Margo Price Brings Grit Back To Country

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

Country Legend Shania Twain to headline 105th Grey Cup

 While we’ve been enjoying the capital’s extensive 150th birthday programming for the whole year, surprises are always welcome here in Ottawa, especially where local talent is concerned.  With just over three months to go until the 105th Grey Cup presented by Shaw kicks off in Ottawa, the Canadian Football League

Future Energy: It’s Time for Canada to Lead

 Over the past decades, oil has become everything for Canada. It was a sign of economic stability, new jobs and progress. Today, oil’s low cost is dragging down the country's economy. Environmental concerns are only rising. The new reality seems here to stay. On the bright side, Canada is now

James Leclaire: The Sing-a-Long Sounds of Storytelling and Sorrow

 Album cover by Brett Clarke. James Leclaire’s fourth album, These Weights, combines the soulful storytelling of folk and country music with the anthemic energy of punk, to create a sound he calls ‘dirt country.’ “There is a country twang to it but it’s got an edginess that is a little

Could This Be Your Shot?

 Round five of Slaight Music’s annual talent search kicks off August 1, and this year’s “It’s Your Shot” is offering up a huge opportunity for Canadian musicians. The prize, which includes promotion from Maple Music Recordings, a professional photo session, an artist website and the chance to perform at a

Former PM John Turner and the Arctic Youth Corps

 Should Justin Trudeau’s Liberals revive a 1965 Throne Speech promise? "I really became a Canadian when I got to know Canada north of the 60th parallel... I have never felt more Canadian than when alone with my thoughts in the remote northern vastness." —Former Prime Minister John Turner Former Prime

Is Waiting Longer for New Prescription Drug Approvals Necessarily a Bad Thing?

 Why Canada’s ‘slow and low’ approach to new pharmaceuticals may be the prudent approach. The newest report from Canada’s brand name drug makers on access to new drugs has one key message: compared to other countries, Canada goes slow and low.  New drugs are slower to be covered by our

A Slice of Equality for All

 Photo Credit: Ashley Buttle Written by Michael Coren Let them eat cake but don’t, whatever you do, actually bake it for them. In May, a Belfast court ruled that a young couple who owned a bakery and refused to make a cake decorated with a pro-gay marriage slogan had broken

An Old Guitar and an Ottawa Bar

 Union Duke’s soaring vocal harmonies and throbbing beats have enlivened hearts and dance floors across the nation. The quintet is sure to have Ottawa concertgoers heel-stomping and hip-swaying with their performance at the Black Sheep Inn on July 31. Balancing a mixture of soulful indie rock, bluegrass and country, the

Will climate refugees in Canada finally spur action on climate change?

 Photo Credit: Eric Wüstenhagen Ryan Meili and Mahli Brindamour A young child arrives at the hospital emergency room in respiratory distress, his asthma worsened by smoke exposure. An elder has uncontrolled blood pressure because there wasn't time to get her medications when the evacuation orders came through. Scabies and other illnesses related

History, Religion, Geography and Great Food: Majestic Israel Has It All

 To even attempt to adequately describe Israel is, to put it mildly, a daunting task. While well-known images of the country abound, absolutely nothing can prepare you for the complete amazement or the unexpected emotions you may feel as you explore this magnificent country. Whether you are religious or not,

The Brothers at Bluesfest

 Roots-rockers, The Bros. Landreth will be showcasing their unique “Canadiana” style at Ottawa’s Bluesfest this Sunday. With wailing electric guitars, thundering organs and naturally harmonious vocals, at first listen The Bros. Landreth may sound like they hail from the American south, and not from the isolated prairies of Manitoba. “Down

Meet Country Super Star Myria Webber

 Myria Webber, a 20-year-old crooning Canadian country singer-songwriter, is all about the Nashville sound while keeping her French-Canadian influence. Born and raised in Quebec, Webber has been singing and performing live since the age of seven. With a history in the music business— both of her grandfathers were musicians— Webber

What Do Canadians Need from Pension Reform?

 A gentle policy nudge to enhance coverage and pension contributions—here’s how.  Pension reform continues to hold interest across the country, especially given the willingness of the federal Conservatives to at least talk about expanding the Canada Pension Plan (CPP). Pundits and politicos are weighing in now with blunt talk of

Let’s Go on an Adventure

 Canada is a big place. If you’ve ever travelled to Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto or Montreal, you know there is a vast amount of culture that makes each city unique. The same can be said for all of the smaller towns across the country. The only difference is you probably haven’t

Taylor Swift Sparkles at the Canadian Tire Centre

 Photo by George Pimentel/Getty Images for TS “After five long years of not coming to see you, it is so good to be back in Ottawa," Taylor Swift told the screaming fans at the Canadian Tire Centre on July 6. The pop powerhouse and singer-songwriter stopped by the Capital along

Bluesfest Beats: From Electro-Synth Pop to Back Porch Folk

 Photo Credit: Steve G The announcement that Kanye West will be gracing the stage at the RBC Ottawa Bluesfest this year was a source of great excitement for Ottawa music lovers—but Yeezy is far from the only reason to check out the festival this year. As exciting as the headliners are, Bluesfest

Kazakhstan’s Nursultan Nazarbayev Wins His Fifth Election

 Photo courtesy: Official site of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan It came as no surprise, Nursultan Nazarbayev has won yet another election in the Central Asian country of Kazakhstan. The incumbent president knows his country and his people well. President Nazarbayev is an experienced politician. In his campaign, he

Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame Profile: Victor Emery

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

Moving the Crops that Feed the World

 One of the romantic visions often held of Canadian railways (and American for that matter) is that of the long lines of hopper cars filled with gleaming golden wheat and other grain and oilseed crops, on their way to feed people all over the world. That vision was challenged in

Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame Profile: Daniel Igali

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

Travel With the Tourist Company

 The Tourist Company is living up to their name this spring. Cities across Canada are welcoming the Vancouver experimental folk band throughout February and March as they tour the country. Be sure to catch the Tourist Company when they stop at the Raw Sugar Café in Ottawa on March 12.

How Canada Fails People with Mental Illnesses

 Canada Needs Improved Access to Mental Healthcare Services In any developed country, politicians and clinicians are struggling to improve quality of care while reducing costs of healthcare systems. To remedy this, groups of doctors across North America--including here in Canada--have banded together to create lists of medical procedures or tests

Three Things We Can Do to End Poverty in Canada

 Poverty degrades our economy, changes the nature of our cities and the cohesion of our society “Time to end poverty in Canada” has been the message from the Salvation Army coming across our TV screens this holiday season. A great idea from an organization that fights poverty every day in

How Healthcare is Rationed Differently in Canada and the United States

 No country can afford to give every citizen every healthcare services. By Trudy Lieberman As an American journalist sitting in a Toronto coffee bar, I began chatting--as I often do in another country--with people about their healthcare system. One employee taking people's orders was about to go off duty and