How to Trust Your Own Instincts: Practical Ways to Overcome Self-Doubt
For much of my life, I had a hard time trusting my own decisions. I would have an instinct about something, but instead of trusting it, I would start asking other people what they thought. “What would you do?” “Do you think I’m making the right decision?” “Am I looking at this the right way?” […]
Walking the Algarve Coast In an Ottawa Winter
Ottawa does winter thoroughly. By late January the sidewalks have narrowed and the idea of a week somewhere warm arrives unprompted. Most people picture a lounger and a pool. A growing number picture a footpath instead. Walking holidays are now one of the more popular ways Canadians spend a week abroad. Portugal’s southwest suits the […]
Senators Need To Come Out Of The Gate Flying
Your Ottawa Senators have reason for ‘cautious’ optimism as the NHL regular season campaign gets set to kick off later this week against the new-look Toronto Maple Leafs. We use the word cautious for a number of reasons. Here’s what needs to go right to see a return to the post-season for a third consecutive […]
Alberta Just Became Canada’s Second Regulated iGaming Market — Here’s What That Actually Means
Ottawa spends a lot of time watching what other provinces do first. Health care pilots, cannabis retail rules, interprovincial trade fights — this city treats provincial policy experiments as previews of what might land on the federal agenda next. On July 13, Alberta gave Ottawa another one to watch: it became only the second province […]
Rebuilding the Ottawa Police: Chief Eric Stubbs on trust, accountability, misconduct, staffing and the future of the Ottawa Police Service
The Ottawa Police Service has spent the past four years trying to rebuild something that is difficult for any institution to regain once it has been seriously damaged: public confidence. The crisis that engulfed Ottawa during the 2022 trucker protest exposed deep problems within the city’s policing and civilian oversight structures. The occupation of downtown […]
A Cleaner Home, a Healthier Life: The Link Between Your Space and Well-Being
A clean home does more than improve appearances. It can make everyday routines feel easier, create a more comfortable atmosphere, and reduce the buildup of dust, clutter, and other common household irritants. Professional cleaning providers such as Hire a Maid in Richmond Hill can also help households maintain that level of cleanliness when busy schedules […]
Expressions of Art 2026: Meet the Local Artists Behind the Art in Carp
In an age when almost anything can be bought with a few clicks, there is something increasingly meaningful about meeting the person who made what you are looking at. That is at the heart of Expressions of Art 2026, the West Carleton Arts Society’s annual juried exhibition, returning to the Carp Fairgrounds on October 3 […]
A Better Night’s Sleep at Home: A Closer Look at Endy’s New Elevate Hybrid Plush Mattress
Mattress shopping in Ottawa has changed. Homeowners want comfort, support and durability, but they also want clarity. They want to know what a mattress is made of, how it is constructed and whether it solves the everyday problems that make sleep harder than it should be. Endy’s Elevate Hybrid Mattress is one of the newer […]
From Football to Poker: Why Strategic Thinking Connects CFL and Casino Players
Football is one of the most popular sports in Canada, with millions of CFL fans across the country. It is also considered to be a great outdoor activity for young people. Those who like staying at home can have fun playing online casino games. The variety of options is constantly growing, spreading across different genres […]
Review: ‘The Cottage’ Is a Delightfully Absurd Antidote to Modern Life
Sylvia is having a great Monday, perhaps the best Monday of her life. She’s at the cottage with her beau, appropriately named Beau, and she has decided that today is the day she will leave her husband for her lover. Just as the cottage itself is not the kind Canadians might imagine, with its lakeside […]
Album Reviews: Tove Lo, Boy Harsher, Nicole Atkins
Tove Lo – Estrus Helsingborg, Sweden Tove Lo is such a rare gem of a dance-pop singer, and one that leaped directly from hit singles to back-to-back records that felt like the perfect mid-point between sleazy radio-pop and truly morose, self-reflective art. With her taking some time to once again explore a little more and […]
Putin’s Next Target May Be NATO’s Nerve
Russia does not have to finish its war in Ukraine before confronting NATO. Moscow could continue its campaign while undertaking a limited military or hybrid action designed not to conquer NATO territory, but to weaken the Alliance from within. Putin’s objective may be simpler and more dangerous: prove that Article 5 can be tested without […]
Inside Altstadt Vienna: The Boutique Hotel Guests Return to Again and Again
Vienna’s Altstadt Hotel was originally set up as a business hotel, designed to remind travellers ‘where they were’ and not just in an anonymous hotel room. The owner, Otto Wiesenthal has succeeded in spades – some visitors have returned over a hundred times! And, months after my visit there, countless images of the room, the […]
The rules change the moment you cross a provincial line, and most Canadians never notice
Pack for a long weekend in Canada and you will happily assume most things work the same wherever you land. The coffee is the coffee, the highway signs read the same, your phone finds a tower. A handful of things quietly do not travel, though, and they are worth knowing before rather than after: the […]
7 Best Personal Injury Lawyers in Toronto – 2026 Review Based on Cases Won, Credibility, and Reputatio
Quick Verdict Preszler Injury Lawyers is the Best Overall pick for a Toronto personal injury lawyer in 2026, built on 60+ years of plaintiff-side practice and more than $1.5 billion recovered nationwide. Neinstein Personal Injury Lawyers stands out for High-Value Catastrophic Injury Claims, with $100 million+ awarded in 2025 alone. McLeish Orlando LLP is Best […]
5 Best Student Housing in Ottawa – 2026 Review
Quick Verdict Znith Living, Best Overall in Ottawa for 2026, wins on its all-inclusive Little Italy build and direct LRT connection to Carleton. The Revalie wins on amenities and community, with 80,000 sq ft of shared space built around a shuttle-first campus lifestyle. ALMA @ ByWard Market is the premium downtown pick for students who […]
5 Best Window Replacement Companies in Ottawa – 2026 Report Based on User Reviews, Certifications, and Awards
Quick Verdict • Buildmart Windows & Doors is the best overall service for window and door replacement in Ottawa, rated 4.9 stars on Google and backed by award recognition, including an Ottawa Choice Award feature and a placement in Our Homes • Ecoline Windows & Doors is best for awards and industry recognition, most recently […]
6 Wines to Toast the Start of Fall
Fall arrived this week, and Ottawa evenings are cooling even while the afternoons stay warm. That in-between stretch calls for wines that swing both ways. Here are five to pour over the next couple of weeks, opening with a Canadian Fracette and closing with a Niagara red. Two are Ontario-grown. The least expensive is under […]
Alex Lawson Wants to “Get the Basics Right” in Ottawa: An Interview with the Mayoral Candidate
The 2026 Ottawa Election is a four-horse race, with incumbent Mark Sutcliffe battling longtime progressive Councillor Jeff Leiper, former federal bureaucrat and community advocate Neil Saravanmuttoo, and businessman Alex Lawson, all running for the capital’s top job. Alex Lawson, despite being a relatively unknown figure before the election, has performed strongly in polling since he […]
What Should Ottawa Families Do When Canada Says No to Spouses, Parents, or Children
If you’re a citizen or permanent resident in Ottawa and want to bring over a spouse, parent, or child, you should know the process is far from straightforward. Sponsorships are often refused, and people already on a work or study permit can lose their extensions at any time. However, a refusal letter is not the […]
How to Experience Vancouver Beyond the Usual Tourist Trail
Vancouver is an easy city to associate with spectacular scenery. Mountains rise behind the skyline, the waterfront wraps around the city, and large green spaces provide an immediate escape from the urban environment. For first-time visitors, the obvious attractions are understandably appealing, but there is another side that emerges when you slow down and spend […]
Carney’s Canada: Parliament Returns as the Economic Promise Meets Reality
Eighteen months into Mark Carney’s government, the Prime Minister has put an extraordinarily ambitious economic plan on the table. As Parliament returns, the harder question is whether his government can turn its promises, targets and projections into measurable results. Parliament returns to Ottawa today, and with it comes the moment when Mark Carney’s economic agenda […]
How Virtual Therapy Is Expanding Mental Health Care Across Ontario
For many people, finding a therapist traditionally meant searching for a practice nearby, booking an appointment, and travelling to an office. Virtual therapy has created another option, allowing people across Ontario to connect with mental health professionals online from a private and convenient location. The shift toward virtual care has changed how people can search […]
A No-Fuss Guide to Hosting a Wine and Cheese Night
There’s a moment in every dinner party where someone asks what they can bring, and you freeze because you genuinely don’t know. A wine and cheese night solves that problem before it starts. It’s flexible, it looks more put-together than it actually is, and nobody expects a three-course meal. You just need a plan, a […]
The People Have Spoken: Meet TIFF’s 2026 Audience Award Winners
The 51st Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has come and gone. By the time of publication, I’ve watched 64 movies from this year’s festival and will have thoughts to share on each. Over the coming weeks, I will review the films that will steal your heart and captivate your mind. TIFF is a special festival […]
