southwest district of the city.

The Millennium Alley area “combines numerous facilities of political and cultural significance for the city… close to the city’s new centre.” The Expo site has also attracted $1.3 billion in foreign investments.

“This includes the costs of constructing the exhibition pavilions and new hotels for visitors,” said Expo 2017 National Coordinator and Executive Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rapil Zhoshybayev. “This will be mainly paid out of new investments.

And it is in line with the average amount spent on holding other Expos around the world.” Organizers also plan to install streaming cameras throughout the expo site to broadcast the event worldwide.

“Astana will become the first digital Expo, with video cameras and Wi-

And all of this effort will not go to waste after the Expo is over. Venues built for the exposition will serve as longer-term investments by positioning Kazakhstan and its capital as an attractive centre for other future large international expositions and information presentation platforms.

“In the future, part of the exhibition facilities and platforms will be used as scientific laboratories, scientific centres and research institutes after the exhibition is held.

“We also want to use the buildings built in the Expo village and the hotels as (government-owned) apartment buildings. This will help resolve social issues and development of our capital,” Zhoshybayev said. Part of facilities will also house a new Nazarbayev University research centre, which could be used to further the innovations presented at the Expo.

Hosting Expo 2017 comes at a perfect time for Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan recently became a member of the World Trade Organization and that combined with Expo 2017 will exponentially increase awareness in the global community about Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan officials hope that by helping stimulate international discussion on sustainable green energy and economies through their hosting of the world’s most important green energy expo, it will increase their presence in world affairs n See more at: http://www.ottawalife. com/2016/01/astana-emerges-expo2017/#sthash.x9CfDtzb.dpuf 29 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

PHOTO: COURTESY THE OFFICE OF THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION

cover by Dan Donovan

PA R L I A M E N TA RY W R A P U P S E S S I O N

With Rona Ambrose Attention: Rona Ambrose is not running for the Conservative leadership. However, after a stellar performance in the last Parliamentary session many with she would. We met sat down with the interim Leader of the Official Oposition to discuss the last Parliamentary session.

OTTAWA LIFE MAGAZINE: What

are observations of the new Liberal government over the last Parliamentary session?

HON. RONA AMBROSE: They have done a lot of consulting, and they still seem to be trying to find their way. Things seem a bit unorganized. I understand that it takes time to settle in. Prime Minister Trudeau didn’t come into office with much training.

He was vaulted from leader of the third party to prime minister. Usually you spend time as leader of the opposition and then win an election and go into government. It’s the same for his ministers.

OLM: You have experience as a

minister in government. Is there 30 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

anyone who has impressed you so far or who stands out?

Minister of Health, Jane Philpott. During Question Period, she gives real answers and straightforward information. When I worked as the minister of health, opposition MPs would often come up to me and thank me for giving straight answers in Question Period or committee, and I always thought that was odd. But now being in the opposition, I see what they meant and how valuable that is. Philpott is constructive, forthright and respectful of the process.

HON. RONA AMBROSE:

OLM: What are your thoughts

on Bill C-14? The assisted dying bill is a contentious issue,

especially now that the Senate has weighed in on widening the parameters of who should be eligible.

HON. RONA AMBROSE: The bill reflects a good balance. When it was brought to the House, there was, at times, emotional and passionate debate.

I thought the Bill was good and agreed with most of it, but I didn’t vote for it because it was an open vote and I still have some concerns. I think we need to add safeguards and provisions that address concerns raised by many in the disabled community and also for the mentally ill. It’s a very complex matter and there are so many ethical issues at stake. As for the Senate, it certainly has the authority to propose amendments but it becomes problematic when they

entirely reject a bill sent to them by elected Members of the House.

The government is indicating it does not wish to be part of the F35 consortium.

Prime Minister Trudeau says the F-35 fighter jets don’t work.

Comment?

OLM:

The Prime Minister’s remarks about the F-35 are simply not true: they do work.

Decisions on fighter jets should not be made by politicians, but by the air force. The F-35s are better for interoperability; not having them would put us out of step with our allies. The previous Conservative government supported their purchase for Canada. However, the procurement was delayed over audit, budget and oversight issues. The Hornet that the Liberals are now talking about is a good fighter jet but sole-sourcing is not the answer. The Liberals should have an open competition to see which planes to buy, but they won’t because they know if the did, the F-35 would win.

will be problematic for the Liberals if they’re not going to listen to the science and evidence given to them by the appointed governmental body just because they don’t like the answer.

They said decisions will be based on evidence. How can they not agree with the NEB on these issues? They are the body that decides what can happen based on all the input and the

HON. RONA AMBROSE:

OLM: What about the debate

on pipelines?

RONA AMBROSE: It’s interesting that Alberta’s NDP premier Rachel Notley campaigned against pipelines, and now she’s recognized they’re required and they’re safe. Now we have a Conservative premier from Sasakatchewan, NDP premier from Alberta and Liberal premiers from Ontario and New Brunswick all supporting the Energy East pipeline.

HON.

OLM: There is similar debate

around liquid natural gas (LNG) plants, most specifically the one proposed in B.C.’s Skeena Watershed. One hundred and thirty scientists wrote to the Prime Minister contesting the National Energy Board’s (NEB) approval of the project.

We have to trust the NEB’s process. They have made recommendations, and it

HON. RONA AMBROSE:

We have to trust the NEB’s process. They have made recommendations, and it will be problematic for the Liberals if they’re not going to listen to the science and evidence given to them by the appointed governmental body just because they don’t like the answer.

government settled many comprehensive land claims and was also very focused on Aboriginal economic development programs that were starting to show signs of success. A significant push was made for improving the conditions and funding in education for Aboriginal children via new federal legislation.

Unfortunately, that legislation, which would have injected $2-billion new dollars into education for Aboriginal children across Canada, was halted because of an internal rift within the Assembly of First Nations.This caused AFN Chief Shawn Atleo to leave. The legislation had widespread support across the country so it is sad that it did not proceed. I think it is fair to say that we (the former Conservative government) did not communicate very well in regards to the many things we did on the Aboriginal file.

They said decisions will be based on evidence.

evidence.

OLM: The Conservative party recently amended its opposition to same-sex marriage. What does that mean for the party?

HON. RONA AMBROSE: It was an important step. A large part of the party is libertarian and they believe government should stay out of people’s lives.Then other Conservatives believe strongly in freedom and economic prosperity, and not to have their government interfere in their lives.

There are also representatives from the LGBT community in the party, so I’m very pleased and proud that the change was made.

OLM: Can you comment on the previous Conservative government’s handling of Aboriginal Affairs in Canada?

HON. RONA AMBROSE: I think we did much more than we are credited for. Stephen Harper was officially apologized for residential schools and initiated the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The Conservative

OLM: You were affected personally by the Fort McMurray Fires. Are you confident the government is doing everything properly to assist the residents as they go back and rebuild?

HON. RONA AMBROSE: There was a lot of support from the Alberta government and the private sector and NGOs. The federal government has also been assisting –as they should- but I will take a “wait and see” attitude as people come home from the fires and work at getting back on their feet.

OLM: Finally, many in the Conservative Party and many media pundits have suggested that you are making the Tory Leadership race tough because of your impressive performance to date as Interim Leader.

Many are saying you should be allowed to run so you can stay on.

I took the job as interim leader and I am not running. I’m going to start wearing a t-shirt that says, “I’m not running.”

The Conservative party has so many great potential leaders from within

HON. RONA AMBROSE:

31 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

reaching higher/education by Anna May Burke

Algonquin College Plans Institute for Indigenous Entrepreneurship As graduates made their way to the stage at Algonquin College’s recent convocation ceremonies, there were no violins. Instead, the graduates’ processional moved to the powerful beat of the pow-wow drum.

It was a way for the College to acknowledge that the ceremony, and the College itself, are on the ancestral territory of the Algonquin People — and just one of the ways Algonquin College is embracing the culture that is its namesake.

Just this spring, the College submitted an ambitious multi-million dollar proposal to the federal government to develop the Algonquin College Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Learning Centre. The Institute for Indigenous Entrepreneurship, part of the state-of-the-art facility, would help Indigenous students take entrepreneurial ideas and turn them into reality through a combination of mentorship, peer support and cultural connections.

“Our Institute for Indigenous Entrepreneurship is going to be the first of its kind in Ontario,” says Cheryl Jensen, president of Algonquin College.

“And it’s going to be developed in partnership with our indigenous community partners. I think that’s an important part of this equation because it will help us ensure that this Centre is just as much about culture as it is about entrepreneurship, and that’s a relationship that will help our students build confidence and thrive here at the College, and also when they return to their own communities.”

Andre O’Bonsawin, the College’s Aboriginal Portfolio Manager, says bringing the Indigenous community into the building process is going to help the College create an environment of trust.

“The Indigenous community wants to feel part of the College and so it’s 32 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

important to include them in decisions that affect their students,” he explains.

“For a long time, just like the residential schools, they were forced to do things, so we want to be inclusive.”

And the Indigenous community will also have a role to play once the Institute opens its doors — providing guidance, guest speakers and networking opportunities.

“It will be a place where Indigenous learners can express themselves culturally and their values will be respected while learning from Indigenous mentors on how to launch a business. The Centre will allow our learners to talk to about the challenges of being an Indigenous entrepreneur and conducting business with non-Indigenous businesses,” says O’Bonsawin.

Algonquin College was home to 1,182 self-identified Indigenous students this past term — a number that’s growing at about 12 per cent per year.

Nathaniel Parant, Senior Program Lead at Ottawa’s Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health, says the young Indigenous population in general is on the rise.

“One thing that’s very important to note is that 68 per cent of Indigenous people are youth,” says Parant, who works with a number of Indigenous entrepreneurs. “It’s a totally inversed statistic compared to mainstream cultures.”

And, he says, it’s a young demographic that’s seeking opportunities to get involved in entrepreneurial ventures but that is simultaneously hampered by a cultural mindset at odds with the

aggressive “go get ‘em” philosophy that’s traditionally associated with growing a business.

“It’s a different lens of the world,” says Parant. “(In indigenous culture) there’s more of an understanding of the circle — everyone in the circle is equal, different and interconnected.

That’s a key part to Indigenous entrepreneurship.”

Phil Commonda, Aboriginal Events Coordinator at the College, says this understanding is exactly what is needed to help these students succeed.

A former student of the College in the late ‘90s, Commonda returned to his alma mater to work and now helps Indigenous students every day.

“Since I’ve been back, Algonquin College has been a very supportive place for Indigenous learning,” he says.

“It’s allowing Aboriginal students to be elevated, it’s giving them confidence so that they can be innovative.”

And the College is already seeing the results. Culinary alumna MarieCécile “Cezin” Nottaway is one of the best-known success stories so far. Her Wawatay Catering company has been winning rave reviews and some highprofile clients — including former Governor General Michaëlle Jean.

“Being an entrepreneur is in our DNA,” says Nottaway. “We were traders before time immemorial.” n

the law and you/ottawa legal by Marie Corbett & OLM staff

A Woman Judge’s Season of Disillusion Below is an excerpt from January: A Woman Judge’s Season of Disillusion by Marie Corbett. January is the story of Corbett’s personal and professional lives becoming painfully entangled. Facing a number of important trials while trying to comfort an ailing friend, Corbett must find an answer to questions she’d never asked before.

By nine o’clock, I was in my chambers and dressing for court. I threaded the watchband through Anne’s ring and tucked both of them in my vest pocket, so I would have them close and couldn’t misplace them. As I fastened the tabs around my neck, I couldn’t get my head around it. Why am I not at Anne’s side? She was my friend, I loved her, and nobody else was there. It was obvious that I should take time off to be with a dying friend. Why didn’t I call the Regional Senior Justice and say, “I have other priorities. I’m taking a leave of absence for a while”?

When I’d told Anne earlier that I would be willing to accompany her to California to seek treatment, my commitment had been genuine. It wasn’t merely a dramatic response engendered by a dramatic situation. What was so important now about my work? Nothing in my life as a judge couldn’t be postponed. The muddle of the trial with the tattooed bikers could start again after two days of evidence. A few other cases would have to be rescheduled, but trials are routinely rescheduled for many reasons. In my judicial career, I’d missed only five days of work, and those were in the first three months, when I’d foolishly tried out my sons’ skateboard and fractured my elbow. The truth is that accused persons aren’t anxious to get to trial, and delays work in their favour. Witnesses move away, memories become dimmer. And then there is the legal dance of seeking adjournments with an unexpressed hope of getting the charge dismissed because of delay in bringing the case to trial.

Devoted to my work, I took pride in being a thorough, fair, and competent judge. Even as opportunities had arisen to visit Anne, I’d felt guilty leaving my chambers without offering to do other work, as if my professional life was more worthwhile than my personal one. Although I was trapped in the daily exigencies of my workplace and my work, I felt it more important to be with Anne as she struggled to stay alive.

I saw that imbalance, yet I couldn’t act on it. My lifelong commitment to work and to doing that work well was ingrained, along with some mantras: Get an education; get a job; be successful. In law school, I had added the goals of contributing to social and legal change. I was dutiful to family, career, community. Never could I remember anyone saying that happiness was a worthwhile goal. If they did, it passed me by. Now, having achieved secular success and respectability, I was no The Hon. Marie Corbett, Q.C., is a retired superior court trial judge who presided in longer sure of their value. I was no longer Toronto for 14 years. A dedicated crusader for social justice in Canada, Corbett was a founding living as I wanted to live. member of and first woman President of the Canadian Environmental Law Association. As a member of the first Ontario Status of Women Council, she organized the first family law

Still, I entered the courtroom exactly at ten o’clock. I was an on-time judge.

conference pressing for women’s rights in marriage. Her honours include Queen’s Counsel and Women of Distinction Special Award from the YWCA. 33 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

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the law and you/ottawa legal David Contant

Explicit Videos and Peeping Tom Drones —

Emerging Torts in the Twenty-First Century

no secret that the legal system has Itot’sbeen largely ineffective in adapting the realities on the ground created by social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

But judges and lawmakers are slowly becoming more adept at dealing with new technologies. Individuals who invade the privacy of others may now face not only criminal penalties, but also exposure to payment of significant damages to their victims Non-Consensual Publication of Photos and Videos

decision of Jane Doe 464533, Justice Stinson confirmed that posting sexually explicit videos or photographs without a person’s consent can result in civil liability for breach of privacy.

John and Jane Doe (their identities are protected by a publication ban) started dating in Grade 12. In August 2011, John repeatedly asked Jane, who was living in another city, to make a sexually explicit video. The court found that Jane did not want to do so, but under pressure “caved in” and sent the video to John.

In December 2014, the Protecting Canadians from Online Crime Act added a new criminal offence of nonconsensual publication/distribution of intimate images.Anyone who publishes an intimate image of a person without consent is now guilty of an offence and can be sentenced to up to five years in prison.

In early December 2011, Jane learned that John had posted the video on a pornography website and had shared it with her former classmates. The court found that the consequences arising for Jane were “significant and long-lasting.” She was awarded compensation of $141,708.03.

In 2012, the Ontario Court of Appeal confirmed the existence of the tort of invasion of privacy in the decision of Jones v. Tsige. This case dealt with a bank employee using her position to examine the banking records of her spouse’s ex-wife. The court found that an individual can be liable to pay damages for “intrusion upon seclusion” where the invasion of privacy in question would be “highly offensive” to a “reasonable person.”

CBC News has reported that an estimated one million recreational drones were sold this past Christmas season across North America.

Unfortunately, there is no legislation in Ontario creating civil liability for the non-consensual distribution of intimate images. This means that, until recently, it was questionable whether an individual could sue for damages based on the posting of a sexually explicit image or video unless the elements of other torts were present.

One Toronto judge has now filled this legal “gap.” In the January 2016 PHOTO: MIV PHOTOGRAPHY

Peeping Tom Drones

As more and more individuals begin flying recreational drones, new privacy law questions are emerging. For example, a Vancouver woman made headlines when she reported that a drone appeared to be trying to capture images of her sun-tanning topless on her private balcony.

prohibition on criminal harassment).

In August, 2015, Canadian Underwriter Magazine reported on five fundamental risks that could harm drone users or manufacturers: (a) negligent or reckless pilots; (b) patchy regulatory regimes; (c) poor enforcement; (d) vulnerability to cyberattack; and (d) privacy infringement.

Theoretically, the operator of a “peeping Tom” drone spying on a sunbather could be subject to a claim for breach of privacy. The question would be whether the conduct in question was “highly offensive” to a “reasonable person.”

There are, however, more nefarious privacy breaches that could be occasioned by recreational drone users, such as the theft of personal information. This type of conduct will almost certainly result in liability.

Civil liability relating to drones could have significant implications for Ottawa residents and business owners.

In October, 2015, the Ottawa Business Journal reported on the success of Ottawa’s very own Drone Fest and the potential for the City of Ottawa to play a leadership role in drone innovation.

How the courts will deal with civil liability arising from the use and operation of drones remains to be seen n

There is little doubt that improper use of drones raises the potential for civil liability. It is likely that existing tort law principles provide injured parties the right to sue for damages arising from the negligent use and operation of drones.

David Contant is an associate lawyer at Nelligan O’Brien Payne LLP, and a member of our Commercial Litigation, Insurance Defence, and Personal Injury groups. David can be reached by email at david.contant@nelligan.ca or by calling 613-231-8354 n

Drone operators are also subject to the provisions of the Criminal Code of Canada (for example, the existing

For more information on commercial litigation law, please visit www.nelligan.ca.

35 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

patient-centred health care series by OLM staff

Ottawa’s Most Innovative Hospital Tom Schonberg is the President of What Many Consider to be Ottawa’s Best Hospital

T

PHOTO: TREVOR LUSH

om Schonberg has been the President and CEO of Queensway Carleton Hospital (QCH) in Ottawa since 1998. He has played a big part in helping QCH become one of the top medical institutions in Ontario. Now celebrating its 40th anniversary, QCH serves a population of over 400,000 each year. It is the secondary referral centre for the Ottawa region, but its mission is to constantly strive to be first in community care. Schonberg has overseen the transformative change and immense growth of the hospital’s facilities in the past decade that has been a boon to Ottawa’s community, influencing a significant improvement in health and medical treatment in the region.

The hospital now employs 1,900 employees and over 300 physicians on staff. It relies heavily on the help of the community, with 575 volunteers who donated over 45,000 hours of their time last year. Schonberg is quick to credit his team and the staff at the hospital and notes that one of the reasons for the hospital’s growth and continuing success is the commitment of its volunteers. “There are some exceptional people who volunteer their time to help us every day,” says Schonberg.“They really are the soul of this place and we genuinely appreciate their help.”

As for the mechanics of the hospital, QCH has state-of-the-art facilities including: two MRI units, two CT scanners, cutting-edge surgical suites with 10 operating rooms, a 12-bed ICU, a 15-bed dialysis unit, an acute rehabilitation unit, and a Emergency Department and Ambulatory Care complex. Schonberg also established the Irving Greenberg Family Cancer Centre as well as the James Beach Health Care Centre.

Schonberg’s latest QCH venture is participation in the Acute Care for

An innovative approach was required in Ottawa when it came to geriatric care… it’s important to be respectful and to provide the appropriate care that is patient focused first. the Elderly (ACE) initiative. The ACE program aims to serve the growing elderly population in Canada. It is a collaborative enterprise that includes 18 hospitals across the nation, one of which is the QCH, making it one of

the leading institutions for geriatric care in Canada.

About 15 per cent of the city’s population is over the age of 65 and that number is expected to double

** Prior to coming to Ottawa Schonberg was CEO of Bowmanville Memorial Hospital and Senior Vice-President of Toronto’s Riverdale.

In recognition of his contributions to Queensway Carleton Hospital and broader community, he was awarded with the Order of Ottawa in 2014. In 2012, Queensway Carleton was awarded an “Accreditation with Exemplary Standing”, the highest honour given by Accreditation Canada.

36 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

over the next 20 years.

Schonberg told Ottawa Life that in light of those statistics, “an innovative approach was required in Ottawa when it came to geriatric care.What you don’t want is a risk of overcrowding hospitals especially with an ageing population, so it’s important to be respectful and to provide the appropriate care that is patient focused first.”

Schonberg noted that the cost of health care is a constant concern for any hospital, but it is essential at QCH that these concerns don’t trump proper patient outcomes.

The ACE unit at QCH is scheduled for completion by the fall of 2016.It has 34 beds, an interdisciplinary team to care for the various needs of aging patients, and a homey and comfortable environment.

“ACE is meant to address its patient’s particular needs efficiently so seniors and their families can avoid drawn out hospital stays. We have a plan for discharge that begins upon admission and allows for elderly patients to continue their care in the comfort of their own homes,” says Schonberg.

Another big challenge facing hospitals in Canada has been addressing the increase in mental health admissions.

QCH has seen a 30 per cent increase in mental health admissions, a 55 per cent increase in substance abuse visits and a 25 per cent increase in patients diagnosed with mental health issues in the past decade.

Schonberg assures that Queensway Carleton is not shrinking from this challenge and will be there for patients in the community who require help.

“We have a campaign we just launched called Hopes Rising. I am hopeful that our community will support the campaign to raise $5 million to help the hospital continue to serve the growing mental health needs of the city.”

Based on his track record and relationship with the community, it’s probably a sure thing n 37 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

the canada-turkey/ottoman to ottawa friendship series by Alex Mazur

Turkish Canadian Community RAISES MONEY FOR CHEO

n Saturday April 23, distinO guished guests gathered to celebrate Turkish National Sovereignty

and International Children’s day at a fundraising gala organized by the Council of Turkish Canadians (CTC), the proceeds of which were donated to the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO). The CTC has been organizing this commemorative event for the past seven years, and has raised $90,000 for CHEO in the process.

For those in Turkey, and Turkish communities around the world, April 23 is a national and international holiday. It is a day to commemorate the first gathering of the Grand National Assembly, the first independent Turkish Parliament, established on April 23, 1920. The founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kamal Atatürk, linked Turkish independence with honouring the children of Turkey, and children of the world, to promote a message of peace and hope for the future in the wake of political turmoil.

In 1920, the establishment of the Grand National Assembly in Ankara, the current capital of Turkey, as opposed to Istanbul, the previous capital of the Ottoman Empire, was more than a change in geography. This 38 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

day symbolizes the freedom to choose values such as democracy, equality, secularism,and human rights,according to Murat Saatcioglu, a Distinguished professor in Civil Engineering at the University of Ottawa, a volunteer for the CTC, and a guest at the Children’s Day gala.

the CTC and organizer of the gala, came to Canada from in 1967. She has been a vibrant and integral part of the Turkish-Canadian community here in Ottawa, and has been working with the CTC since 1973, putting into practice the Turkish anthem, “peace at home, peace abroad.”

In Turkey, on April 23, children from around the world are invited as guests into Turkish homes to celebrate international peace and friendship, and to participate in opening Parliament as an international assembly of children.

The goal is to promote fraternity and friendship no matter what nation of origin.

“This gala means we’re doing something good for Canada, something good for the children,” said Taymaz. “We’re coming together to help contribute to Canada while still remembering our roots by teaching our children positive things about our history.”

Celebrations occur across Canada, in cities like Toronto, Vancouver and Edmonton. In Ottawa, the Turkish Ambassador Selcuk Ünal attended the gala with his wife and young daughter. He reiterated the message of peace and hope one he says resounds throughout all the Turkish diaspora on International Children’s Day. Kevser Taymaz, founding president of

Auction items, including paintings donated by well-known Turkish painters such as Hikmet Çetinkaya, “the poppy man,” whose paintings have been in the Canadian War Museum and art by Mine Burak, a painter and ceramic artist who lived in Ottawa during the 1980s, brought in generous bids.

This year, the International Children’s Day gala raised an estimated $10,000 for CHEO n

the canada-turkey/ottoman to ottawa friendship series by Alex Mazur

Turkish Airlines Does Business Right When planning a trip to Europe, it might not be a Canadian’s first instinct to choose Turkey as their jumping off point, but perhaps it should be.Turkish Airlines flies to Istanbul from Toronto and Montreal, and the airline itself might just be Europe’s best-kept travel secrets.

Skytrax, a company that rates airlines around the world based on customer reviews, has ranked Turkish Airlines amongst the top ten airlines in the world consecutively since 2011. A business class flight, explained by Darren Dunlop, manager of corporate sales in Montreal, involves a fine dining extravaganza cooked by what he called their “flying chefs.” It’s an experience that is meant to take you away from your flight, and give you a taste of gourmet Turkish cuisine. The seats in business class also recline fully to create a comfortable bed, so that on

long flights you can arrive to your next destination feeling rested and refreshed.

On top of it stellar reviews, Istanbul's prime geographic location, enables Turkish Airlines to fly to 115 different countries, and 285 destinations,. making it the airline that flies to the most countries in the world. Istanbul then becomes what Dunlop calls a “connection gateway to Europe,Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and obviously into Turkey.”

With this in mind, Turkish Airlines

recently upgraded its Lounge Istanbul, which according to Skytrax is the best business class lounge in the world.

Measured at 5900 square metres, the lounge is bigger than some small airports. It has a myriad of chefs on site able to make different food to order, a library, golf simulators, a cinema, and private rooms available for those waiting for connections to refresh.

Economy fliers also get some perks when flying with Turkish Airlines. For any connection in Istanbul that lasts longer than six hours, Turkish Airlines offers tours of Istanbul, no reservation or payment required. So when planning your next trip to Europe, taking the path less travelled to Istanbul just might make all the difference in your vacation experience n 39 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

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canada-china friendship series by Luo Zhaohui

Chinese Investors Remain Confident

about Canadian Market I. Chinese Investment in Canada Continues to Grow.

Canada has been one of China’s favourite global destinations for investment in recent years. China’s Ministry of Commerce statistics shows that China’s non-financial outbound direct investment (ODI) rose 14.7 per cent year-on-year to a historic high of US$118.02 billion in 2015. This was the 13th year of consecutive growth for China’s ODI, which averages 33.6 percent over the last 13 years. As of year-end 2015, the stock of China’s ODI exceeded one trillion US dollars for the first time. Canada ranks 12th among China’s ODI outflow destinations.

According to Statistics Canada, the stock of China’s direct investment in Canada was valued at CAN$25.08 billion at the end of 2014, up 22.8 per cent year-on-year, accounting for 3.42 per cent of Canada’s total inbound foreign direct investment (FDI). China is now Canada’s sixth largest source of FDI. The stock of Canada’s FDI in China was CAN$6.794 billion at the end of 2014, rising 16.4 per cent year-onyear and accounting for 0.82 per cent of Canada’s total outbound FDI.

According to preliminary statistics of the Chinese Embassy in Canada, as of year-end 2015, over 200 Chinese companies have invested in Canada.

The stock of their investment was valued at over US$60 billion. In 2015 alone, 22 Chinese-invested companies were set up and started operation in Canada, with an investment flow of US$4.495 billion.

II. Investment in Canada is Diversifying.

Although Chinese investment has focused on the energy and mining industries, there has been a growing trend towards investment in other sectors in recent years. This is particularly true in the last two years when more and more Chinese investors have opted for sectors other than energy and mining.

Among the 22 Chinese-invested companies that were set up in Canada in 2015, only two chose to invest in the energy and mining sectors and their investment accounted for only 2 per cent of the 22’s. Seven of them invested in real estate or related sectors while the remaining 13 channelled their capital to other sectors ranging from wholesale and retail, science research,

technology service to commercial service, agriculture and hotel industry.

Chinese investment could be found in almost all Canadian provinces and territories except Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Nunavut.

Impacted by the global economic cycle, some Chinese-invested companies in Canada, especially those in the energy and mining sectors, are finding themselves in a difficult situation.

That being said, Chinese investors remain confident about investment prospects in Canada. Their confidence is built on Canada’s sound investment environment and the two countries’ high economic complementarities.

III. Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement and Other Bilateral Agreements Facilitates Mutual Investment.

In September 2012, China and Canada signed a Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA), which entered into force as of 1 October 2014.The FIPA has boosted two-way investment significantly.

On 2 April 2015, China and Canada 41 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

signed an Agreement on Social Security. The agreement provides for continuity of social security coverage for employees sent by their Chinese or Canadian employers to work temporarily in the receiving country.

The agreement eliminates situations in which such individuals and their Chinese or Canadian employers will have to contribute to both China’s pension programme and the Canada Pension Plan for the same work.

In February 2016, a Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA) between China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Canada was signed in Toronto.

The conclusion and implementation of these agreements provide additional legal and institutional assurances to investors of both countries and will strengthen their confidence. The agreements can help Chinese and Canadian investors more easily access each other’s investment market and will

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Chinese-invested companies have created over 6,400 direct job opportunities for Canadians, including many from aboriginal communities

have a positive and far-reaching impact on the growth of China-Canada trade and economic relations. A Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between China and Canada, once concluded, is sure to give even stronger impetus to twoway trade, investment and cooperation between the two countries.

IV. Chinese-Invested Companies Contribute to Canada’s Social and Economic Development.

Chinese-invested companies in Canada always abide by Canadian laws and rules. All following a localisation strategy, they have built mutual trust with relevant Canadian authorities and business partners and fully integrated

into local communities. They have never failed to fulfil corporate social responsibilities and have contributed to Canada’s economic and social development through mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation.

Such win-win outcome can be seen from the following perspectives. First, China’s investment in the energy and mining sectors has provided much needed fund for the development of these capital-intensive sectors.

Secondly, Chinese-invested companies have created enormous employment opportunities in Canada. According to preliminary statistics of the Chinese Embassy in Canada, as of year-end 2015, Chinese-invested companies have created over 6,400 direct job opportunities for Canadians, including many from aboriginal communities.

Thirdly, while pursuing business growth, Chinese-invested companies have actively fulfilled their corporate social responsibilities and contributed to the development of local communities n

travel by Shane Carmichael

Hyatt Ziva Cancun Cancun and the Mayan Riviera are popular vacation destinations for Canadians. At the tip of the Yucatán Peninsula, the newly refurbished Hyatt Ziva Cancun provides another great reason to keep going back.

urrounded by the Caribbean Sea S on three sides, this family- friendly all inclusive resort encompasses three

towers (Pyramid, Club and Premium), two beaches and numerous room options for couples or larger groups.

Offerings include two storey family suites and swim-up suites with infinity pools. The rooms feature spectacular views of Caribbean Sea and Hyatt’s brand of high end, classy, signature service. The design incorporates a contemporary feel with a bow to Mayan traditions and colour.

The lobby design features a glass and coral stone theme that leads to a grand staircase cleverly designed for dual use as seating for the live entertainment at the resort’s outdoor amphitheatre.

Amenities include free resort-wide Wi-Fi, room service and TVs with a great selection of channels. Rooms have espresso makers, beach butlers and access to the Bar del Mar Lounge for tapas and cocktails. You can easily spend most of the day on the beautiful beach or at one of the three lagoonstyle infinity swimming pools which have lots of beach chairs and a comfy, laidback vibe. The resort staff is terrific and you’ll never wait for a cold drink.

Young families can take advantage of the Kidz Club while adults can visit the resort’s seafront Zen Spa for a mud rap or caviar facial before going into the hydrotherapy pool or resting under the shaded huts on the beach. All nonmotorized sports are free including bicycling, yoga classes, the weight and PHOTO: VRX STUDIOS

workout gym, snorkelling, aerobics classes in the pool, paddle boarding and water basketball and volleyball.You have the option of renting two-storey wooden cabanas (USD$150-$240 per day with swim-up bars and a big hot tub) and there are fees for motorized water sports which is the norm throughout the Caribbean. Patrons take full advantage of the Ziva’s six bars located poolside and throughout the hotel. They offer everything from fine wines to tequila, beer, mojitos and margaritas.

The resort has nine restaurants serving a variety of choices including Italian (Lorenzo’s), French (Bastilles) and American fare (Chevy’s Diner) with a flare. If you are in the mood for Asian food, try Moongate. The resort also has an excellent Spanish steakhouse called Tradewinds. Early risers will enjoy the coffee house Casa Café. Chiapas

coffee is a special treat. If you are off your normal schedule and peckish in the middle of the night, you can go to 24 Horas and have a snack 24 hours a day. A nice touch is the pleasant staff who roam the resort with fruity crepes and spicy pineapple on a skewer.

Families will find that their kids will be dragging them to Pasteles for yummy deserts of chocolate, gooey gummy bears, gelato and cotton candy.

A lunch spot favourite at Zivia is Mercado, which offers buffet style services of seafood (smoked fish), chicken, beef and vegetables along with an assortment of dessert pastries. Unlike a lot of buffets, where everything is precooked, a lot can be cooked fresh for you like: Omelets, Eggs, pancakes, crepes, sea bass, salmon and shrimp.

The hotel is close to shopping for souvenirs, sunblock and beachwear, in case you left anything at home. The area has lots to offer within walking distance. Public transit or local taxis and both are offered in Cancun. Taxis are available at the hotel or you can walk down the street towards the shopping centre where you can get a taxi at a much cheaper rate.

The Hyatt Ziva Cancun is a perfect getaway for your next trip to Cancun.

It has friendly, professional staff, great room offerings, superb restaurants and bars and wonderful on-site land and water activities in a spectacular and relaxing environment n 43 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

travel by Karen Temple

Cayman Reboot A British Overseas Territory, the Cayman Islands are unlike almost all other Caribbean Islands. As an international financial centre, residents are educated, affluent and benefit from the wealth of indirect taxation.

Head to the Cayman Islands for a personal system reboot. No green juice required… the hot sun, cool cocktails and delicious food of this luxury Caribbean destination is all you need to change your personal programming.

With some 50,000 inhabitants, Grand Cayman is the biggest and most populated of the three islands. Seven Mile Beach is public, so instead of being segregated in individual hotel compounds, visitors can wander down the sand and breakfast at the Westin, walk into the Ritz for a spa treatment or have drinks at the Marriott. There are no all-inclusives so the island feels like one big open resort.

Start your visit by shaking off the travelling fog with yoga on the beach.

The sand underfoot makes it a little tricky to hold a pose, but with the waves gently crashing in and the instructor from Bliss Yoga leading the mind-calming, meditative movements, you will be well on your way to updating your personal system.

Reboot Options

Pet therapy Cayman style is a midocean stingray experience. As you stand in the crystal clear, chest deep waters of the Stingray City sandbar, the rays swim to you like a pack of puppies. They’re attracted by years of feasting on the castoffs from fishing boats who stopped in the 44 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

calm waters to clean their catch before heading into dock. The experience is completely natural. There’s nothing preventing the rays from swimming away. If you stick your arms straight out in front of you, they nuzzle into you, seemingly wanting to cuddle. Many of the rays have been coming back for years and the locals have given them names. There are many options to get there. We went in style with Cayman Luxury Cruises.

With your serotonin level up, it’s time to further de-stress with some kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding. Most hotels either offer equipment for use or have rental facilities beachside. The waters of Seven Mile Beach are calm enough to venture off straight from the beach. There are also kayak tour operators who offer tours through the mangrove forests. Keep an eye out for the iguanas that seem to drip from the trees like the melting clocks in a Dali painting. For a unique experience, opt for a bioluminescent kayak tour under the stars.

If scuba diving takes you to a Zen place, the Caymans are said to have the best diving in the Caribbean. Grand Cayman offers 171 dive sites with

a choice of sunken wrecks, shallow dives or the western wall. The sites are heavily regulated and respected by operators who rotate locations to mitigate overuse. Little Cayman is the destination for serious divers who are crowd-adverse. Bloody Bay Wall is considered to be one of the best diving sites in the western Caribbean.

New divers planning a dive vacation are encouraged to take their in-class courses before leaving home. The calm seas and clear waters also make for some of the best snorkeling.

If feet firmly planted on earth is the way you cruise, don’t miss the observation tower in Camana Bay. The Escher-esque double helix stairs and the stunning undersea mosaic that rises from street level to the top floor makes it a must see. Admire the artistry of the tile work and note how the marine life and light levels change as you ascend to the top. It’s spectacular.

The whole Camana Bay development is an impressive new urbanism work/ living development that includes offices, shopping, and some fantastic restaurants, all designed to maximize the experience for visitors and residents alike.

While the sun and sea rejuvenates your soul, head to a Spa to do the same for your skin.

Walking through the doors of the La Prairie Spa at the Ritz Carleton is like entering a Krypton-

like dimension. With dim lighting and the sound of water trickling, it is very cool but also classy. The staff is on par with that of a Michelin star restaurant.

Who knew that a facial could leave you feeling so relaxed and noodly.

Feeding your Cells

Food on the islands is fabulous. Top chefs have opened restaurants and the farm to table movement is robust.

Leading that trend is The Brasserie in Grand Cayman. Acclaimed American Chef Max Dean was on hand with master gardener Joel Walton of Plantation House Organic Garden and owners Lisa and King Flowers.

Together they described how, until recently, only imported produce was coveted. But all that has changed and the single, struggling farmers market has now increased to two bustling markets where buyers arrive early to ensure they are not disappointed. The Brasserie is in the hub of Georgetown, a stone’s throw from the busy cruise terminal, but it still manages to have an on-site garden. The restaurant also holds events and classes to promote sustainable cooking. Further, they have developed recipes to promote the consumption of a previously unconsumed fish that, although beautiful to divers, is destroying the local reefs. They share these recipes with other chefs during the very popular, yearly Cayman Cookout in order to help the cause.

A short flight away, on 19 km-long sister-island Cayman Brac, ultraprivate Hotel Le Soleil d’Or has taken

the sustainable table movement a leap further. Born as a refuge for friends and family, the resort works in harmony with the environment and the local population. Lunch at the 20-acre farm was like tasting vegetables and fruit for the first time. Everything was kissed with freshness and infused with hyper taste. Secluded and exclusive luxury might bring visions of excess and waste, but instead Le Soleil d’Or embodies sustainability.

Updating Your Drivers

Take some time away from the sun and visit the National Gallery in Grand Caymen. This little gem is likely the smallest national art collection you’ll ever see, but considering there were no art supplies on the island until the 1960s, the collection is only going to grow. The museum offers workshops and lectures along with drop–in sessions that are open to the public.

You can’t recharge your battery if you are herded on and off a bus for an hour-long ride from the airport to your hotel. Considering its 35 km x 13 km size, there are no long cab rides anywhere on Grand Cayman.

Everything is close. In fact, Little Cayman is so small that walking to the airport, is an option passing trees full of rare red-footed boobies on the way. The main road intersects the landing strip. When flights are due to land, a car is pulled out to block other vehicles. With only 200 or so permanent residents, you are more likely to encounter an iguana.

Considered a luxury destination, the Caymans do offer budget options for those who don’t mind trading a beach view for beach access. There are some big saving opportunities during May to November’s off-season, but let’s face it, it’s winter that we need to escape from, not the warmer months.

• Taxis on Grand Cayman are everywhere, but families be forewarned that rates are per-person. A $2O ride in from the airport will cost each person on board $20. Public transportation is currently almost non-existent so car rental is a great option if you want to move around.

If you are looking for the latest in all-inclusive, winter-busting southern destinations, the Caymans are not for you. Instead, Grand Cayman is a cosmopolitan destination that offers luxuries both big and small. Together with its two smaller sister islands, they are a safe, friendly and a highly recommended destination to reboot your system for foodies and sun seekers alike. Consider them one large anti-depressant for the soul. The hot sand and warm waters of the Cayman Islands will help you recharge your system n

• For those accustomed to the pre-paid southern holidays, be aware that most hotels do charge an additional daily, per person resort fee.

www.visitcaymanislands.ca

WHEN YOU GO: • This is an island of bankers and brokers so wifi is available everywhere.

• Safety. Feel confident that you are visiting a country that is completely safe.

It’s the fifth largest banking centre in the world and the world’s best domicile for healthcare.

• There are lots of annual festivals and events in the Caymans. From Pirates, to cooking, legends tennis and open-water swimming, there is always something going on.

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travel by Alessandra Gerebizza & OLM Staff

PHOTO: CLIVE BARBER

Live or Stay at this Extraordinary Waterfront Golf Resort in Georgian Bay

T

he Cobble Beach community is one that fills you with instant serenity. The magnificent ponds on either side of the road and the blue glow of Georgian Bay that greet the eye as you drive in, have that calming effect that water brings. Travelling down the windy but spacious road towards the inn and clubhouse gives further indication that you are in for a treat as the championship course begins to peek its head out from between the unique and colourful custom and model homes that dot across the breathtaking 574 acre property purchased in 1998 by Willis McLeese. Your final turn towards the inn gives you a closer look at the Nantucket- style lighthouse that sits next to the dock, built for residents and visitors complete with ever-inviting Adirondack chairs.

At the inn you will be greeted by knowledgeable staff, which is more like warm extended family than resort employees. As for the rooms, they are both luxurious and practical with every amenity of home available making it very difficult to ever imagine leaving.

(While you should unplug, if you can’t, Cobble Beach has you covered.)

Once you have settled in, a tour of the inn should begin on the first floor where you will find the Sweetwater Restaurant & Bar. From the restaurant your view of both the course, with its St Andrew’s- inspired finishing bridge, and of the Georgian Bay is matched only by the creations of the executive chef and his team. Offering unique and delicious meals, and focusing on locally grown produce and fish, each visit is truly an occasion to be remembered for its culinary excellence. You can’t go wrong with the beef tenderloin or 46 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

the chef ’s special. If you have a sweet tooth, the decadent and moist apple crumble tart is a must.

For special events or larger groups there is the Bridgewater Four Seasons Room and Dunvegan room which are connected to the restaurant and offer intimate and private alternatives to the dining room area.

On the north side of the inn you will find the pool and spa. Facials, massage, body treatments, and even gentlemen services are all available. However, the standout service is the Mango Enzyme Firming Wrap. The treatment begins with a full body exfoliating scrub followed by a moisturizing body wrap while you’re receiving a scalp, neck, foot and shoulder massage at the same time. The treatment concludes with a rain shower and coconut lotion application. You will leave feeling refreshed and ready for a round of golf.

The 18-hole championship course was completed and opened for play on May 18, 2007 by course designer Doug Carrick (Eagle’s Nest & Muskoka Bay among his other courses) and is truly exceptional. Admiral Owen's House marks halfway point between the 2 nine holes and beside it there is a fully operational driving range

and outdoor practice facility. Electric GPS carts are available for rent and are recommended as you will notice there are considerable elevation changes on the aptly named holes (from the inviting short par 3, 8th hole Sanctuary, to the snowman inducing par 4, 13th, Rob’s Gulch). Picturesque views can be found on every hole as well as a variety of tee boxes for various golfing levels. As you might expect, the course is immaculately maintained by meticulous and friendly staff. For the non golfer, there is much to do beyond the links. Cobble Beach has tennis courts, a large docking area for guests and residents arriving by water, a beach club with a variety of light watercrafts available for use, a fire pit, and a children’s playground.

In addition to these activities, there are kilometres of trails to be explored, including an enchanted forest with wood carvings commissioned from a local artist. Nearby, you can visit and explore Fossil Glen, a unique and challenging hiking trail with a variety of millennium old fossil deposits. A short drive away is the quaint town of Owen Sound offering shopping and the Tom Thomson art gallery.

Cobble Beach is a place to be a discovered.

Its master-planned community is suited for residents and guests looking to embrace life and all it has to offer. The McLeese family’s passion for excellence is evident property wide and is certain to leave all guests with fond memories and the desire to return again… and again n cobblebeach.com

travel by Samantha Lapierre

Sweet Montreal It is no secret that Montreal is home to some of Canada’s best restaurants and chefs, but what may not be as well known is the fact it is also a chocolatier and pastry making paradise.

For a fun-filled take on Montreal, hop on a VIA train (spoil yourself and go business class) and take a chocolate tour.

La Fabrique Arhoma is a sweet

Contemporary chic Sofitel Montreal Golden Mile is the perfect luxury hotel located in the heart of downtown Montreal and at the foot of Mount Royal Park to from which to explore.

Here are some of the best chocolate stops for a tour.

Juliette et Chocolat serves up

chocolate in pretty much everything – waffles, crepes, fondues, ice cream bowls, and a huge assortment of hot chocolates. Marshmallow Madness is a hot chocolate topped with handmade marshmallows and made with milk, dark and white chocolates, the drink was rich and hit the spot. The menu also extends non-chocolate items, such as buckwheat crepes which are incredible.

Chocolats Privilège Located in the Atwater Market, the artisanal shop has been a Market staple for the past 3 years, selling handcrafted truffles, ganaches and pralines. Four other locations, and

to gelatos and cakes. Suite 88 provides a comforting and quaint atmosphere for both the young and the young at heart. Colourful flowers decorate the modern space, and contemporary red leather club chairs and benches can be found in the store’s lounge section.

a production workshop, can be found around Quebec. Chocolats Privilège is also a bean to bar shop, meaning that selections of chocolates sold in the boutique store are made from beans imported from Mexico. Once these beans are cultivated, they are shipped to the store, and the chocolate is made in the back of Privilège’s Atwater store.

The location also offers initiation to chocolate classes, giving the public a taste of the work that goes into getting a bean and making it into a bar.

Best known for its hot chocolates, waffles and brownies, Suite 88 Chocolatier is a quiet escape from the bustling city. Launched in 2005 by Montreal chocolatier Gerson Vineberg, Suite 88 offers a large selection of sweets ranging from their above signatures, to chocolate dipped Oreos and pretzels,

24/7 boulangerie that is humming with locals and tourists alike. The back of the store boasts a large production room for its cakes and pastries, while another workspace is used as a bakery workshop with bakers hard at work.

All of the hustle and bustle can be seen through large windows that give customers a behind the scenes peek into the production side of things. Visitors to Arhoma are also in for a sweet treat, as it has recently developed its very own sweet signature: the Exactly 72.7% Arhoma Chocolate Bar.

Chocolats Andrée Family owned and operated since its opening in 1940, Chocolats Andrée offers delicious hand-dipped gourmet high-end goodies. From classics, to creams, to choc-fruits, to nutty delights and modern-vintage reclaimed flavours, Chocolats Andrée boasts a long list of treats. Andrée’s history is as unique as the chocolates it serves; the store opened during the Second World War 47 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

by sisters Madeleine Daigneault and Juliette Farand and it quickly became known for its commitment to quality products. Considered an institution in its Park Avenue neighbourhood, the boutique has also been using the very same tools and methods over the past seventy years, making Andrée a true classic.

Learn the ropes of chocolate making at L'Académie du Chocolat. It is the only chocolate school in Canada and provides pastry, confectionary and baking courses that are available for professionals and beginners alike.

Located near Montreal’s Rosemount borough, the facility houses a tasting

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centre, a classroom and a huge kitchen.

Learn how to make the perfect diamond-shaped chocolate with a tasty hazelnut filling from Chef Philippe Vancayseele, a seasoned pastry chef from Belgium. It is not easy and the process can about two and a half hours, but the results are amazing. You can make your own box of chocolates.

Maison Christian Faure is located

in the heart of Old Montreal. Boasting a pastry school for professionals (as well as half-day classes for beginners), Maison Christian is a beautiful shop and restaurant that is famous for its passion fruit tart. If you are staying for dinner, there are many surprises. Try the foie gras topped with cacao and ox cheek topped with a special chocolate sauce, accompanied by vegetables and mustard ice cream.

If you need a break from chocolate, try Restaurant Chambre à Part.

Located on Rue Saint-Denis, it's decorated with a mix of exposed brick, flowered wallpaper, rustic seating and beautiful table arrangements. Chambre offers an impressive list of wines and cocktails, along with seafood, fish, meat and vegetable dishes. Quebec is known for its cheeses, so be sure to try a cheese platter offering some local cheeses.

Renoir, Sofitel’s high-end restaurant is another great dining option.

With a long weekend of massive indulgence, you may need to loosen your belt. However, it will be worth every calorie n

opinion by Michael Coren

Faith and Free Thought It’s an issue that has been understandably drenched in emotionalism and hyperbole for years, but at long last there is some genuine movement. I refer to what is variously called euthanasia, assisted suicide or even compassionate homicide. For a nation as progressive and authentically liberal as Canada our previous lack of conversation has been disastrous, and much of this can be attributed to a government beholden – if not completely sympathetic – to a Christian right, obsessed with the issue. It’s one of the big three for them of course, often the only three. No to abortion, no to gay rights and no to euthanasia. Because they have lost the first two they are fighting like zealots to defend the last.

So of what are we actually speaking here? It’s vitally important to cut through the nonsense and realize that the alternative to dying with dignity is not living; the alternative to dying with dignity is dying without dignity.

Dying in pain, anguish and often isolation. Death is never desirable but always inevitable and while we must do all in our power to preserve life, the quality of that life is a major factor.

Quality of life, however, is a politically loaded term. Disability does not denote lack of quality, daily struggle does not denote lack of quality, age does not denote lack of quality. We once revered the elderly as mansions of wisdom, now we tend to see them as slums that are better off demolished.

So a civilized society must be extremely careful in how it regards the elderly, the unfit and the unhealthy.

All of this has to be taken into account but part of the problem is that even even ostensibly intelligent and informed writers and commentators have delivered some dreadfully inaccurate and misleading analyses PHOTO: OLM STAFF

WE ONCE REVERED THE ELDERLY AS MANSIONS OF WISDOM, NOW WE TEND TO SEE THEM AS SLUMS THAT ARE BETTER OFF DEMOLISHED. SO A CIVILIZED SOCIETY MUST BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL IN HOW IT REGARDS THE ELDERLY, THE UNFIT AND THE UNHEALTHY.

of the subject, caricaturing those who support assisted dying as wild monomaniacs. It prevents a balanced discussion about a vital challenge.

Yet imagine knowing without any doubt that you have a few months, perhaps a year, to live and that most of that time will be experienced - in spite of medication - in daily agony. Or consider someone with a neurological disease, their muscles and movement are wasting away yet their mind is still functioning and they know that one day they will drown within their own body and that there is nothing that can be done. This is the tear-stained, horrific reality of the argument.

None of this is easy, all of this is profound, but the vast majority of people now agree that a heavily regulated, strictly supervised system of assisted dying is the only humane approach. Teams of doctors and family members would have to concur with the individual’s wishes, time would be required for repeated consideration, every single circumstance would be analyzed. But in the name of God – and I use the word deliberately – we can no longer stand by and allow such suffering to continue merely due to a theological or philosophical technicality.

Ignore the political hysteria about depressed teenagers being killed in Europe or terrible mistakes taking place in Oregon where people are euthanized against their wishes. These are generally false excuses and not cogent arguments.The Dutch example is probably the best and of those who request to die in the Netherlands, one third are declined, another third die before their case is decided and the remaining third are indeed helped to an early death.

The door has now been opened and it is utterly pointless imagining that it can be closed again. What we need is empathy and intelligence on all sides and a reasoned approach to one of the most significant and difficult challenges of modern society. Which means listening before speaking and thinking before reacting. Anybody who has spent time with someone in their final days and has stared pain and fear in the face knows this to be the truth. The tough, tragic but utter truth n 49 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

opinion by Patrick Gossage

Capitals Thoughts From Someone Who Has Lived And Worked In Both

One big difference between Ottawa and Washington DC is that the wicked House of Cards fourth season is the stuff of binge watching in the capital of the most powerful nation on earth — to the point where the plot’s twists are fully outlined in advance in The Washingtonian — the city’s premium monthly magazine.

What a contrast to the last time national TV in Canada paid dramatic attention to Ottawa politics in the late sixties with Gordon Pinsent playing an upright, idealistic M.P. in the CBC drama Quentin Durgens, M.P. Whatever the dramatic exaggerations of House of Cards, it does demonstrate what my old boss Allan Gotlieb, perhaps our most effective US Ambassador ever, pointed out in his autobiography - that Washington is all about negotiating and making deals.

This is due to the separation of powers and the enormous influence of the Congress and Senate, their weighty committee leaders, and what Gotlieb called the Third House of Congress, the armies of highly paid lobbyists.

Add to these often warring players, the fourth estate more entrenched in Washington than our press gallery is here and the plot potential is endless.

This provides perfect material for intrigue, blackmail, conspiracy and deception which fuels the House of Cards. Running the country from the PMO when you have a majority only occasionally requires making deals with caucus.

Contrast the high power Washington 50 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

energy with the one work of Canadian fiction that has put Ottawa politics on the map – I am referring to The Best Laid Plans, Terry Fallis’s humourous adventure about electing an unlikely candidate to the current House of Commons. It’s light, nobody gets killed, and justice and love prevail. Not intriguing Washington indeed!

The focus of both capitals is of course on their respective leaders.

Until the arrival of Justin and Sophie we somewhat lacked a high profile first couple. We had one with the Mulroneys and for a while enjoyed WHEN I WAS IN WASHINGTON, IT (THE "IN" RESTAURANT) WAS LA MAISON BLANCHE. I WAS ASSIGNED TO TAKE MME CHRÉTIEN THERE WHEN I WAS AT THE EMBASSY, AND OF COURSE TOLD HER IN FRENCH WHERE WE WERE GOING AND SHE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO THE REAL WHITE HOUSE.

one with Justin’s father and mother.

This time around, and after the triumphant Washington visit and the celebrity status accorded the Trudeau

couple, we can expect much enhanced non-political attention to our first couple to continue. We now have an international power couple with some of the media clout of the Obamas.

Whether Sophie, like her new friend Michelle Obama, will show up unexpected with hordes of cameras and aides at an award-winning local resident’s garden – they thought it was for an HGTV show, Michelle used it to kick off a nationwide gardening tour(!) – remains to be seen. But she will have her own causes, starting obviously with promoting Canadian fashion, and her activities will be very well-covered for sure.

For entertaining, Washington has the White House advantage. We have the decrepit, empty 24 Sussex. Never, even in my time with his father, was the venue used for much more than a dinner for 20 or so. The current Trudeau home is small if well-appointed.

We do have the National Arts Centre, being buffed up for perhaps another gala performance. It was with such an event that we welcomed President Reagan during his 1981 State Visit, and even produced Anne Murray his favourite Canadian singer. Pretty calm, however, compared to state dinners offered Chrétien and now Justin Trudeau.

There are other contrasts between the two capitals, and similarities. Obviously we don’t have the Smithsonian, needless to say “the world’s largest museum ILLUSTRATION: OLM STAFF

complex, with 19 museums…” – and admission is free! But we have a very respectable and beautifully situated National Gallery with world class international art, and the most comprehensive collection of Canadian art in the country. In our cold capital, only children under 11 are free.

restaurant. It has been long surpassed by watering holes like Cafe Milano in Georgetown where Bill and Hillary Clinton might be seen munching on one of the best pizzas or high-end fish dishes in town. Or Bistro Bis on Capitol Hill, favourite haunt of Senators and Congressmen.

Having lived and worked in both capitals, I have to say Washington is far more social. Black Tie dinners are not unusual, galas galore, many put on by lobbyists, and strict protocol. We learnt early that people arrive at six when they are invited and leave at eight if that’s what it says on the invitation.

In my Ottawa days, Mama Teresa’s was the place to go and be seen and it may become so again with the Liberals back. It was Hy’s under the Harperites, and it is now gone if not forgotten.

As is Nate’s, a favourite for long after the first Trudeau years. Now today’s “movers, shakers and foodies,” says none other than Rick Mercer “follow one guy—Steve Beckta.” The owner of Beckta Dining & Wine recently reopened in a heritage building on Elgin.

Then there are each capital’s “in” restaurants where the powerful can be viewed peddling and proffering influence. When I was in Washington, it was la Maison Blanche. I was assigned to take Mme Chrétien there when I was at the embassy, and of course told her in French where we were going and she thought we were going to the real White House. She was surprised, and I was embarrassed when we were dropped off at this lush Université d’Ottawa

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Canada - US relations are overseen by the US Embassy in Ottawa, and the Canadian Embassy in Washington.

They are both now in relatively new elegant buildings in prime locations.

The Canadian building has a prow like a ship jutting into Pennsylvania

Avenue and is the closest foreign embassy to the Capitol. The US Embassy gave up its prime site across from Parliament and now overlooks Byward Market. It is equally formidable but less dramatic. Both were controversial, the US building because it overshadows the market, our Washington structure because the design was given to Trudeau’s friend Arthur Erickson.

Canada is still a relatively minor player in Washington despite our striking physical presence there and despite last month’s over the top welcome to our PM and his delegation. It’s hard work to be noticed, and thanks to House of Cards we know far more about what might go on in Washington than the US knows or cares about what goes on in Ottawa.

When I was with Ambassador Gotlieb we put on the best parties. Our new Ambassador will soon learn that influence relates to the quality of guests you can attract to your receptions and dinners as much as to the ongoing lobbying he does for our “interests”n

University of Ottawa

Apples. Asparagus.

What’s next?

Biophysicist Andrew Pelling explores the grocery aisle in a quest to find new ways to repair the human body. Learn how he uses fruits and veggies to grow human tissue. www.uOttawa.ca/give/andrewpelling

Defy the Conventional: The Campaign for uOttawa 51 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

52 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

more music by David Eisenstadt

With A Song In My Head oviegoers of yesteryear may M remember the classic film With A Song In My Heart. I remember this

flick and the actress Susan Hayward who jumps off the screen in my mind.

However, what’s really going on in my mind since mid-October 2015, I’ve come to call With A Song In My Head.

When I awake each morning, I hear a song. A different song every day at whatever time I get up, and only for a few moments. If I don’t key the title (not necessarily the vocalist, group or orchestra) into my PDA or write it down right away, it disappears from my consciousness, or unconsciousness.

It can happen at any other time of day (if I’ve taken an occasional power nap or a weekend nap) and there is always one tune. Occasionally, a second might kick in right after, but somehow I only remember to write the first one down.

And, the same song never seems to return, as if I’m only to hear it one last time.

Now into my 7th decade on this planet, I began wondering from where this life change experience is coming?

And, while I’m not exactly certain what this happening is actually called, through friend Heather KasseI and my jazz composer-drummer son Harris Eisenstadt, I sourced a Dr. Oliver Sacks PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

book called Musicophilia - Tales of Music And The Brain, who writes, “Music is part of being human.”

I don’t know why my sleep awakening songs started or if they’ll ever stop, but the “Wurlitzer jukebox in my head” keeps cranking out daily ditties.

Dr. Sacks says, ”the power of music, whether joyous or cathartic must steal one unawares, come spontaneously as a blessing or a grace.” Certainly that seems to be happening to me, but only at my awakening, any time of day.

Perhaps the answer is as simple as this.

I’m an inveterate music radio dial twister whenever I’m driving, listening to JazzFM91 and SiriusXM stations from Little Steven’s Underground Garage, to the E-Street channel, Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Buffet, Classic Vinyl, CBC Classical, some country & western, and the 50s, 60, 70s and 80s, on a regular basis.This all happens after I get my sports radio fix on Toronto stations 590, 1050, and the 680News 10-minute wheel.

So, is that from where the songs are coming? Are some of the tunes I hear getting buried unbeknownst to me?

Am I a frustrated wanna’ be radio jock? Or do I simply enjoy basic and cross-genre musical melodies and just store them away?

Don’t know the answers, but some of my family and friends have told me they’d love to have this ‘musical malady’ rather than weird and/or often frightening dreams. Even the happy dreamers say they’d prefer awakening to my ‘condition.’

Dr. Sacks says “our sensitivity to music can sometimes go wrong ....and subject us to hours of mental replay, and how a surprising number of people acquire nonstop mental hallucinations that assault them day and night. Yet more frequently music gets it right.”

Here’s what I find fascinating. Dr. Sacks describes how music can animate people with Parkinson’s disease who cannot otherwise move, give words to stroke patients who cannot otherwise speak and calm and organize people whose memories are ravaged by Alzheimer’s or amnesia.

Somehow, without looking too far down the road, I might be one of the lucky ones to avoid those illnesses, because I have this “musicophilia” condition, whatever the cause, and it’s not going away any time soon.

So, let the band play on n Visit ottawalife.com for David Eisenstadt’s complete song list.

53 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

education by Simon Tremblay-Pepin

A new school of social innovation is coming A

s of September 2017, Saint Paul University will be the first Canadian university to have an entire school dedicated solely to the new and

promising field of social innovation. Though this field of study is brand new in academia, it is centuries old in terms of our communities’ day-to-day lives. Every time we are collectively faced with a problem we have never encountered before and find new ways to fix it, we are practising social innovation..

In the 19th century, working women in Canada had to leave their children with a family member or neighbour, or sometimes on the street next to the factory entrance. For decades, women—with the help of some men— found a solution to that problem. In Quebec, they came up with a public daycare system that not only relieved women of the obligation of looking after their toddlers individually, but did so while educating children in ways that improve their development.

The creation of this daycare system is a story of social innovation. From inception to consolidation, it went through all the typical stages of a social innovation project. There are many similar stories to be told, from the micro level of small co-ops to the macro level of international networks.

Social innovation is a powerful tool.

It is how our communities can shape

the world in their own image. At Saint Paul University, social innovation means social change. Our world is

SOCIAL INNOVATION IS A POWERFUL TOOL. IT IS HOW OUR COMMUNITIES CAN SHAPE THE WORLD IN THEIR OWN IMAGE. AT SAINT PAUL UNIVERSITY, SOCIAL INNOVATION MEANS SOCIAL CHANGE.

facing enormous challenges: poverty, climate change, social exclusion, etc.

We need to address these problems and recognize that solutions will be found only through profound social change. To make that happen, we need to develop new and better tools, and study and value the knowledge

produced within our communities.

But how can we study such a thing?

What does it mean to hold a degree in social innovation? The team developing the upcoming programs is convinced that it is possible to teach social innovation, but acknowledges that this involves transforming current practices. Social innovation cannot be taught only in a classroom, where you can learn analytical tools, historical facts, or case studies. Though this theoretical knowledge is useful to a social innovator, it’s not enough. Social innovation must be learned outside academia, through fieldwork in real organizations with real people.

For this reason, the program will not only offer a series of practical courses, but will also be linked to a social innovation hub. In this space, through the lens of critical thinking, students will interact daily with social entrepreneurs and social organizations.

If the students want to start a group or a project, they will have direct access to all the resources they need. Saint Paul University’s School of Social Innovation will not only provide its students with new ideas, it will help them create organizations that foster social change n

You can be the face of change!

Saint Paul University (1848) is the founding college of the University of Ottawa, with which it has been federated since 1965. Bilingual and on a human scale, it offers programs in social communication, counselling and psychotherapy, canon law, public ethics, conflict studies, philosophy, human relations, and theology.

54 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

ustpaul.ca

SUMMER AT THE OTTAWA ART GALLERY

Jerry Grey, Interval No. 4, (detail), 1974, watercolour on paper, 76.2 x 54.6 cm.

Courtesy of the artist. Photo: David Barbour.

JERRY GREY ON THE GRID: 1968–1978 JUNE 24 – SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

Paula Murray, You Are Me III, 2016, porcelain, 18 x 76 x 31 cm. Photo: Courtesy of the artist.

PAULA MURRAY: YOU ARE ME GUEST CURATED BY RACHEL GOTLIEB JUNE 24 – SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

Robbin Deyo, Swirl Still 04:32:21, (detail), 2015, oil on canvas, 46 x 81 cm.

Courtesy of the artist. Photo: Guy L’Heureux.

ROBBIN DEYO: STILL MOVING JUNE 24 – AUGUST 14, 2016

Gail Bourgeois, Heterogeneity Imaged, (detail), 2015, watercolour, wax crayon and graphite on paper, 20.3 x 29.2 cm. Photo: David Barbour.

GAIL BOURGEOIS: CORRESPONDENCE FROM ROOTS TO RHIZOMES TO MYCELIAL NETWORKS JUNE 4 – SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

2 Daly, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6E2 613-233-8699 | ottawaartgallery.ca

55 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2016

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