I recently saw the Vincent Van Gogh exhibit and saw how visitors reacted to the colour and beauty of these works of art. The exhibit reminds us that Van Gogh struggled as an artist and lived a life of poverty. Today artists continue to struggle since art projects are far and few between yet we…
At Ottawa City Council this past Wednesday, the Mayor announced that at 12:01 am on Thursday July 22, the State of Emergency in Ottawa would be lifted – moving the City’s emergency management to “Activated Operations”. Many residents have been asking what this new status means. What does Active Operations mean? Activated Operations indicates a…
Is the above listed residential waste flow good enough? We can do better. How do we get there? Recycling (Waste Diversion) is a very important topic to me, which is one reason I hosted a public information session on July 13th on the subject. The meeting was recorded and is available to watch at Waste…
On July 8th, 2021, we reached 50% of residents 18+ with a 2nd dose. This is another HUGE and EXCITING milestone. Thank you for all our incredible community clinic volunteers and staff. We can be proud of our city’s enthusiasm for getting vaccinated and beating COVID! Let’s keep it going, encourage a friend to get…
Canada Day Traditionally Canadians have celebrated nationwide on July 1 – a date that has evolved to mean many things to many people. Some recognize it as the day Canada became a country – with the passing of the Constitution Act in 1867. Others simply look at it as a day to gather with friends…
It is part of the role of a municipal council to ensure the accountability and transparency of municipal operations. A municipality must adopt and maintain policies to try to ensure accountability and transparency to the public. To further its commitment to accountability and transparency, City Council approved the establishment of an Integrity Commissioner in July…
On Wednesday, June 16th, the Transit Commission approved a report, Zero-Emission Buses for OC Transpo, which provides a framework to explore the further electrification of OC Transpo’s transit fleet. If approved at City Council on June 23, OC Transpo will negotiate an agreement with the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) and seek funding from Infrastructure Canada…
Tragedy in London, Ontario As a city councillor my heart is heavy and frankly, horrified regarding the news of a deliberate attack on a family standing on a corner of the street. This is a hate crime and it is incomprehensible that this is happening right here in Ontario in a city not much different…
Indigenous Month: Time for a Closer Look at Truth and Reconciliation In 1996, Canada celebrated the first annual Indigenous Day on June 21. We now celebrate all of June as Indigenous month. We can witness the incredible contributions that Indigenous people across Canada are making in the arts, entertainment, medicine, science, architecture, environmental protection and…
Women and Gender Equity Strategy Event The May 28th, Women and Gender Equity Strategy event was a big success and great start for the City of Ottawa to look at gender equity and diversity especially during the pandemic. We can see the inequity and now is a good time to have a conversation to move…