Tackling Our Climate’s Future

 The OLM Arctic Series continues, focusing on the pressing environmental consequences of our warming climate on Canada’s North, by taking a look at ArcticNet, one of the key players studying what is going on and evaluating the situation. Established in 2003, ArcticNet is part of the Networks of Centres of

Ottawa Fashion Week launches in style…

 It's September 28th, a Wednesday night in the capital, but not a regular weekday like any other because this day marks the launch of an official week of fashion with Ottawa Fashion Week (OFW). This year, Ottawa Fashion Week premiered in style at Ottawa's The Arc Hotel.  If the launch

Quadrille’s Fashion Forward Fabrics

 A unique and fashion-forward fabric and wallpaper company, Quadrille Home Couture based out of New York,  is worthy of mention especially as Fashion Week gets underway here in Ottawa this week.  Quadrille includes exquisite patterns, typically large in scale and bold in color not to mention all of which are 

First Annual Indie Filmmaker Showcase does Ottawa Proud

 One month after the Ottawa International Film Festival, Ottawa’s film community congregated once more. This time, there were no contests or judges, only fellow filmmakers, casts and crews, supporting each other in their cinematic endeavors. This was at the first annual Indie Filmmaker Showcase, an event that took place at

OUA Football Midseason Report

 The first half of the 2011 Ontario University Athletics football season is in the books, with each of the conference’s 10 member schools having played four games. As we enter October, the race for the Yates Cup is set to heat up very quickly, with the Western Mustangs looking to

Full-Day Kindergarten at the OCDSB

 Given it is the wish of every parent to ensure their children are given every chance in life to succeed right from the get go, you could practically hear applause from parents across the capital when Premier Dalton McGuinty announced that the province would begin implementing full-day kindergarten for four

From Stage to Silver Screen Doug Phillips Finds Himself in The Righteous Tithe

 It is Sunday afternoon, the ten year anniversary of 9/11. I walk into a coffee shop in Westborough, and see my interview subject waiting for me. I think about the state of affairs in the world, and recognize the 9/11 connection to the interview I am about to conduct. Doug

A Visit to the County

 A few weeks into the summer I found myself, in "The County".  The County refers to Prince Edward County (not to be confused with Prince Edward Island), Ontario's newest wine region which itself is a little island south of Belleville.  I was there to experience one of my favourite winery

Buying on a Budget: How to Stay Fashionable for Less

 As a cash-strapped student, I have mastered the art of finding the best possible buys when shopping for the latest fashions. I have purchased over-the-knee boots for $30, a Limited blazer for $4, and a Juicy Couture polo for $7. All follow one of my cardinal rules – which I

Legal Sea Foods Ads Miss the Boat

 “Save the crab. Save it to show that every creature is sacred, no matter how small.” The first five seconds of the new ad campaign by Legal Sea Foods sounds more like a public service announcement about ocean conservation than an ad for a restaurant. Combined with peaceful music and

The Concept of the Franchise Player

 Roy Halladay played 12 seasons in a Toronto Blue Jays uniform, earning six trips to the All-Star Game, winning the American League Cy Young Award in 2003 and establishing himself as one of the most dominant pitchers in Major League Baseball. Toronto never won more than 88 games or reached

Fall Fashion Round-Up

 This fall, whether you’re inspired to inject glamour into your wardrobe by embracing the luxe touch of fur or by mixing and matching graphic prints, playing up your shape in smart structured men’s wear or by simply adding accessories to update your current wardrobe, finding a style that complements your

Jose Bautista and the MVP Conundrum

 Major League Baseball typically awards its two Most Valuable Player awards in mid-November, roughly three weeks after the World Series champion has been crowned and seven after the completion of the regular season. Unlike other leading MVP candidates in the American and National Leagues, Jose Bautista’s year won’t continue into

Another Promise for Change

 The hot political topic these days is the New Democratic Party.  We saw them sweep through Quebec in the federal election after which their illustrious and charismatic leader passed away, leaving most of the country in mourning.  Despite the recent events, which have raised the popularity of the party, it

Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer – Creature Feature Almost Achieves Cult Movie Status

 Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer (filmed in Ottawa in 2007) is a slickly packaged low-budgeter that almost makes it as a cult classic, but falls short due to its languid pace. No wonder Brookstreet Pictures has yet to produce a sequel, even though director Jon Knautz told Icons of Fright webzine

Sip & Savour

 I hate to say it but summer is coming to a close. Labour Day has passed, the kids are ensconced in school and we close up the cottage for another season. For wine, it’s shoulder season, a confusing time. Do we begin to stock up on winter warmers or do

Note from the Publisher: Top 25 of Ottawa

 Well, this issue marks our 11th Top 25 People in the Capital issue. I am always intrigued to see what the result will be after we go through suggestions sent in from readers, writers and staff to see who finally makes the list. The first year we did this was

A different kind of rice ‘n’ beans

 Rice and beans are staple foods in many people's diet. Nutritious, healthy, and an easy way to get daily protein, beans are very low in saturated fat and sodium, and also low in cholesterol. Aside from being a great source of protein, however, beans are also an excellent way to

Baby, Bedroom & Beyond…

 Got a baby on the way?  If so, then there is no doubt that images of creating a baby’s bedroom are probably dancing in your head.  You will want to design something that will grow with that child beyond the baby stage. Potentially, this could be viewed as a gargantuan

The Art of the Weekend Getaway

 As summer days slide into brilliant Fall colors there’s no better time for a cozy weekend getaway. Better still, some of the best Ontario has to offer is right next door. Just hours from Ottawa lie the breathtaking landscapes and quaint country hamlets of Ontario’s Highlands. Ontario’s Highlands is a

Tapping into Arctic Gold

 By: Claire Tremblay To the untrained eye, Canada's North is a frozen wasteland - but beneath it lies treasure beyond our wildest imagination. Diamonds, gold and oil and gas are abundant in the North – and with the onset of climate change they are becoming even easier to extract. Once

Connecting to Citizenship

 By: Claire Tremblay What do flash mobs, online petitions and Facebook have in common? For the Canadian Teachers’ Federation, they are all ways Canadians can express their views in a modern democracy. And the Canadian Teachers’ Federation is making sure Canada’s students learn to exercise this powerful democratic tool effectively

Canada’s 20/20 Vision

 By: Claire Tremblay Political think tank Canada 2020 wants Canada to have great vision – the type of vision that secures Canada’s prosperity into the next decade. Some might even call it 20/20 vision – the best sort of vision there is. A self-described centrist progressive think tank, Canada 2020

Evolutionary History: Uniting History and Biology to Understand Life on Earth By Edmund Russell

 Book by:  Edmund Russell (Cambridge University Press, 2011, 216pp.) Reviewed By: Don MacLean To the untrained eye, it may appear impossible to see evidence of the evolutionary process in the world around us. All animals and plants are born and live whatever life they have before passing on. Human beings may

The Russian Alexandrov Red Army Choir and Ensemble – Wow!

 In the late 70s my late father, in his infinite wisdom, took me to the new NAC to see what was then commonly referred to as the Soviet Red Army Chorus. All things Soviet in those days were mysterious and framed in anxiety and just not like 'us'(sic). The musicianship