Canadian Newsblog

Guinea-Bissau is now landmine free

2012-02-01T19:04:00.000-05:00

Officials from the tiny West African country of Guinea-Bissau have informed the AP Mine Ban Convention secretariat in Geneva that their country is now free of landmines.

“Guinea-Bissau is proud to declare that all areas under its jurisdiction or control in which antipersonnel mines were known or suspected to be emplaced, have been cleared in accordance with Article 5 of the Convention, thus complying with our deadline," said Cesar Luis Gomes Lopes de Carvalho, the national director of Guinea-Bissau’s humanitarian demining programme.

In complying with its Mine Ban Treaty (MBT) obligations, Guinea-Bissau surveyed/demined 5.8 million square metres of territory under its control.

A total of 3,724 antipersonnel mines were destroyed, along with 318 other types of mines and 182,000 explosive remnants of war (ERW).

The landmine problem in Guinea-Bissau goes back as far as 1963. According to Landmine Monitor, there are approximately 850 landmine/ERW survivors in the country.

Guinea-Bissau is one of 159 state parties to the MBT. To see a complete list, please click here.

How to cope with the winter blues

2012-01-31T21:52:00.002-05:00

Do you get depressed when you look at this?

Got the winter blues? Don't feel like going outside? Feeling down about everything around you? You may have seasonal affective disorder (SAD), but fear not; you are not the only one and there are ways to put a smile back on your face.

"Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), is a depression which seems to be linked to how much light is hitting us," said Dr. Hymie Anisman, a professor with the Department of Neuroscience at Carleton University in Ottawa, in a telephone interview. "As the days get shorter and you get less light, there seem to be some biological processes that are thrown off kilter and depression might ensue," he said.

It is estimated that 11 per cent of patients who suffer from a major depression are likely to develop SAD as well, according to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

There are many different approaches to dealing with SAD, but light therapy seems to be an effective treatment for many people.

Even if you don't suffer from SAD, winter weather affects all of us in different ways.

"You don't interact with people as much in the winter as you do in the summer," said Dr. Anisman.

"When you do interact you are usually in close quarters and if someone has a virus they are apt to pass it on to others. Viruses spread more easily in the winter because we are indoors."

According to Dr. Anisman, viruses can also cause a series of biochemical changes in the brain, which will favour the development of depression.

Isolation and loneliness are also major problems, particularly for seniors and the disabled, because their mobility is restricted during the winter months. Some tasks, such as grocery shopping, become more difficult in the winter. Depression may result from diminished independence. It is important that these people have a support group they can rely on.

"Social support is one of our best mechanisms to deal with distress," said Dr. Anisman.

Getting a good night's sleep and maintaining a proper diet are important as well.

While many are not motivated to get off the couch during winter, doing so has major heath benefits.

"For younger people, you have to push yourself," said Dr. Anisman. "Take up cross-country skiing, take up skating and get out there. Here in Ottawa, we have the Rideau Canal, so it's very easy for people to get outside and socialize. We have to get off our butts and do something."

Mysteries of the Animal Mind

2012-01-26T18:33:00.000-05:00

We all know you can teach a dog to roll over, but can you tell when it is bored and does not want to?
In Mysteries of the Animal Mind (tonight on the Nature of Things, CBC-TV at 8 p.m.), scientists explore how animals think, feel, communicate and empathize.
"Humans have no problem accepting that we think and yet we have denied that possibility for non-human animals seemingly forever," said Dr. James Hare, a professor at the University of Manitoba, in a telephone interview from Winnipeg.
"It justifies continued exploitation of other animals; if they don't think, then the things we do to them are immaterial."
This type of research has been going on since the 1970s. Prior to that, researchers were called fools for suggesting that non-human animals had human-like feelings or thought processes.
One of the ways to determine how smart an animal is, is to do what is called the mirror test.
In tonight's show, researchers place a mirror in front of dolphins, who not only recognize themselves, but also inspect different parts of their own bodies in the mirror.
Mr. Hare refers to a famous study where marks were applied to a chimpanzee’s eyebrow and ear while the animal was under anaesthesia, so the chimp would not be aware of what was being done. What was fascinating was that the chimp did not groom himself any differently until he saw himself in the mirror.
He then focused grooming the areas where the marks had been applied.
"It saw itself and knew it was itself in the mirror," said Mr. Hare. "Self recognition, that ability to distinguish oneself from others is an earmark of very complex cognitive ability."
 Mr. Hare believes that the most important thing to a society is effective communication. He has studied Richardson's ground squirrels for years and is fascinated not only by their intelligence, but also by their ability to communicate. Through his research, Mr. Hare has observed how they warn one another of possible threats, by vocalizing alarm calls. He has conducted experiments to test the concept of reliability.
By tape-recording a variety of individual alarm calls and making some of them reliable (they used a stuffed badger as the predator) and some of them non-reliable (no predator was introduced when the call was signalled), Mr. Hare discovered that the squirrels would react differently based on whether or not the signaller issuing the alarm call was reliable. If the signaller was reliable, the other squirrels would run to their burrow. If the signaller was not reliable (based on previous performance) they would ignore the caller.
What can humans learn by studying animal behaviour?
Mr. Hare acknowledges that it is a challenge for scientists to prove that animals have underlying thought processes and abilities like our own, but believes it is important to study their behaviour.
"It engenders respect for other species," said Mr. Hare. "In order to survive, ourselves, we are going to have to develop – very rapidly – a greater respect for other living things on the planet."
If you miss tonight's broadcast, Mysteries of the Animal World will be shown on CBC Newsworld on Thursday Feb. 2 at 10 p.m.

David Suzuki, host of The Nature of Things

Finland signs the Mine Ban Treaty

2012-01-23T07:18:00.000-05:00

A European landmine survivor getting fitted for a new prosthetic.

Finland has become the latest country to join the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty (MBT) after depositing the required documentation to the United Nations in New York.

Finland now joins 158 other states that have ratified the treaty.

“We warmly welcome Finland to join the majority of countries to have completely banished these indiscriminate weapons,” said Firoz Alizada, campaign manager for the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), in a press release.

“We hope other nations will now follow Finland’s lead, particularly Poland, the only European nation not to have fully joined the ban treaty,” said Mr. Alizada.

By ratifying the MBT, Finland will now be obligated to destroy its stockpile of more than one million antipersonnel landmines within four years, as required by the treaty.

However, according to Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor (LCMM), Finland plans to retain 16,500 antipersonnel mines for training and research purposes over the next 20 years.

By comparison, Canada retains 1,921 antipersonnel landmines for training purposes, according to LCMM.

"The number of mines Finland is retaining for training purposes is certainly something that concerns the ICBL," said Kate Wiggans, media and communications manager with the ICBL, in an email interview.

Under the MBT, state parties are permitted to keep antipersonnel landmines for training and research purposes, providing they release annual reports on how many mines are used in training programmes.

"The ICBL encourages states to keep no live mines at all since training and research do not necessarily depend on using live mines," said Ms. Wiggan.

"With this number, Finland will have more mines retained for training than any other state party to the treaty. We are hopeful that now that Finland will be actively participating in the MBT process, they will discuss with other states how they are using mines for training and research and will realize that they in fact don’t need that many at all," she added.

A spokesperson with the Finnish Embassy in Ottawa confirmed that Finland would retain the stipulated number of landmines over the next 20 years, but said that number would decrease year by year.

He also said Finland considers retention of landmines necessary for the development of and training in, landmine destruction techniques.

Finland is a significant sponsor of humanitarian mine action. In the last five years, Finland has contributed almost C$32 million towards landmine clearance and related goals.

To see a list of states that have not ratified the MBT, click here.

Hardy souls brave the cold to help fight pediatric cancer

2012-01-01T14:46:00.000-05:00

About 350 people registered for the Sears Great Canadian Chill at Britannia Beach in Ottawa on January 1, 2012. Click on the photographs to enlarge them.

A volunteer skims ice off the surface of the water prior to the start of the event.

The first wave of swimmers, including Speedo Steve, left, take to the water. Cold enough for you?

With spectators cheering them on, wave after wave of swimmers jump in the Ottawa River.

Celebrating Team Canada's victory?

As one woman exits the water, one man jumps in...

...and lives to talk about it! What a way to start off the new year.

New Brunswickers at war

2011-12-15T21:57:00.002-05:00

Canadian troops leaving Saint John, New Brunswick for Europe, June 1915

Second World War recruitment poster

You do not have to be from New Brunswick to appreciate the new exhibition at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa entitled: New Brunswickers in Wartime, 1914 - 1946.

The show features more than 300 artifacts from both World Wars and puts a human face to the conflicts and their aftermath.

Photographs, film clips, paintings, posters, German war souvenirs, uniforms, gas masks, and a variety of other artifacts all contribute to this worthwhile exhibit.

Black and white photographs from 1915 show thousands of people – both military and civilian – lining the port of Saint John, as members of the 26th New Brunswick Battalion leave for Europe. Some are at the water's edge, some are on nearby rooftops, while others are several metres off the ground, clutching on to telephone poles. These are incredible haunting photographs because we know that many of the enlisted men on the ship looking at their loved ones never made it home.

Other photographs show nurses from New Brunswick working in field hospitals in various theatres of war.

Documents and posters encouraged people on the home front to grow their own food and increase their productivity to help the war effort.

The New Brunswick Museum organized the initial exhibition in 2005 to commemorate the Year of the Veteran and the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. This is the first presentation outside New Brunswick. The exhibition will run in Ottawa until April 9, 2012, Vimy Ridge Day.

Landmine Monitor 2011 released today

2011-11-23T22:32:00.001-05:00

A deminer with the Canadian International Demining Corps looking for landmines in Srebrenica.

The 13th annual Landmine Monitor was released today and as in previous years, there is a lot of good news and some not-so-good news.

Governments around the world provided a record level of funding for mine action in 2010 – US$637 million – and that resulted in a record level of mine clearance. At least 200 square kilometres of land were cleared of landmines and 388,000 antipersonnel mines and 27,000 antivehicle mines were destroyed.

Still, there is a long way to go.

At least 72 states are mine-affected and a total of 4,191 new casualties were recorded in 2010. This represents a five per cent increase over 2009.

Landmine Monitor reports that three governments used antipersonnel landmines lasts year: Israel, Libya and Myanmar, and that non-state armed groups used landmines in four countries: Afghanistan, Colombia, Myanmar and Pakistan.

With respect to Canada's contribution, the results were also good and bad.

Canadian taxpayers contributed US$30,139,534 in mine action funding in 2010.

This represents a 61 per cent increase from the previous year, when Canada received much criticism for its drop in mine action funding.

Canada in now one of the top five international mine action funders.

The majority of Canadian funding (62 per cent) went to mine clearance in Afghanistan.

Other countries that benefited from Canadian support include: Sudan, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Mozambique, Sri Lanka, Columbia, Tajikistan, Chad and Palau.

One country that did not benefit from Canadian mine action funding is Bosnia and Herzegovina, where Canada used to be a major player.

The Canadian International Demining Corps (CIDC) has been operating in the Balkans for a number of years, largely due to the financial support of the late Irving Schwartz (a highly successful businessman in Nova Scotia).

Nowadays, the not-for-profit demining NGO receives most of its funding from the International Trust Fund.

"We have not made formal requests for funding from the Government of Canada (in the last 4-5 years) because we have been told funds were not available," said David Horton, executive director, CIDC, in an email interview from Sydney, Nova Scotia.

The CIDC has also received some funding from the Canadian Landmine Foundation to train mine-detection dogs, however Mr. Horton says the demand for these dogs has diminished significantly.

To read the full report, please click here.

Ottawa's first season of bike sharing comes to an end

2011-11-16T09:21:00.000-05:00

Ottawa's first season of BIXI bike sharing has officially ended and the bikes have been put away for winter storage.

From May 18 to November 13, 2011, the bike-sharing service generated 21,658 cycling trips stemming from 173 monthly and yearly subscribers and 7,384 distinct occasional users.

According to the National Capital Commission (NCC), the bikes will return on April 15, 2012.

Looking for a stocking stuffer? BIXI gift certificates for yearly and monthly memberships are available online at http://boutique.bixi.com/.

Remembrance Day in Ottawa

2011-11-11T18:30:00.000-05:00

School children singing Highway of Heroes at the Cenotaph in Westboro Village in Ottawa

Wreaths at the Remembrance Day ceremony in Westboro

Veterans parading from the Legion on Richmond Road to the Cenotaph (above & below)

A wreath made by local school children that was placed at the Cenotaph in Westboro

Veterans' Week in Canada

2011-11-04T19:33:00.003-04:00

Remembrance Day ceremony at the National War Memorial in Ottawa.

Veterans' Week in Canada runs from November 5 – 11 and Veterans Affairs Canada and the Department of National Defence are encouraging all Canadians to remember the sacrifices made by veterans which permit us to enjoy the freedom we have today.

"During Veterans' Week, we are asking Canadians to get involved in making remembrance more than something they feel," said Veterans Affairs Minister, Stephen Blaney, in a press release. "I want to encourage everyone, especially the youth of our country, to make remembrance something they do." This year we encourage everyone to take remembrance one step further by attending a Remembrance Day ceremony, visiting a local cenotaph or monument, sharing their thoughts of remembrance online, or wearing a poppy with pride," said Mr. Blaney.

In Ottawa and Gatineau, veterans who wear their medals and/or uniform can use the transit service for free between November 5th and 11th, as can their companions.

To learn more about Veterans' Week, please click here.

Celebrate Thanksgiving with renewable energy

2011-10-08T19:08:00.000-04:00

Renée-Claude (in red top with her left hand in the air) demonstrates how a windmill can not only pump water into water troughs for animals but aerate the water to prevent stagnation.

Fresh water pumped by wind power is delivered to livestock.

Click on the photographs for a larger view.

The Canadian Agriculture Museum in Ottawa is hosting an interactive exhibition this Thanksgiving weekend that lets visitors see how their food is grown more and more by renewable energy.

Wind power, solar power and biofuels figure prominently in the various displays.

Renewable energy has been around for a long time, but has not been embraced in Canada was widely as in other countries.

Currently, Canada gets about two per cent of its electricity from wind power, whereas Denmark gets 20 per cent. The Canadian Wind Energy Association would like to see Canada get to 20 per cent by 2025.

The displays at the Agriculture Museum show how Canadian farmers are using renewable energy to simplify their operations and increase their productivity and at the same time, reduce their carbon footprint.

"We want to let people know that we require a lot of energy to maintain our lifestyle and there are other ways to get energy other than by using fossil fuels," said Renée-Claude, one of the presenters at the museum's energy park.

In addition to educating the public about renewable energy, the museum will also hold workshops on cider and bread making.

For more information call 613-991-3053.

Annual shoe pyramid in Montréal

2011-09-20T21:09:00.005-04:00

Last year's shoe pyramid in Montréal in support of survivors of explosive remnants of war.

Looking for something worthwhile to do this coming weekend? Head down to Montréal with an old pair of shoes and throw them on Handicap International's shoe pyramid to support landmine and cluster bomb survivors.

The fifth annual event takes place at Phillips Square from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m., and promises to be informative and entertaining. Québec comedian, Dorothy Rhau, will host it.

This event takes place one week after the second meeting of state parties to the Convention of Cluster Munitions (CCM) who met in Beirut, Lebanon.

At that meeting, campaigners urged non-signatories to join the treaty and help the estimated 500,000 survivors of landmines, cluster bombs and other explosive remnants of war have a better life.

To date, 110 states have signed the CCM and 63 have ratified it.

Not everyone gets to go back to school

2011-09-04T23:31:00.002-04:00

(Wajir, Kenya) Children in Primary school line up to receive food from a school feeding program.

Photo courtesy World Vision Canada

While Canadian children spent the weekend getting ready to go back to school, their counterparts in the Horn of Africa were not as lucky.

Drought, famine and regional violence have kept many children away from school. Others have been driven from their homes to refugee camps in order to stay alive.

"Children who were living in stable communities in Somali are now being forced to flee their homes," said Mindy Mizell, communications manager, World Vision, in a telephone interview from Kenya.

"So education is being put on the back-burner for many of these families and children, specifically those who are fleeing to refugee camps."

Ms. Mizell visited Dadaab, Kenya, home to the world's largest refugee camp, where 440,000 people are seeking food, shelter and medical care. While there, she spoke to a 13-year-old Somali boy who told her his main concern was that he would be deprived of furthering his education.

"Education is not a priority right now," said Ms. Mizell. "Many aid agencies are focusing on food and medical supplies, but education is something that children are concerned about and desperately want, but it is not always made available," she said.

"We see some makeshift schools in refugee camps, but they have very limited resources, for example, school supplies are not accessible and many of these make shift schools are overcrowded."

World Vision is currently setting up what are called child friendly spaces (CFS). These spaces provide a safe zone for children who face a variety of problems such as loss of one or both parents, abuse, or sexual assault. These children are encouraged to continue their education at the CFS.

However, it is not just refugees who are suffering. Many families still living in drought-affected communities are strapped for cash and have few resources. Many have had their livestock stolen – which is not only a loss of income – but also a loss of a valuable food supply. This results in having to make difficult decisions and more often than not, a child's education is the first to go.

In addition, school supplies, tuition and uniforms are expensive and if the parents cannot afford them, children are expected to stay at home. This is particularly troublesome because often the meal a child receives at school is the most nutritious meal they will receive all day.

Want to help out in the Horn of Africa? The Canadian government announced it would match individual donations dollar-for-dollar, if you donate by Sept. 16.

World Press Photo 11 exhibition opens in Ottawa

2011-08-06T00:32:00.003-04:00

The winning photographs from the most recent World Press Photo exhibition are now on display at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.

As usual, some of the most striking images taken in the last year have been selected for the travelling exhibition – but be forewarned – these are not for the squeamish.

From natural disasters, to political unrest, to human atrocities, photojournalists from around the globe documented what happened over the course of the year and these winning images will stay with you for some time.

American photographer, Sarah Elliott's photos of abortions in Kenya are particularly moving and disturbing. Her photograph of an abortionist holding a knitting needle and a rubber tube is haunting to say the least.

Citizen journalism got a nod with the jurors this time around as photographs of one of the Chilean miners trapped underground for several weeks are included in the show. He is shown training for the New York marathon in the tunnels of the mine.

The exhibition is free and continues until August 28.

First anniversary of the Convention on Cluster Munitions

2011-08-01T23:07:00.002-04:00

Today ( August 1) marks the first anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM).

To date, 109 countries have signed the treaty and campaigners are using this day to call upon other countries around the world to sign and ratify the CCM and live up to its obligations.

Millions of unexploded submunitions contaminate dozens of countries around the world and these weapons prohibit farmers from accessing arable land. Cluster bombs and landmines also prevent economic development from happening, in countries that need it the most.

While there is a lot of bad news on this issue, there is a ray of hope.

More than 589,000 cluster bombs containing more than 64 million explosive submunitions have now been destroyed thanks to the CCM, with eight states parties and at least three signatories having already completed destruction of their stockpiles, according to a press release issued by the Cluster Munition Coalition.

To celebrate today's anniversary, sporting events featuring cluster bomb survivors took place around the world.

Unfortunately, many countries have yet to either sign or ratify the CCM. One of the most notable absentees is Canada – which led the way on the landmine issue. Canada has signed the CCM but has not taken the important next step and ratified it.

The next meeting of the states parties to the CCM will take place in Beirut, Sept. 12-16.
To learn more, click here.

A marathon a day keeps cancer away

2011-07-31T23:36:00.001-04:00

Scott Cannata gets back to running after pausing for refreshments at the 32 kilometre mark of his marathon run through Ottawa.

If you look up the word perseverance in the dictionary, you won't find Scott Cannata's photograph, but you should.

Mr. Cannata, 25, is currently running across Canada to raise money for cancer research.

Mr. Cannata started his run on May 1 in St. John's. N.L. He plans to finish his adventure, some 5,000 kilometres later, in December in Port Renfrew, B.C.

"We have conquered five provinces out of 10 so far, so we're pretty excited," said Mr. Cannata, in a telephone interview from a hotel in Ottawa last night.

Other runners have either tried to do this before, or have done it and Mr. Cannata acknowledges this.

"This is a silent tribute to Terry Fox."

With his support crew of two, Mr. Cannata is running a marathon (42.2 kilometres) per day.

"Everyday I feel reassured of why we are out here," said Mr. Cannata. "We have all been affected by cancer. We are learning more stories as we go. That's what is fueling this whole journey. I'm kind of on a mission right now. I am out here for the right reasons," he said.

Mr. Cannata lost his grandfather to cancer several years ago and his mother is a cervical cancer survivor.

There have been several highlights along the way so far.

"A gentlemen drove up in front of me (in Québec) and asked if he could join me," said Mr. Cannata. "He didn't know what I was doing, but after I told him, his family gave us bread from the bakery they had just bought and then they donated money online. We have encountered so many people who are so willing to extend a hand and offer their help. It has been refreshing, actually," said Mr. Cannata.

They have gone one-third distance so far and he admits much of it is a mental game.

"At the end of the day, I feel like I ran a marathon, and the next morning, I feel like I ran a marathon yesterday, but I am not out here for me. There are people who are going through much worse circumstances than I am so I just suck it up and plug away," said Mr. Cannata.

Mr. Cannata is a student at Trent University in Peterborough, ON. He is one credit shy of obtaining his Bachelor of Science. He is also a personal trainer.

What does he want Canadians to take from this coast-to-coast run?

"I want to inspire kids to go out there and give it a shot," said Mr. Cannata. "Everyone has something to offer, and this is what I am able to give."

Mr. Cannata is grateful for the support he has received so far, either from emergency services workers who have escorted him, runners who want to run a few kilometres with him, or people who give him cash donations along the way, once they learn about his goal.

Nike has provided him with clothing and shoes.

"I have completely annihilated four pairs of shoes so far," joked Mr. Cannata.

Friends and family helped him to get started through local fund raising. He is hoping that corporate Canada and the public will continue to contribute to this cause.

Want to get involved, or obtain more information? Click here: http://www.theruntolive.com/

Scott Cannata poses beside his truck while taking a break from his marathon run through Ottawa.

Scott Cannata with some of the firefighters who escorted him through Ottawa.

An Ottawa fire truck escorts Scott Cannata (right) and local runner Brent Eritou as they run down Richmond Road near Carling Avenue.

Canadian Agricultural Museum celebrates Canada Day

2011-07-01T17:10:00.000-04:00

Thanks to good weather, interesting exhibitions, free admission and free parking, the Canadian Agricultural Museum in Ottawa entertained large crowds on Canada Day.

Getting a ride in the horse-drawn wagon proved to be very popular.

Isabella shows off her skills riding a gelding as part of the celebrations of the Canadian horse.

Pascale (left) and Roxanne demonstrate how to make ice cream the old fashioned way.

Ottawa Riverkeeper holds its AGM and looks to the future

2011-06-21T11:44:00.001-04:00

Ottawa Riverkeeper held its annual general meeting recently at the Ron Kolbus Centre and announced a new project that will take place on the river this summer.
Meredith Brown (former executive director and now Riverkeeper) told the crowd that she will be leading a group of concerned citizens and experts on a summer-long paddle down the Ottawa River, beginning on July 4.
Project goals include: gather information from local experts in each community in the watershed about the state of the river in their community, monitor water quality in the river, engage local residents and help them to get involved with protecting the river, and share information about the watershed among all communities that live by the Ottawa River.
"Action on the local level is imperative," said Ms. Brown. "We need to find ways to make sure we can continue to swim, drink and fish in the Ottawa River. We need to prioritize how we are going to protect the river," she said.
Considering that approximately two million people get their drinking water from the Ottawa River and raw sewage continues to get pumped into the river after every major rainfall, a study of the watershed could not come at a better time.
Following Ms. Brown's river project announcement, Executive Director, Natasha Wilson and Chair, Geoff Green, both talked about the history of the NGO – now in its 10th year – and Ottawa Riverkeeper's strategic plan to encourage stewardship of the river, offer the public science-based information, promote municipalities and various levels of government to work together, promote tap water over bottled water, and strengthen water-related laws and compliance with those laws.
Ottawa Riverkeeper encourages the public to get involved with protecting its water supply and offers a toll-free pollution hotline (1-888-9Keeper).

Riverkeeper, Meredith Brown

Ottawa Riverkeeper Executive Director, Natasha Wilson

Ottawa Riverkeeper Chair, Geoff Green

Snapshots from Westfest in Ottawa

2011-06-11T18:16:00.004-04:00

Musicians young & old entertained the crowd.

Seb, at the Bicycles For Humanity booth.

Richmond Road was closed to gas-guzzling traffic.

Doors Open Ottawa celebrates its 10th Anniversary

2011-06-06T14:14:00.001-04:00

Watson's Mill in Manotick was one of dozens of buildings participating in this year's Doors Open Ottawa. The mill was built in the 1860s.

The Hopper Boy, a large revolving rake used to cool the grist.

Flour is still milled at Watson's Mill on most Sunday afternoons and is available for purchase.

Interior view of the Blackburn apartment building on Somerset Street. The building was completed in 1936 and contains 30 apartments.

The skylight of the Blackburn apartments as seen from the rotunda.

The green roof of the C.D. Howe building on Queen Street, with the Parliament Buildings in the background. Environment Canada studies have found that green roofs reduce both heating and cooling needs by approximately 25 per cent.

New exhibition highlights the role of medicine in wartime

2011-05-26T23:35:00.000-04:00

The Canadian War Museum in Ottawa today unveiled its new exhibition – War & Medicine, in collaboration with the Wellcome Collection in London, England and the Deutsches Hygiene Museum in Dresden, Germany.

The exhibition – which has been adapted for a North American audience, contains 300 artifacts, which is the most the Canadian War Museum has ever displayed in one show.

From black and white photographs of legless Crimean War soldiers to the physical and mental injuries suffered by Canadian combat troops in Afghanistan, the exhibition takes viewers on an emotional roller coaster. Expect to see a vast array of surgical instruments, diagnostic equipment, prosthetics and even leeches.

Videotaped interviews with medical personnel and a soldier's diary remind viewers of the terrible emotional toll that combat takes on individuals.

The Canadian War Museum is the only North American stop for this exhibition. It continues until November 13.

Bicycles for Humanity Ottawa announce their 2011 bike drive for Africa

2011-05-19T14:25:00.002-04:00

Got an old mountain bike or a hybrid your don't use anymore? If so, Bicycles for Humanity (B4H) wants to talk to you.

The NGO's annual drive takes place May 30 – June 4 at nine locations in Ottawa and Gatineau.

This year their goal is to send 400 donated bikes, spare parts and tools to Zomba, Malawi, where they will be distributed to volunteer health care workers in the region.

Since 2007, B4H has sent almost 2,000 bikes to rural communities in Malawi and Namibia.

Even if you don't have a bike to donate, you can still help out. To learn more, please click here.

BIXI bike sharing comes to Ottawa

2011-05-18T15:26:00.000-04:00

Ottawa and Gatineau have become the latest cities to launch the BIXI bike sharing service, with 100 bikes currently available to rent at 10 stations.

Despite recent financial setbacks to the Montreal-based Public Bike System Company, stakeholders are confident the service will be a success here in Ottawa.

“The purpose of the program is to provide immediate access to public bikes as an alternative mode of transportation,” said Alain Ayotte, president at the Public Bike System Company. “The BIXI bikes are designed to complement public transit, and as such, they are intended for one-way trips of less than 30 minutes. At the end of the trip, the bike can be dropped off at any of the 10 docking stations. We're convinced local residents and tourists will quickly embrace Capital BIXI.”

Regular users of the service can purchase a monthly pass for $28 or an annual pass for $78. Casual users or tourists can purchase a 24-hour pass for five dollars or a 72-hour pass for $12 directly at the station.

National Capital Commission CEO, Marie Lemay, said the goal is to get 500 bikes and 50 stations.

The name BIXI is a combination of the words bicycle and taxi.

New exhibit at Aviation Museum in Ottawa

2011-05-13T13:19:00.000-04:00

Canadian astronauts at the launch of the Living in Space exhibition

Eight Canadian astronauts were in Ottawa yesterday to help launch the Canada Aviation and Space Museum’s new exhibition – Living in Space.

In front of dozens of grade six school children from a local public school, the astronauts patiently explained in detail how they go to the bathroom in outer space.

Fortunately, the kids wanted to know more than that.

In addition to the porta-potty demonstration, the astronauts walked guests around the many artifacts on display. The astronauts explained how they ate, slept, cut their hair, shaved and entertained themselves in space.

"This is a rare glimpse of what it is like to live in space," said Canadian Space Agency President, Steve MacLean.

According to the exhibit, it's not all fun. Weightlessness affects the human body in a variety of ways. In order to counteract the negative aspects of zero gravity, the astronauts are required to exercise two hours per day and take a variety of nutritional supplements, as well as participate in a post-flight rehabilitation program.

There are other issues that astronauts have to deal with.

Obviously, being away from one's family for extended periods of time has an affect on your well being, but it is more than that.

"I missed the wind in my face," said Robert Thirsk, who spent six months at the international space station in 2009.

When asked by one of the school children what skills are required to become an astronaut, Dave Williams' face lit up like a Christmas tree.

"You need the passion to pursue your dreams," he said. "The one common denominator (among all astronauts) is the passion for the quest for knowledge."

Mr. MacLean said the astronauts aboard the shuttle are very busy with planning and executing space walks, using the robotic Canadarm, and conducting a huge number of scientific and medical experiments.

"There is a bond amongst us that we are doing something important," said Mr. MacLean.

The astronauts hope the exhibit inspires young people to pursue higher education and follow their footsteps into the space program.

For more information, check out the Canadian Space Agency's website at www.asc-csa.gc.ca.

Robert Thirsk demonstrates how toilets work in space

Robert Thirsk's sleeping bag

Julie Payette standing next to her flightsuit.

Tired of paying too much for gas? Check out the future.

2011-05-05T18:18:00.000-04:00

The Museum of Science and Technology in Ottawa today unveiled its new exhibit – a car that can go 110 kilometres per hour and never stop for gas!

The solar-powered Midnight Sun VIII was engineered by students from the University of Waterloo and their efforts resulted in their car finishing fifth in the 2005 American Solar Challenge.

While the single-seater car will not get your family of four to the beach this summer, the research and development that went into it, certainly will someday.

Up to 200 people worked on the car for two years. They are currently working on the 10th edition of this model, which will race in future events.

The car will be on display at the museum until mid-October. The museum's next exhibit will be about bio plastics – what they are and how they are used in cars.

Book review – The Right Balance

2011-04-30T16:27:00.000-04:00

Book cover courtesy Douglas & McIntyre

Just in time for the Canadian federal election, Conservative Senator and party loyalist, Hugh Segal, has written a book about the joys of conservative politics.

In The Right Balance, Mr. Segal provides Canadians with a thoughtful and detailed account of the origins of Canadian conservatism and its raison d’être.

"These thousands of American Empire Loyalists, who emigrated from the colonies to New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, southern Québec and Ontario, did more than simply leave one idea of society behind to embrace another," writes Mr. Segal. "Their preference for the British Crown and Empire over the new republicanism of the colonies was also an embrace of a specific social order, a specific construct of society itself. Their migration to the Canadian colonies not only shaped a core element of our national and historical identity, but also established the very nature of English-Canadian conservatism."

Mr. Segal gives examples of prominent Canadians who moved the conservative movement forward and helped shape the country we have today: Sir John A. Macdonald, R.B. Bennett, John Diefenbaker, Brian Mulroney.

He also argues that Canadian conservatism is different from conservative movements in other countries in that it has been able to walk the line between private enterprise and public involvement.

"The right balance here is the very essence of a distinctly Canadian approach to communitarian conservatism and national enterprise. It is a clear Canadian rebalancing of the traditional relationship between free enterprise and private capital on one side versus public interest and social responsibility on the other," writes Mr. Segal.

To be fair to left of centre readers, Liberal governments have, of course, been in power many times since Canada became a nation and their supporters will tell you that Liberals are equally responsible for the great country we have today.

In the end, finding the right balance is neither left wing nor right wing, it is simply the correct thing to do.

Armenian-Canadians march on Parliament Hill

2011-04-25T15:11:00.000-04:00

Hundreds of Armenian-Canadians rallied on Parliament Hill in Ottawa today, to commemorate the 96th anniversary of what has been called the Armenian genocide.

To learn more about it and why it is controversial, please click here.

Campaigners call for more resolve in dealing with the landmine problem

2011-04-04T15:18:00.005-04:00

Defused antipersonnel landmines in Cambodia

On the International Day for Mine Awareness, campaigners from around the world gathered in Cambodia to call for the international community to commit itself to a mine-free world.

More countries need to sign the Mine Ban Treaty (MBT) and implement all of its requirements, according to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL).

Civil society groups are calling on governments to commit adequate and sustained multi-year funding and do more to support landmine survivors.

In addition to marking mine awareness day, campaigners launched the road to the 11th Meeting of States Parties to the MBT, which will take place in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in November 2011.

“When governments meet in Phnom Penh this November, we do not want to hear rhetoric or platitudes, but rather what concrete actions they are taking to create a mine-free world,” said Tun Channareth, ICBL ambassador and a landmine survivor from Cambodia.

There are four key areas where the ICBL expects to see progress from states at the November 2011 meeting: clearing mined areas, assisting victims, providing the necessary funding and resources, and ensuring universal adherence to the MBT.

The 1997 MBT currently has 156 States Parties. The 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) has 108 signatories, of which 55 have already ratified.

In addition to comprehensively banning landmines and cluster munitions, both treaties require states to clear all their contaminated areas, destroy their stockpiles of the weapons, and provide assistance to survivors, their families and communities.

Rescue capsule used to save Chilean miners on display in Ottawa

2011-03-30T14:53:00.003-04:00

The rescue capsule is 55 centimetres in diameter and weighs 420 kilograms. The interior is 1.9 metres high. It is equipped with an oxygen supply and communication equipment.

A closer look at the wheels on the capsule. Click on the photos for a larger view.

One of the two Phoenix capsules used to rescue 33 miners in Chile in October 2010 is on display at the Museum of Science and Technology in Ottawa.

This capsule was used as a testing model and brought supplies to the miners, who were trapped more than 600 metres underground for 69 days.

Painted in the colours of the Chilean flag, the Phoenix capsule is a low-tech steel tube designed and built at a Chilean naval shipyard. The actual rescue capsule that was send down the shaft to retrieve the miners one by one remains in Chile.

The display was opened by the Chilean Ambassador to Canada, Roberto Ibarra Garcia and Claude Faubert, director general of the museum.

As the capsule is considered an artifact, the public will not be able to get inside it.

The capsule is on display until May 1, 2011. It will then be shipped to a museum in Germany.

Celebrating World Water Day in Ottawa

2011-03-22T23:48:00.000-04:00

Ottawa Riverkeeper Meredith Brown (above) and Blue Planet Project's Anil Naidoo (below) talked to the crowd about the challenges ahead for the Ottawa river watershed and how people must not take fresh water for granted.

Karine Houde (left) and Ellorie McKnight were on hand to support Ottawa Riverkeeper and World Water Day. Along with six others, they plan on canoeing and portaging 7,000 kilometres from Ottawa to Inuvik, NWT this year to raise awareness about watershed conservation in Canada. To learn more, click here.

Entertainment was provided by Phantom Shores.

Care about your water supply? Contact Ottawa Riverkeeper to see how you can help out.

Mine Ban Treaty – 12 years & counting

2011-03-01T12:05:00.001-05:00

Exactly 12 years ago today the world became a safer place when the Mine Ban Treaty (MBT) came into effect.

Since then, the number of recorded victims of landmines, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), cluster munitions, and other explosive remnants of war (ERW) has dropped from more than 25,000 per year to less than 4,000 per year, according Landmine Monitor 2010.

In addition, approximately 45 million antipersonnel mines have been destroyed from stockpiles since the MBT was adopted. Thanks to rigorous demining efforts, large tracts of land have been cleared and returned to productive use.

While there is much to cheer about, landmine survivors and civil society groups who work with them know that we are a long way from living in a mine-free world.

Landmines still contaminate 66 states or territories and millions of people remain at risk.

While most of the countries of the world have signed the treaty, 39 have not, most notably, the United States, Russia and China.

Campaigners today issued a press release calling on the U.S. to immediately ban antipersonnel landmines and join the treaty.

The Obama Administration started a comprehensive review of its landmine policy in late 2009 to determine whether to join the MBT. No date for completing the review has been made public yet. By joining the treaty, campaigners believe the U.S. would help send a clear signal that antipersonnel mines are unacceptable weapons. This would also strengthen international security and encourage other countries to sign the treaty.

Canada scores well in G8 report

2011-02-27T15:04:00.001-05:00

Canada and the EU have scored the highest marks in terms of overall compliance to the commitments made at last summer's G8 Summit in Muskoka, Ontario, according the recently-released Interim Compliance Report.

For the report, 18 priority commitments were selected from the 73 commitments made at the Muskoka Summit, hosted by Canada in June 2010.

The report looks at commitments made to improve health care funding, climate change, terrorism, natural disasters, trade and development.

The next summit will be held in Deauville, France in May.

Each year since 1996, the G8 Research Group (based at the University of Toronto) has produced a compliance report on the progress made by the G8 member countries in meeting their commitments made at the previous summit.

To read the full report, please click here.

Winterlude Photos

2011-02-20T14:05:00.003-05:00

This is the last weekend to enjoy Winterlude – Ottawa's annual celebration of all things wintery. A quick tour of the downtown area today revealed lots of people out enjoying the various activities on offer.
Click on the photos for a larger view.

A winter tradition for decades – skating on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa

Making their mark in ice on the graffiti wall

A Canadian tradition, eh?

Ice sculpture contest – another Winterlude favourite

It's time for Winterlude!

2011-01-31T21:55:00.001-05:00

Photos: Japanese artists Junichi Nakamura (black jacket) and Sam Terada (red jacket) working on their ice sculpture in Confederation Park in Ottawa.

It's Winterlude time again in Canada's capital! Get out the skates & toques and enjoy one of life's simple pleasures – skating on the 7.8–kilometre Rideau Canal in Ottawa.

Even if you do not skate, the National Capital Commission (NCC) has a number of things for you to do during the festival. For many, that means taking in the annual ice sculpture competition in Confederation Park.

Today, on what was probably the coldest day of the season, the NCC previewed what will happen in the park during the festival. Besides the international ice sculpture competition, spectators will be able to enjoy special DJ nights and multi-cultural events such as a walk through a traditional Mongolian yurt – which was brought to Ottawa specifically for Winterlude.

A teepee will also be erected in the park.

The theme of this year's festival is "Harmony by Contrast."

Winterlude festivities take place February 4 – 21, 2011. The festival receives approximately one million visitors per year.

Exterior view of the Mongolian yurt in Confederation Park in Ottawa.

Interior view of the yurt.

University of Ottawa visual arts students have also contributed to this year's Winterlude with a display of art made from biodegradable or recycleable materials.

The entrance to Confederation Park in Ottawa.

Interesting art exhibition now on at the War Museum

2011-01-07T14:36:00.002-05:00

You don't have to be an art lover or a military historian to enjoy the new exhibition called A Brush with War: Military Art from Korea to Afghanistan, now on at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.

The show features 64 paintings from the museum's holdings and other collections. Many of the paintings were created by artists involved with the Canadian Armed Forces Civilian Artists Program (CAFCAP), which ran from 1968 to 1995, or the current Canadian Forces Artists Program (CFAP).

One of the highlights in the exhibition is Ted Zuber's painting of combat during the Korean War. Mr. Zuber served with the Royal Canadian Regiment during the war and was wounded in action. He painted several scenes after the war, based on his own recollections of events. Canada did not have an official artist in Korea.

Mr. Zuber was the only Canadian artist hired to record Canada's involvement in the Gulf War 1990-1991.

Many of the paintings from the CAFCAP period are representational and documentary in style. There are depictions of everyday activities in the armed forces, such as, painting deck fittings on a warship, food preparation, and maintenance work on jeeps and warplanes.

More recent paintings are larger in scale, more abstract and subjective in their approach.

One of the more disturbing images is Gertrude Kearns' 1996 painting of Somali teenager Shidane Arone, who was tortured and killed by Canadian Peacekeepers in 1993.

Also included in the show are two well-known paintings: Vimy Ridge from Souchez Valley, which was painted by A.Y. Jackson in 1918 and His Majesty's Canadian Ship Prince Henry in Corsica, which was painted by Alex Colville in 1944.

The exhibition runs until March 20, 2011.

'Tis the season to think about trees

2010-12-23T17:38:00.000-05:00

Every year at this time, people in many parts of the world ask the same question: do we get a real tree or a fake tree for Christmas?
It is hard to question the beauty, the smell, the texture and the look of a real Christmas tree. For many families, selecting a tree, bringing it home and decorating it is a welcome annual tradition.
Each year millions of trees are cut down, tied to the roofs of family cars and carted away. Is there anything wrong with that? Well, it depends who you talk to.
Ethan Budiansky, head of international programs with the non-profit group, Trees for the Future thinks there are alternatives to cutting down trees.
In a recent blog, Mr. Budiansky suggests people focus more on planting trees than cutting them down.
Mr. Budiansky works in Africa and the Caribbean developing reforestation and sustainable agriculture programs. He says the problems caused by a lack of trees are devastating. These include soil erosion and poor soil fertility. This in turn results in poorer crop yields and eventually, more cases of malnutrition.
It may be difficult for many people in the western world to relate to these problems, but perhaps the Christmas season is one time of the year when we should think more about trees – because we bring them into our homes. The rest of the year we tend to take them for granted.
But others aren't as fortunate. As Mr. Budiansky says: "for many people (in the developing world) the present doesn't come under the tree, it is the tree."
If you did buy a real tree this Christmas – enjoy it. They are completely recyclable. Here in Ottawa, 5,000 tonnes of Christmas trees get chipped and turned into mulch and returned to the earth. In addition, the National Capital Commission (NCC) purchases about 1,000 trees from local vendors and uses them to decorate the Rideau Canal during Winterlude.

Has Canada dropped the ball on the landmine issue?

2010-11-30T14:57:00.000-05:00

A deminer with the Canadian International Demining Corps looks for landmines in a field near Srebrenica in 2007.

According to the recently released Landmine Monitor 2010, Canadian mine action funding dropped 57 per cent in the last year – the largest decrease for any donor country.

Canada contributed C$21.4 million to mine action in 2009, putting the country in seventh spot overall among donor countries.

For many people, this decrease was quite a shock.

"The Canadian government should be embarrassed for such a huge decrease in funding," said Paul Hannon, executive director of Mines Action Canada, in a press release. "If this is the start of a trend, we will become known as laggards and our leadership on this issue is in danger of becoming a piece of history."

Canada, the first country to sign and ratify the Mine Ban Treaty, had a dedicated landmine fund for many years. Unfortunately, government interest in this issue seems to be waning.

As well, Canada has closed its embassies in Bosnia and Cambodia – two of the world’s most landmine-affected countries.

Perhaps not surprisingly, 60 per cent of Canadian mine action funding went to Afghanistan last year. That money was largely channeled through the UN and other multilateral institutions, and this concerns Mr. Hannon.

"This makes it hard to trace exactly where and how the funds were used," he said.

For Canadian NGOs, the task of obtaining funding for mine action is increasingly difficult.

David Horton, executive director of the Nova Scotia based Canadian International Demining Corps said in an email interview that his NGO has been operating at below 50 per cent capacity for the last five years and has not received any direct support from the government of Canada since 2007.

He too, is troubled with how Canadian mine action funding is being spent.

"We are also frustrated by the fact that so much of the Canadian funding that is still available is being channeled through foreign governments and multilateral agencies," said Mr. Horton. "In our view this policy significantly diminishes the productivity of our aid dollars and makes it difficult to measure the true results of the assistance provided. We could more than double our activities if we could attract the same level of Canadian government support as we received 10 years ago.”

In the early 2000s, CIDC worked in Bosnia, Croatia, Kosovo, Mozambique and Thailand. Today, they are working only in Bosnia and their demining program is funded by International Trust Fund contributions from American and European government agencies.

Despite the fact that Canada is no longer a top five donor, the Canadian government insists it is still involved in solving this humanitarian crisis.

"Canada continues to support mine action," said a spokesperson for Foreign Affairs in an email interview. "Canada's total financial investment in mine action is currently more than $300 million."

To read the report, please click here.

Book review – A Line in the Sand

2010-11-18T19:48:00.000-05:00

Photo courtesy D&M Publishers.

When medical doctor Ray Wiss left Sudbury, Ont., in 2007 to practice medicine with the Canadian Forces (CF) in Afghanistan, he kept a diary about his experiences overseas.
That diary ended up being published as a book entitled FOB Doc (FOB stands for Forward Operating Base) and went on to be a best seller.
In 2009, Mr. Wiss was once again asked to go back and do another tour of duty with the CF in Kandahar, and once again he kept a meticulous diary, which has just been published by D & M Publishers under the title of A Line In The Sand.
Mr. Wiss – who is a captain in the CF reserves – lets readers know he believes what Canadians are doing in Afghanistan is moral, noble and worth the risk. Take for example, the much-improved education system in that country.
"Under the Taliban, there were 600,000 students and 1,500 schools in Afghanistan," writes Mr. Wiss. "In 2007, those numbers were six million students and 9,000 schools. Despite the Taliban's out-and-out war on the education system, that system has grown by leaps and bounds: in 2009, there were eight million Afghan children in school."
In one of the more interesting passages in the book Mr. Wiss recounts a religious debate during which he asked a 24-year-old mullah about the Taliban.
"I then asked him what he thought of the Taliban and whether they were good Muslims," said Mr. Wiss. "He replied emphatically that they were not Muslims at all. He buttressed this argument by pointing out all the things they did that are forbidden in the Quran. These included suicide bombing, the killing of innocents, the subjugation of women and the rejection of education."
Mr. Wiss describes the day-to-day grind of living in a combat zone in great detail. One minute he is sitting around bored. The next minute the base is under a Taliban attack while he was eating dinner.
Mr. Wiss has high praise for his fellow Canadians in Afghanistan. From the Chief of Defence Staff, General Walter Natynczyk, to the drivers, cooks and the female soldiers who effortlessly lug artillery shells around, Mr. Wiss' anecdotes will enlighten readers who know very little about the activities of our troops in the field.
One surprising revelation, given the fact that Canada was the first country to sign the Mine Ban Treaty, is that the CF is using landmines in Afghanistan.
Mr. Wiss explains that the Claymore mines used by the CF are not being used as victim-activated anti-personnel mines, but rather as a close-in defensive system, and as such, are not part of the treaty. They are placed around the FOB, but are not linked to a trip wire mechanism or a pressure plate. The only way the mines can be detonated is by an electrical signal sent by the CF should the FOB come under attack.
When the CF eventually leave the FOB, they will deactivate the Claymores and take them away, leaving nothing behind.
Mr. Wiss says that one of the reasons he wrote the book is to make sure Canada's contribution to the war in Afghanistan is not downplayed.
"Canadian soldiers have fought and continue to fight in Kandahar with as much tenacity as their forebears did at Vimy Ridge and at Juno Beach," writes Mr. Wiss. "It is essential that the names of Panjwayi, Zhari, Arghandab and Shah Wali Khot become as much a part of our nation's collective memory as those storied places."
A Line in the Sand is an interesting read, although at 432 pages (including photographs) it is a tad too long.

War Amps releases historic newsreels

2010-11-10T07:25:00.002-05:00

Photo courtesy Dale Gervais.

Thanks to the War Amps, all 106 Canadian Army newsreels from the Second World War are now available to the public for the first time ever as a complete set.
The special six disc DVD collection contains more than 20 hours of footage and comes with a booklet that describes the content of each newsreel.
The collection (which can be purchased directly from the War Amps website) is a significant addition to the War Amps Military Heritage Series and will further help Canadians understand our military's contribution during the Second World War.
"Cliff Chadderton (War Amps chief executive officer) realized about 20 years ago that Canadians don't really understand what happened in war, " said Karen Valley, president of War Amps Operation Legacy.
"They understand about the Hollywood version or the video game version but not the real human reality side of war. So he started Operation Legacy and the Military Heritage Series to illustrate the lesser known stories, the more human side of what Canada's involvement was in the war," said Ms. Valley.
"I am very happy they are being released," said Michael Spencer, 90, one of the original members of the Canadian Film and Photo Unit (CFPU), in a telephone interview from his home in Montreal. "I hope very much that when they are released, they reach a big audience."
Canada was the last of the Allied countries to start a film and photo unit. Documents show that the unit was formed in October 1941, primarily to record the activities of Canadian troops training for the eventual invasion of Europe and to create a lasting record of Canadian involvement in the Second World War.
The CFPU started out with four members: Lt. J.E.R. ‘Jack’ McDougall, Lt. George Nobel, S/Sgt. Michael Spencer, and Cpl. Alan Grayston. The unit grew to include more than 50 cine cameramen, and 25 still photographers.
Only six members are still alive today.
Military cine cameramen attached to the CFPU filmed the 10-minute newsreels. The cameramen used hand-cranked Bell & Howell Eyemo cameras, which shot 100-foot rolls of 35mm nitrate motion picture film. A roll of film only lasted for approximately two and a half minutes before the camera needed to be reloaded.
Sergeant Norm Quick, one of the unit's most experienced cameramen got so good at changing rolls that it only took him 20 seconds to reload and be ready to shoot again.
Mr. Quick is very excited in the level of interest that Canadians are showing in the newsreels. He is particularly happy that the CFPU is finally getting credit for the stories, as many people previously thought the film footage came from the National Film Board.
The first issue of the Canadian Army Newsreels was released in November 1942. They were originally released monthly, then biweekly, and finally weekly.
All of the raw footage was sent to London for processing and editing. Military censors decided what could be released and what could not. Any shot that identified a soldier's regiment or the regiment's location ended up on the cutting room floor.
Once the newsreels were completed, they were immediately sent out for viewing. In newsreel #49 the narrator explains the unit's mandate: "Produced by, of, and for the Canadian Army, the Canadian Army weekly newsreel is your newsreel. Its job is to portray faithfully the life of Canadian soldiers wherever they may be. They are shown from front line theatres to headquarters in Canada to keep you posted on the deeds of Canada's fighting army."
Mr. Quick recalls seeing some of the completed newsreels while he was overseas and says the soldiers in the field enjoyed them.
Despite having fewer personnel and less sophisticated cameras than other film units in the war, the CFPU did manage to scoop the world on several occasions. Perhaps the most famous example of this is the iconic D-Day footage shot by Sergeant Bill Grant showing Canadian troops landing on Juno Beach.
That film was the first footage of the invasion to make it back to the war office in London and be cleared for release to the media. It was shown around the world.
After the war ended, the CFPU disbanded and its members either returned to their old jobs or found new ones.
Mr. Spencer went back to the National Film Board (NFB) and later became the first executive director of the Canadian Film Development Corporation.
Mr. Quick also worked for the NFB, before returning to the armed forces to finish off his career.
And what happened to all the film and photographs the CFPU shot during the war?
"The NFB inherited the complete archive of the Canadian Army Film Unit," said Dale Gervais, a film conservator at Library and Archives Canada.
The collection was housed at a number of temporary sites until a permanent home was found in Beaconsfield, Quebec. Unfortunately a fire destroyed the collection on July 23, 1967," said Mr. Gervais.
Fortunately, a complete set of 16 mm prints of all 106 newsreels that were stored offsite survived the fire.
Library and Archives Canada is currently making new preservation elements of the prints for long-term storage.
Why should Canadians care about these 106 black and white newsreels?
"They are the only visual record of Canadians in action during the Second World War apart from footage shot by the other allied forces and other independent newsreel companies," said Mr. Gervais. "Without this record we would not be aware of the sacrifices that had to be made by the young men and women of our armed forces. The newsreels will forever remain as a living tribute to the men and women of the Canadian forces."
As a special Remembrance Day tribute, the Mayfair theatre in Ottawa will be showing several CFPU newsreels on November 10 at 7 p.m.
Lest We Forget.

Canadian Forces member releases a new song on Remembrance Day

2010-11-09T07:29:00.001-05:00

Photo: Scotty Newlands.

As Remembrance Day approaches, many people turn their thoughts and prayers to those who have served, or are currently serving in the Canadian Forces.

Scotty Newlands is certainly one of those people.

But the 31-year-old singer/musician/actor has taken it a step further. He is a 2nd Lt in the Canadian Forces Reserves with eight years of service to his credit.

Mr. Newlands joined the Reserves in 2002 as a clarinet player.

He currently works part time as a staff officer at the Denison Armoury in Toronto. His duties include everything from web design to graphics to spreadsheets and whatever else is required.

But what really turns him on is music.

In 2003, he auditioned for Canadian Idol and that experience convinced him to pursue a career as a singer.

He has released one album – New Roads – and will release a single on Remembrance Day entitled These Are Our Heroes.

A portion of the proceeds from the new single will go toward supporting the Canadian Forces.

Although the uplifting song is being released on November 11, Mr. Newlands says people should interpret it in their own way.

"It is not just for the military, but for whomever you believe are your own heroes," said Mr. Newlands in a telephone interview from Toronto. "We wanted something that was inspiring and motivational. When you listen to the song it should not make you feel as though you are at a funeral. It is a jubilation, in the sense that you are proud of what they have done," he said.

Mr. Newlands believes These Are Our Heroes could be his signature song. The reaction from both the military and civilians has been very positive.

"I would be very happy if this becomes the legacy and this is what I am known for."

To listen to the song and watch the music video, please click here.

New report calls for better stewardship of the oilsands

2010-10-21T12:59:00.000-04:00

Photo: Cover of the report Duty Calls, courtesy of Environmental Defence, The Pembina Institute and Equiterre.

Three environmental groups have issued a wake-up call to the federal government, telling it to get more involved in how the oilsands are developed.
Their report – Duty Calls: Federal Responsibility in Canada's Oilsands, says that the oilsands currently produce 1.7 million barrels per day. However, after factoring in projects that have been approved, waiting for approval, or recently announced, that number jumps to a staggering 7.5 million barrels per day.

At a press conference on Parliament Hill, representatives from Environmental Defence, Pembina Institute and Equiterre said the proposed level of development of the oilsands is a disaster waiting to happen.

"Each of the federal party leaders has said that more needs to be done to deal with the environmental impacts of the oilsands, but we seem to be stuck in neutral as a country on this issue and it is time to move forward," said Rick Smith, executive director of Environmental Defence.

If the oilsands continue to develop and expand at the current pace, the oilsands industry will outspend its share of Canada's carbon budget by 3.5 times by 2020 and by nearly 40 times by 2050, according to the report.

Steven Guilbeault, deputy director of Equiterre says the "sky is the limit for greenhouse gas emissions attitude" does not sit well in other parts of the country.

"One province (Québec) is on the verge of reaching its Kyoto targets," said Mr. Guilbeault. "We need to get on with the program."

The report says the federal government has both the authority to implement policies to minimize environmental harm and a legal obligation to do so under several federal laws, including: Species at Risk Act, Migratory Birds Convention Act, Fisheries Act, Canadian Environmental Protection Act and Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.

To read the report, click here.

To learn more about the oilsands, click here.

Handicap International's 4th pyramid of shoes in Montreal

2010-09-25T22:44:00.000-04:00

Photo: Pyramid of shoes in Montreal. Click on the photos for a larger view.

Handicap International (Canada) held its fourth annual pyramid of shoes in support of landmine and cluster bomb victims in downtown Montreal today.

The NGO invited members of the public to throw their old shoes on the pile to show solidarity with the estimated 500,000 (mostly civilian) people who have lost limbs to these indiscriminant weapons of war.

The Convention on Cluster Munitions became international law on August 1, 2010. To date, 108 countries have signed the treaty and 40 countries have ratified it.

Canada has signed the treaty but has not yet ratified it. This has not gone unnoticed by the NGO community.

In her speech to the crowd, Claire Fehrenbach, director of Handicap International, asked the Canadian government to ratify the treaty as soon as possible and help victims of cluster bombs.

"We need to provide assistance to the victims," said Ms. Fehrenbach. "We also need to help their communities."

In an email interview, a spokesperson with the Department of Foreign Affairs said: "Canada participated actively in the negotiation of the new Convention on Cluster Munitions (Oslo Process) and was pleased to be among the first of 94 states to sign the Convention when it opened for signature in Oslo in December 2008. It is a requirement that domestic Canadian legislation to ensure compliance with a new treaty or Convention be in place, before Canada would ratify the instrument."

Paul Hannon, executive director of Mines Action Canada, reminded the crowd that much work remains to be done and said that events like the one put on today, remind people to recommit themselves to the job at hand.

"Let's cross these weapons off the world's "to do" list, said Mr. Hannon.

After the speeches, a demining demonstration was put on by Philipe Giguere of Handicap International.

As well, members of the public were invited to try walking with a prosthetic.

To learn more about the cluster bomb issue, please click here.

Photo: Paul Hannon (Mines Action Canada) and Claire Fehrenbach (Handicap International), in front of the pyramid of shoes in Montreal on Saturday.

Photo: Philipe Giguere of Handicap International, demonstrated how to clear a minefield.

Injured soldiers complete Targa Newfoundland

2010-09-21T15:33:00.000-04:00

Photo courtesy CNW Group/Honda Canada Inc.

Two disabled Canadian combat veterans competed in – and completed – the rugged five-day, 2,200-kilometre Targa Newfoundland international car rally.

Master Corporal Jody Mitic and Corporal Andrew Knisley drove an Acura TL SH-AWD to a first-place finish in their class, seventh-place finish in their division.

They competed in the rally to raise money and awareness for the Soldier On Fund.

Both men suffered injuries in combat that have left the pair with just three arms and one leg between them.

Ottawa River Summit

2010-08-27T17:13:00.000-04:00

Photo: Meredith Brown/Ottawa Riverkeeper

Experts from across Ontario and Québec gathered in Gatineau, Québec today to discuss ways to improve and preserve the quality of the Ottawa River watershed.

The first ever Ottawa River Summit began with a blessing by Peter Decontie, fire keeper of the Anishinabe Algonquin, and continued with a smudging ceremony and a song for the river.

He and other Aboriginal leaders talked about the cultural, spiritual and heritage value of the river.

Participants then heard from Ottawa Riverkeeper Executive Director, Meredith Brown, who outlined the many challenges facing the river.

The Ottawa River watershed is huge – 146,000 square kilometres and is home to more than 1.6 million people (living in 250 communities).

Ms. Brown talked about the many advantages of living within this watershed: it is a reliable source of drinking water (albeit after treatment), hydro-electric power generation, tourism and recreation and the jobs that are created as a result of all of those activities.

However, the river is under siege and Ms. Brown outlined many of the problems, including: point and non-point source pollution, agricultural run off, dams, altered shorelines, loss of wetlands and floodplains, low water levels, algal blooms, contaminated fish and inadequately treated sewage being dumped into the river.

Ms. Brown said there is a lack of baseline data about the Ottawa River and called for a more coordinated effort by all levels of government, non-governmental organizations, and aboriginal groups to work together to improve water quality.

Photo: While the Ottawa River Summit was going on, many were on the water enjoying it.

What to expect from the First Meeting of State Parties to the CCM

2010-08-19T09:31:00.000-04:00

Photo courtesy Cluster Munition Coalition

Mines Action Canada held a webinar recently to celebrate the entry into force of the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM).

Banning these weapons has been a goal for civil society groups for many years – given the fact that the majority of cluster bomb victims are civilians.

Alex Hiniker, project manager, Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC), participated in the webinar live from Vientiane, Lao PDR. The Internet connection was very poor and Ms. Hinkier's presentation was cut short, but not before she showed slides of the destruction caused by cluster bombs – both on humans and the environment.

She also outlined what civil society groups wanted from the upcoming First Meeting of State Parties, which will be held in Lao PDR in November 2010.

Ms. Hiniker said the CMC has three main objectives for the first meeting: to ensure wide participation from state parties and civil society; a comprehensive and co-coordinated action plan that shows how state parties will meet their treaty obligations; and to inform as many people as possible to about the problem of cluster munitions and the solutions that are available.

Lao PDR was the logical choice for hosting the first meeting, as it is the most heavily cluster-affected countries in the world. As many as 260 million cluster submunitions were dropped on the country during the 1960s and 1970s, according to Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor. Millions of those submunitions did not explode and remain in the ground waiting to go off.

To date, 108 countries have signed the CCM and 38 have ratified it. It became legally binding on August 1, 2010.

To see your country's position on the CCM, please click here.

World Press Photo exhibition in Ottawa

2010-08-15T18:16:00.000-04:00

The winning photographs from the annual World Press Photo competition are currently on display at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa (until August 29).

As always, some of the photographs are shocking, disturbing and enlightening. Others make you question why they were selected in the first place.

Despite budget cuts to news organizations and a decrease in photo assignments, the jury waded through 101,960 images to select the winners in a variety of categories.

There are several highlights to the exhibition including: Eugene Richards' black & white photos of injured American soldiers, and a shocking series of photographs by Farah Abdi Warsameh of a Somali man getting stoned to death.

On a totally different level, Zed Nelson's photo of a young New York man looking at his freshly-waxed chest in a mirror says a lot about the desire to conform to the de jour standard of beauty.

World Press Photo was founded in the Netherlands in 1955. The annual exhibition is seen by more than 2.5 million visitors in 45 countries.

For more information please click here.

Going green and saving money

2010-08-14T18:04:00.003-04:00

Photo: Annalea Krebs, owner of ethicalDeal.

If you like green products, a sustainable lifestyle and saving money, Annalea Krebs has a deal for you.

The Vancouver woman is just about to launch a green coupon website called ethicalDeal that will allow subscribers to purchase products or services in their own community and save anywhere from 50 to 90 per cent off the regular price.

"I have always been passionate about promoting the green economy," said Ms. Krebs, in a telephone interview.

After studying commerce at university, she combined her business knowledge and her personal commitment to ethical consumerism to start ethicalDeal.

What is ethicalDeal?

"It is an easy way for people to discover the best green stuff to do, see or buy in their city," said Ms. Krebs.

If enough people purchase the discounted product or service online, then ethicalDeal sends them a coupon, which the customer takes to the vendor in his or her community to redeem.

Ms. Krebs chose this business model because more people are shopping online today than ever before.

Ms. Krebs says the advantage of using ethicalDeal is not only the group discount, but also the fact that the consumer does not have to spend so much time looking for the green product or service anymore. The searching is done for them.

Ms. Krebs says that her group will verify each product or service to make sure they are legitimate and eco-friendly.

They are about to launch their first green coupon website in Vancouver. Victoria, Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary and Edmonton will follow.

"It's all about group buying power," said Ms. Krebs. "We go where people want us."

The group needs between 3,000 - 5,000 subscribers in order to launch an ethicalDeal site in each community. Membership is free.

Just how big is the ethical consumer market?

Ms. Krebs says that according to a 2006 North American survey, it was valued at $US 209 million and projected to grow to more that $US 420 million by 2010.

Although Canada lags behind other countries in terms of green purchasing and environmental awareness, Ms. Krebs is delighted that Vancouver has just been certified as a fair trade city.

She acknowledges that most green products are more expensive than products that are available at discount stores, but she believes ethical consumers are willing to pay more to buy products or services that match their lifestyle.

For more information or to sign up to win a $500 green shopping spree, visit www.ethicaldeal.com.

Book review – Polar Imperative

2010-07-11T12:58:00.001-04:00

Photo courtesy Douglas & McIntrye.

Canadians may think they own the Arctic, but without the political will and military might to back up that claim, this country may be in for a rude wake-up call.

In her dense, well-researched book, Polar Imperative, Shelagh Grant says the Arctic is threatened by a number of factors, including climate change, commercial shipping, boundary disputes and resource extraction.

Ms. Grant – an adjunct professor and research associate at Trent University in Peterborough, Ont., does not believe Canada is ready to deal with the world's ever-increasing demands on accessing the Arctic and exploiting its resources.

Challenges to Canadian sovereignty over the Northwest Passage and Hans Island are among the many territorial claims Canada will have to face and win if it wants to protect its interest in the north.

Canada became the second largest country in the world on September 1, 1880, when the British lost interest in the Arctic and transferred it over to the 13-year-old Dominion of Canada.

Since then, Canada's interest in the Arctic has vacillated.

Ms. Grant believes Canadians have a romantic view of the Arctic, often seeing it through movies and coffee table books. Most Canadians have never travelled there. Neither have many politicians for that matter, which perhaps explains why the Arctic is not a priority.

Ms. Grant argues that if Canada wants the Arctic, it is going to have to increase its presence there – and that means more people, more money and more military, to monitor and control what goes on in the north.

With Polar Imperative, Shelagh Grant has given Canadians a richly detailed book to both enjoy and reflect upon.

In her book, she also warns Canadians not to be complacent.

"Fifty million years ago, the Arctic enjoyed a subtropical climate long before humans roamed the earth. Around 5,000 years ago, the first Palaeo-Eskimos arrived on the shores of Alaska. Less than 150 years ago, the last change in sovereign authority took place with the British transfer of the Arctic Islands to Canada. The current climate change has created yet another tipping point in the history of Arctic sovereignty. Although a decade represents little more than a split second when measured against the age of the planet, a lot can happen within a split second and much adversity can be prevented."

Doors Open Ottawa sheds light on our water supply

2010-06-07T14:15:00.020-04:00

Photo: An illustration of how Ottawa River water is treated to make it safe for consumers. Click on the pic for a larger view.

More than 100 of the city’s most interesting buildings were open to the public on the weekend at the annual Doors Open Ottawa event.

Two of the buildings that attracted the public’s attention were the Lemieux Island Water Purification Plant and the Fleet Street Pumping Station. In addition to being of architectural and historical interest, these buildings house important city infrastructure.

Guided tours of both facilities were offered to the public and many took advantage of them to learn more about our water supply, how it is treated and how it is delivered throughout the city.

The water purification plant situated on Lemieux Island was opened in 1932 – at the height of the Depression. There is nothing depressing about the building, however. Brass and marble fixtures are everywhere, and the various expansions and modernizations have not taken away from the beauty of the building or the island.

In the middle of the river, at a depth of 40 feet, a large intake pipe brings water into the plant where it is treated to make it potable. The whole process takes between six to eight hours.

The potable water is then pumped at low pressure to the nearby Fleet Street Pumping Station where it is pumped at high pressure (85 PSI) to the downtown core and the eastern part of the city. The pumping station was built in 1874 and uses five pumps that are run by turbines in the aqueduct underneath the building.

A second water treatment plant in Britannia takes care of Ottawa west and outlying areas.

The two water treatment plants can produce approximately 700 megalitres of clean drinking water per day. The average daily demand is about 300 megalitres.

Ottawa is lucky when it comes to water. The Ottawa River watershed is large (146,000 square kilometres) and is able to provide drinking water to more than 1.5 million people.

That is not to say the river is without problems. Ottawa Riverkeeper maintains a list of issues it is monitoring on its website.

According to the City of Ottawa’s website, Ottawa was the second city in North America to host a Doors Open event, which is based on a successful European model.

Each year, visitors hear first-hand the remarkable stories that have shaped the National Capital region. As Ottawa’s largest heritage and architectural event, Doors Open has recorded nearly 400,000 visits since it began in 2002.

Photo: Pumping potable water from the Fleet Street Pumping Station to the downtown core and the east end of the city.

Teaching Canadians about refugees

2010-06-04T08:13:00.001-04:00

The Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR) is having its spring consultation sessions in Ottawa right now and hundreds of delegates have gathered to listen, learn, network and figure out ways to improve the lives of immigrants and refugees to Canada.

At one of the workshops, five new Canadians put on a dramatization about the difficulties immigrants and refugees face when coming to Canada.

The workshop – Educating Canadians about Refugees – sought to explain to Canadians the difficulties newcomers face when confronted with a new culture, language and moral compass.

Some of the participants performed monologues about the difficulties they faced learning a second language, explaining their culture to their Canadian classmates, or even the difficulties they had when shopping for groceries for the first time.

Others worried about whether or not their kids would fit in and feel welcome in their new home.

One participant – acting as a teacher – said she did not know how she was going to "teach Canada to so many immigrants."

The keynote speaker – Marta Kalita, Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council, spoke about the programs that her province has introduced as a way of integrating immigrant and refugee youth into the school system.

Trial programs in select Winnipeg schools were established to help students to adapt to Canadian culture. Many of these programs involved improving language skills, art projects as a way to express one's cultural heritage (through theatre, photography or storytelling) and a special program for immigrant girls.

Teachers were also given special skills training to cope with their new students. Ironically, the Winnipeg educators found that aboriginal children from northern reserves faced many of the same challenges as their immigrant counterparts.

To learn more about the CCR, click here.

MAC announces a new foundation

2010-06-01T08:32:00.001-04:00

Photo: Prosthetics for landmine survivors, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Mines Action Canada (MAC) recently hosted a webinar to announce the creation of their charitable wing – The Walk Without Fear Foundation (WWFF) – established to raise funds to help eradicate landmines and cluster munitions.

After more than two years of work, MAC was able to meet the requirements of the Canada Revenue Agency.

Canadian donors will now be able to direct funds to the WWFF and receive a tax receipt for their contribution.

"Mines Action Canada created a charitable wing to give us an additional tool to raise public awareness and funds," said Paul Hannon, executive director of MAC.

The WWFF will focus on five areas of programming: risk reduction (organizations accessing affected communities to help them understand and mitigate risk); survivor assistance (immediate trauma care, prosthetics, and the rebuilding of livelihoods); civil society capacity building (focussing on helping young people take over the campaign to rid the world of landmines and cluster munitions); monitoring and research (program achievements and treaty implementation); education and outreach (informing the Canadian public about the successes of the landmine/cluster movement with respect to the eradication of these weapons).

"One of the things we have discovered is that despite the fact that everybody in Canada seems to know about landmines, it is hard for organizations to raise money for landmine (related issues)," said Mr. Hannon. "Part of that is because people think that the Canadian government has the issue covered."

Mr. Hannon said MAC will continue to support the global anti-landmine movement and make sure the Canadian government supports the treaties it has signed and honours its legal obligations.

He also cautioned people to not be complacent about the issue.

"The more successful we are, the less news people see about the landmines/cluster bomb problem, so therefore they think the problem is solved," said Mr. Hannon.

"While I believe the problem is solvable and is something that can be crossed off the world's "to do" list, the job is not yet finished and we do need additional resources and political will to continue to get the job done," he added.

Funding will be directed where it is most needed. Canadian NGOs, such as the Canadian International Demining Corp (CIDC) are among potential beneficiaries.

"Our goal will be to support both Canadian and international NGOs," said Mr. Hannon. "Canadian NGOs are not working in every landmine/cluster affected country in the world, so rather than incurring start-up costs, we would rather help them in countries in which they are already working and help our international partners in countries where they already have programs in place.

To learn more about MAC and the WWFF, click here.

Get your motor running!

2010-05-28T14:18:00.001-04:00

When Garry Janz and his fellow volunteers organized the first ever Motorcycle Ride for Dad in Ottawa in 2000, they had no idea it would take off like it has.

"We were interested in doing a little event in Ottawa to raise money for prostate cancer and when we first started, there was absolutely no thought in going anywhere else," said Mr. Janz, president of the Ride for Dad in a telephone interview.

It wasn't long before they started getting calls from cancer centres across the country asking them to put on a ride in their community.

"Nobody was doing anything for prostate cancer," he said.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Ride for Dad and it has gone from one small ride with 75 participants to 27 events across the country this year. Mr. Janz expects 15,000 riders to participate.

Mr. Janz got interested in prostate cancer several years ago when he was making a television documentary on cancer survivors in Kingston, Ont.

One of the men who Mr. Janz interviewed had prostate cancer. Despite this fact, he was always positive and upbeat, which led Mr. Janz to believe that prostate cancer was not all that serious.

That all changed over a cup of coffee.

"Charlie and I were talking over a coffee one morning and I asked him what he was doing in the afternoon, and he said to me: 'If someone would have told me one year earlier about the PSA test, I wouldn't be going home this afternoon to arrange my own funeral,'" Mr. Janz recalled.

One thing led to another, and Mr. Janz began networking with people in Ottawa to help him organize the first ever Motorcycle Ride for Dad in 2000. Despite the small turnout and the poor weather, they managed to raise $20,000.

In 23 events in 2009, $1.7 million was raised for prostate cancer research and awareness.

The money stays where the money is raised. In some communities more funding is allocated towards research, but in other communities where little research is being done, the money goes towards awareness and education.

"Over the past 10 years I have learned a lot about prostate cancer and one of the things I have learned is the only cure for prostate cancer right now is early detection," said Mr. Janz. "And you can't detect it if you don't get it checked. If we can get business leaders (and other high profile men) talking about it, maybe the average guy will too, and go get checked."

When Mr. Janz first met with doctors in Ottawa a decade ago to talk about prostate cancer research he was surprised and disappointed to find that there was very little being done.

He credits the money raised in the Ride for Dad for providing seed money for much-needed research. Mr. Janz was pleasantly surprised to find that many researchers have turned that seed money into much bigger grants and more in-depth research.

They get over 100 applications for funding each year. A panel of experts decides which ones are the most promising.

Mr. Janz is extremely excited about being involved with the 10th anniversary ride that will take motorcyclists across the country. This is a one-time event that is separate from the other community-based Ride for Dad events.

"It is the most awesome thing that has ever happened in this country for prostate cancer."

The riders will leave St. John's, N.L., on August 1 and arrive in Victoria, B.C., on August 29.

"We will get all kinds of weather," jokes Mr. Janz.

He is particularly looking forward to the Highway of Heroes portion of the cross-Canada trip, as it is expected to be have the largest number of participants and is linked with one of the beneficiaries of the ride – the Military Families Fund.

Mr. Janz said the Canadian Forces have been very supportive of the ride since its inception.

"The Canadian Army Veterans (a motorcycle organization) was founded at a Ride for Dad event and has grown into thousands of people across the country and they support us everywhere," said Mr. Janz. "The military put up tents for us when it's raining, they publicize the ride, and they get the word out. So what better way than this to show our thanks to the Canadian Forces."

For more information about this event click here. For information about your local ride click here.

Photo: Motorcycle Ride for Dad on Carling Avenue in Ottawa.

Bicycles for Humanity announce their annual bike drive for Africa

2010-05-13T11:46:00.000-04:00

Photo taken at the 2009 B4H bike drop off spot in Barrhaven, Ontario.

Bicycles for Humanity is holding their annual bike drive on Saturday May 22 between 9 a.m. – 12 noon. The non-profit group is looking for adult-sized mountain and hybrid bikes in working condition. The bikes will be sent to Malawi in Africa to benefit an orphan care organization and area healthcare workers.

There will be five drop off sites around the National Capital area. For more information click here.

Canadian deminer making her mark in the world and saving lives

2010-04-07T20:56:00.009-04:00

Photo: Megan Latimer prepares lengths of safety fuse with detonators to destroy landmines that were found earlier in the day (Angola, 2008).

Photo courtesy the HALO Trust.

Last Sunday’s International Day for Landmine Awareness came and went with little notice in the mainstream media – but for Megan Latimer, everyday is about landmines.

The 27-year-old Canadian is currently working with the demining NGO, HALO Trust, in Colombia and spends much of her time trying to find and destroy these weapons of war.

Cheap and efficient, anti-personnel landmines affect both soldiers and (mostly) civilians in dozens of countries around the world.

Ms. Latimer is determined to do something about this issue.

She got involved in mine action after finishing university. An internship with Mines Action Canada led her to Mozambique to help build capacity and evaluate a community liaison and demining project run by Handicap International.

While in Mozambique, she visited a mine clearance operation conducted by HALO Trust and was so impressed with their work that she applied for a job. It wasn’t long after that she was accepted.

“I underwent my deminer training with HALO Trust, mostly in Angola,” said Ms. Latimer, in an email interview. “I spent a month being trained as both a deminer and a minefield supervisor (these roles are normally filled by people from the local community). This training was invaluable, not just for the obvious (being able to supervise minefield operations) but also to empathize how it feels to be a deminer. Demining is incredibly monotonous work, and I admire very much the men and women who are on their knees 25 days a month searching for mines so that they can be destroyed,” said Ms. Latimer.
She has worked with HALO on demining projects in Afghanistan, Mozambique, Sri Lanka and Angola – where she was responsible for a staff of 1,200 deminers and support staff.
If you think demining is dangerous – you are right.
“One of my most nerve-wracking days was when I first went to Sri Lanka and had to disarm my first mine,” she said. “Normally we never touch mines (we) just blow them up when they are found; however in Sri Lanka, it was very difficult to get access to explosives because the army was afraid they might fall into the hands of the Tamil Tigers. This means that instead of destroying the mines where they are found, we have to disarm them and bring them back to the headquarters until explosives or other methods are available to destroy them. It was an incredibly hot and humid day, and as my luck would have it, with the first mine I picked up, a Pakistani P-4, the detonator refused to come out. A tree root had grown right around the bottom where the detonator assembly is located. I stood there with my Sri Lankan staff watching – already skeptical having a new, female boss. The sweat was running into my eyes. Luckily, after a couple of minutes of delicately working at the root with my Leatherman, trying to stay well away from the pressure plate on the top of the mine, the root finally came loose, and I was able to unscrew the detonator. It was a moment of extremely intense relief,” she said.
Ms. Latimer is currently based in Colombia, where she works as the Deputy Program Manager for HALO. As the program there is relatively new, she spends a great deal of her time in high-level meetings with government officials in Bogata. She also liaises with a variety of embassy staffers, trying to secure funding for HALO’s work.
The remainder of her time is spent in the field, where she gathers information about the mine threat and interviews local people who are affected by the landmines. This information is used to determine future demining projects.
Colombia is a difficult country to work in. Forty years of internal conflicts have made it one of the most mined countries in the world.
Despite the fact that Colombia is a State Party to the Mine Ban Treaty (MBT) and some progress has been made demining affected areas, non-state armed groups continue to lay landmines. This will make it difficult for the country to meet its Article 5 obligations (destruction of anti-personnel mines in mined areas).
According to Landmine Monitor, there were 6,696 casualties of explosive devices between 1999 and 2008.
Ms. Latimer says the drug trade also has an affect on demining operations.
“Colombia is also well known for its cultivation of coca to feed the drug trade,” said Ms. Latimer. “It is common to find people in the countryside growing coca in small plots. Usually these people are being forced to grow it by armed groups and are paid a fairly lucrative amount, which is impossible to pass up. If they refuse to grow it, they and their families will face serious consequences from the armed groups. These plots of coca are often protected by landmines and at the moment it is HALO’s policy not to go anywhere near these mines, as they are still considered tactical mines. I was once led accidentally into a coca field by a local informant as we were making our way to a different area. He didn’t realize the coca was there (it was surrounded by normal crops such as maize which hid it from view). We promptly turned around and left the field as fast as we could, but it was a slightly disconcerting experience,” she said.
Despite the challenges and dangers, Ms. Latimer loves her work.
“I like the variety of it, and the fact that I get to see or do something new almost every day,” said Ms. Latimer. “This was especially true when I was based in Africa. The other thing I love is getting to work with people from different backgrounds and cultures. I learn so much from my coworkers, they continually challenge my perceptions about this world and I am incredibly grateful to them for it,” she said.

G8 research group publishes interim report

2010-03-28T21:03:00.005-04:00

Click on the graph for a larger view.

The G8 Research Group at the Munk Centre for International Studies in Toronto has released its 2009 L'Aquila G8 Summit Interim Compliance Report and it shows that Canada has dropped from second place to third place overall.

For the report, a total of 24 priority commitments were selected from the 254 commitments made at last July's summit in Italy.

Commitments concerning climate change research and development, financing and forest degradation received the highest ratings. Trade and development assistance scored poorly. Clearly, there is a lot of work to do before the final report is issued later this year.

Canada hosts the next G8 Summit June 25-26 in Muskoka, Ontario.

To read the full report, please click here

Today is World Water Day

2010-03-22T08:03:00.000-04:00

Today is World Water Day. This year's theme is water quality. World Water Day has been celebrated every March 22 since 1993 as a way to focus the world's attention on the importance of safe, clean drinking water for everyone.

To find out what is happening in your community (in Canada) please click here.

Canada ratifies Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

2010-03-15T18:29:00.023-04:00

With the Paralympics in Vancouver now underway, the Government of Canada has now officially ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon said that promoting the rights of the disabled would become part of Canada’s foreign policy.

“Canada is committed to promoting and protecting the rights of persons with disabilities and enabling their full participation in society,” said Mr. Cannon, in a press release. “Ratification of this convention underscores the Government of Canada’s strong commitment to this goal.”

For the approximately 4.4 million persons with disabilities in Canada (14.3 per cent of the population), ratification of the convention is a watershed moment.

“This convention requires governments to agree to monitor progress and report on the progress made to improve the status of persons with disabilities,” said Laurie Beachell, national coordinator, Council of Canadians with Disabilities, in a telephone interview.”

“This turns the page. This moves us into a new realm where people with disabilities are recognized as equal citizens with equal responsibilities and access to the goods and services in this country,” he said.

Mr. Beachell wants the federal government to look at improving access to federally regulated transportation systems, new initiatives to address the disproportionate poverty that Canadians with disabilities face, new initiatives to ensure that people have access to improved health care, education, work training programs.

According to Mr. Beachell, the immediate priority facing the disabled community is to address the poverty issue – and in particular – aboriginal people with disabilities where the federal government has a clear responsibility.

“If you went and looked at the welfare rolls across this country, anywhere between 45 to 60 per cent are people with disabilities,” said Mr. Beachell.

Disabled does not just mean someone in a wheelchair. It includes people with mental health concerns, people with developmental disabilities who may have been institutionalized, the deaf community, people with vision loss, as well as people who use mobility devices.

“When we talk disability, we are talking about a very broad community,” said Mr. Beachell.

Canada was the 82nd country to ratify the convention after being one of the early signatories of the document, which the UN General Assembly adopted in December 2006. The convention entered into force in May 2008.

According to statistics on the UN website, more than 600 million people in the world have various types and degrees of disabilities.

The Convention on Cluster Munitions has been ratified

2010-02-18T20:19:00.017-05:00

Photo: A hillside outside of Kandahar is searched for unexploded cluster bombs.

A BLU-97 cluster bomb can be seen in the foreground. (Photo courtesy: John Rodsted)

Civil society groups around the world are elated now that the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) has been ratified and will become international law on August 1, 2010.

Burkina Faso and Moldova added their signatures to the list this week, bringing the number of signatories to the required 30 to ratify the treaty.

"The first 30 states to ratify (the CCM) should be proud of their central role in helping to put an end for all time to the suffering caused by these cruel and unjust weapons," said Thomas Nash, coordinator of the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) in a press release. "For those not yet on board, 2010 is the year to get on the right side of history, to get in on the ground floor, and join the ban before the first meeting of State Parties in November."

To date, 104 countries have signed the CCM (including Canada), although noticeably absent are many of the same countries that have not signed the Mine Ban Treaty.

While cluster munitions (like landmines) are a cost-efficient and effective weapons system, they represent a major threat to the civilian population, because many bomblets fail to detonate when they are supposed to. The unexploded bomblets lie in wait for someone to disturb them.

According to the report – Circle of Impact – by Handicap International, 98 per cent of cluster bomb victims are civilians.

When the treaty comes into force next summer, State Parties will be obligated to ban the use, production, transfer and stockpiling of cluster bombs and provide support to survivors and affected communities.

Clearing the world of unexploded cluster munitions will take both time and money.

“There is still a lot to do and the commitment of the State Parties must now be followed by action and financial decisions in order to support NGOs working on victim assistance,” said Claire Fehrenbach of Handicap International Canada in an email interview. “It is important that Canada ratifies the treaty without delay and commits itself to a clear position regarding funding. Since the end of (the Canadian Landmine Fund) the situation has become alarming for organizations such as ours working in the field,” said Ms. Fehrenbach.

The process towards Canadian ratification of the CCM is ongoing, according to Paul Hannon, executive director of Mines Action Canada. In a recent webinar, Mr. Hannon said he expects the necessary legislation to be in place shortly so that Canada can conclude the ratification process by autumn.

In addition to banning the use of cluster bombs, civil society groups have called on financial institutions and individuals to stop investing in companies that produce cluster bombs.

“We are tracking the investment policies and practices of the major chartered banks in Canada and engaging with them to review their policies,” said Mr. Hannon. “We are also asking (the public) to ask their bank about its policy toward investing in cluster munitions. Our goal is to change practices – it is not just to name and shame,” said Mr. Hannon.

The first meeting of the State Parties to the CCM will take place in Laos PDR in late 2010.

Art auction for Haiti a huge success

2010-02-11T21:40:00.002-05:00

Photo: CBC's Adrian Harewood served as auctioneer at the benefit for Haiti.

Cube Gallery in Ottawa was filled to the rafters recently as local artists contributed their work to an art auction in aid of Haitian earthquake survivors.

Approximately 100 local artists donated photographs, paintings, sculptures, hand-made greeting cards and a variety of other works to the cause.

While the final tally is not yet known, organizers say that almost $10,000 has been raised so far.

The money will be given to the Red Cross and Humanitarian Fund in Haiti.

The event was organized by local Member of Parliament, Paul Dewar (NDP-Ottawa Centre), Cube Gallery and AfrikArt Konnexion.

“Cube has a history of donating the gallery space over the years,” said Don Monet, owner of Cube Gallery. “It is the right thing to do when people are in trouble – extend a hand.”

This event was one of several fundraisers that have been organized throughout the Ottawa area recently to help the relief efforts in Haiti.

Fundraiser for Haiti

2010-01-29T09:28:00.005-05:00

The Cube Gallery in Ottawa is hosting a fundraiser for Haiti on Tuesday February 9.

Buy something to hang on your wall, save lives in Haiti. What could be better?

The auction starts at 8 p.m. More info here.

Book review – The War in the Country

2009-12-31T20:54:00.007-05:00

If you ate locally grown produce today, thank a farmer – while you can still find one.

According to author (and farmer), Thomas Pawlick, the Canadian family farm is on the verge of extinction and only a concerted effort by urban dwellers can ensure its survival.

In his new book – The War in the Country – Mr. Pawlick uses his own part of the world (eastern Ontario) to draw attention to what he believes are some of the problems family farms are facing. These include: too much government regulation, poor remuneration and competition from multi-national factory farms.

Another issue that concerns him is the diminishing nutritional value of produce that is shipped into Canada.

Mr. Pawlick has studied international food tables for several years and he is alarmed at what they show.

“What I found that was so shocking was that for virtually every food on the shelf, the nutrient content was dropping at an astounding rate since 1950,” said Mr. Pawlick in a telephone interview.

Mr. Pawlick gave the example of the white potato. He says the studies show that the level of vitamin A in white potatoes has dropped 100 per cent since 1950.

The reason for this is because of the way the food is produced, processed, shipped and stored. It may take months before something grown outside of Canada reaches your dinner table. By that time the nutrients are gone.

Mr. Pawlick believes eating locally grown organic food is a much healthier option for Canadians.

Having lived in Africa, the Middle East and Europe for many years, Mr. Pawlick has been able to eat and drink locally produced food and wine and says Canadians need to embrace that.

“We have lost that culture (that promotes local produce and wine),” said Mr. Pawlick. “That culture goes back a couple thousand years.”

It is not all negative though. He is encouraged by the upsurge in the formation of community groups that support sustainable agriculture and local farmers’ markets.

“What I want Canadians to take from this book is the fact that it (rural life and local food production) concerns them, even if they don’t live in the country.”

The War in the Country contains a 15-point to do list, which spells out how urban Canadians can get more involved in protecting their food security.

Whether or not you believe that factory farms are producing food that is less nutritious and healthy is something each individual consumer is going to have to decide for themselves. However, with his book, The War in the Country, Thomas Pawlick has given Canadians ample food-for-thought as to why they should care about not only what they eat, but also, where it comes from.