Northern Lights, Spies and the Bright Light – Georgiy Mamedov – Russian Ambassador

 Today, some of the most influential voices guiding the social and economic development of Canada’s North are women and the ones gracing our cover  will attend the second Northern Lights conference in Ottawa – a business and cultural showcase celebrating Canada’s North and the eastern Arctic, including the regions of

Toque Tuesday: Buy a Toque, Help a Youth

 On Tuesday, February 7th, buy a toque and help homeless youth in Ottawa. Toque Tuesday is part of Raising the Roof's National Toque Campaign. Raising the Roof is a national charity whose mission is to bring about long-term solutions to homelessness in Canada. The Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa’s Charitable

Ottawa Teenager Reaches For the Stars in YouTube Space Lab Competition

 Sixteen-year-old Katie Gwozdecky has her head in the clouds. But though her aspirations are very much grounded in reality, they’ve also taken flight in the most unique way. As part of a global contest in YouTube and Lenovo’s project called Space Lab, youths aged 14 to 18 had an opportunity

Yoga: On and Off the Mat

 Yoga is a discipline that has existed for millennia in India, and more recently has become popular in North America. While many people are initially drawn to the practice in search of a ‘yoga butt’, they commit to the practice once they experience physical and mental well-being. The traditional system

Warm Your Soul this Weekend with Atlantic Voices

 Feeling the after-effects of a few too many 'wee drams' after Robbie Burns Day? If so, you are likely hunting for other ways to lift your spirits this weekend. There is no better way to feed the soul than with the sound of music. This coming Sunday afternoon, January 29,

If Your House Could Talk…

 If your home could talk, its wall would tell you much more then just the history of the people whom inhabited its premise, it would ask, beg and nag for the attentions it deserves. "I am envious of you," it would tell you. "You go to the doctor, you heal

Whistleblower Claims Public Opposition Being Silenced by PMO

 Earlier this week whistleblower Andrew Frank  released an open letter to Canadians alleging that the Prime Minister’s Office threatened to withdraw Tides Canada’s charitable status if it did not cease funding to the environmental group ForestEthics. The allegations stem from an apparent bullying campaign in which the PMO allegedly characterized ForestEthics

This Valentine’s Day, Green is the New Red!

 When it comes to being eco-friendly, Valentine’s Day has a pretty ugly reputation. Millions of flowers are sold in Canada in the days leading up to the holiday, the bulk of them grown using toxic pesticides. Likewise, we buy vast amounts of chocolates, greeting cards, wine, candles, and jewellery, many

A Dragon’s Persuasion: Book Review

 Back in November, Arlene Dickinson was in Ottawa to launch her new book, Persuasion: A New Approach to Changing Minds. Although I unfortunately missed the book signing event, I did rush out to buy a copy and devoured each page. A mother of four who values family above all else,

Recipe: Spicy Lentil Soup (Dahl)

 With the freezing weather, wind and snow, our bodies yearn for something warm, especially in the winter. Nothing says 'comfort' better that a steaming hot bowl of Dahl.  Dahl is a thick lentil soup that originated from India and has amazing depth and flavor. Usually served as a vegetarian option, this recipe

It Takes Three to Plan a Wedding

 When local wedding planner, Lynn Lee thinks back to her wedding day in the late '80s, she laughs. “Back when I was planning my wedding I certainly didn’t think I was going to be a wedding planner. It was not an affair to remember,” she said. Weddings were simpler back then

Remembering Budge Crawley’s “R.C.M.P.”

 In 1959-60, the distinguished Quebec actor Gilles Pelletier (who had earlier appeared in Otto Preminger’s The 13th Letter and in Alfred Hitchcock’s I Confess) came to Ottawa to shoot 39 episodes of the R.C.M.P. (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) television series, coproduced by Crawley Films, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and the British Broadcasting Corporation. Executive

A Vision for a Global Green Economy

 We are living in a time of multiple environmental issues. 2011 saw news headlines of nuclear contamination, oil spills, and natural disasters, to name a few. Policy makers are facing serious – and at times, overwhelming – questions: How do we provide clean water, adequate sanitation, and proper nutrition to

Bette’s Etiquette Beat ~ For the New Year!

 Welcome to 2012!  So does a New Year mean a new you? There is nothing like January 1st to start thinking about how you want to better yourself over the next twelve months; exercise more, eat healthier, do better at school/work, and be kinder to others. I must say, I

DVD Review: Final Destination 5 – A One-Way Trip Worth Taking

 How many horror movie franchises have descended into terminal mediocrity by the time they reach their fifth installment? Think of Howling V: The Rebirth (1989), Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning (1985), Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989), A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989), Children of

The NHL’s Concussion Epidemic

 The final act of Marc Savard’s hockey career may well have occurred in his absence, when the Boston Bruins defeated the Vancouver Canucks in seven games to claim the 2010-11 Stanley Cup. Savard’s name is listed on the Cup along with those of his Bruins teammates, even though he missed

Recipe: Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

 With the cold weather officially setting in the city, we all long for something warm, cozy and comfortable, this includes food. There is no better comfort food in the winter time than a hot bowl of hearty soup. This recipe (originally found here) for roasted red pepper and tomato soup

Performance, Style, Grit ~ The Audi A3 Enough Room for My Hockey Equipment and Stick

 If you want a car that combines style, grit, lively handling and performance while allowing for practical things like a hatchback/wagon design that provides ample cargo space, look no further than the Audi A3. Its classy interior retains the luxury and style that Audi is known for, but it does

Wines to Look Forward to….

 From time to time, I am going to take the opportunity to tell you about exciting wines that are coming to Ontario.  I always like to share insider information with my readers particularly because sometimes I know about wines coming into the marketplace long before the folks at Vintages put

What is the Price of Confidence?

 My mother inspired this month’s subject matter with one of her Italian phrases: “L’avaro è come il culo che ha paura che gli rubano la camicia”, which means, “A miser is like the butt that’s afraid of having its shirt robbed from underneath it”. After we all had a good

Ottawa Food Bank Hits Record Numbers With Holiday Campaign

 Every year the Ottawa Food Bank provides assistance to families in need in our nation's capital; this year was no exception.  During its 2011-2012 annual Holiday Food Drive, the Ottawa Food Bank collaborated with 430 local organizations to collect canned goods, 50 more than the 2010-2011 campaign. In addition, many

2012 Republican National Convention: A Colossal Undertaking

 The 2012 Republican National Convention will be held in Tampa, Florida, August 27-30. The Tampa Bay Times Forum [JD1] will serve as the convention venue, and the Tampa Convention Center will be used for the Media Workspace. What goes into planning a colossal event like the 2012 Republican National Convention –

Schools Keep Health in Mind

 Once considered an affliction mainly suffered by adults, mental illness now increasingly affects children. Studies show up to one in five Canadian youth experience mental illness – and for some of them, the pain becomes too much.  In 2011, 4,000 lives in Canada were lost prematurely due to suicide. Many

Proposed development threatens Jasper National Park

 A recent decision by Parks Canada regarding the national treasure that is Jasper National Park is cause for alarm. Given that Parks Canada is mandated to protect our landscapes and ensure ecological integrity for present and future generations, many Canadians are outraged by the possibility of a new ‘visitor experience’

The Wedding in 2012: Top Wedding Trends of the Year

 The New Year ushers in new resolutions, diets, more snow and wedding season. The Wedding Palace Bridal Show was held last weekend at the Ottawa Convention Centre. Brides-to-be were treated to the top trends for weddings in 2012. Here are some of the highlights: The Anti-Wedding Cake Cake pops are