Items

• 
  2022-04-07

  Corrupt Vaccines

  This is an Instagram post by dswlaura1. This post shows a TikTok video, with hashtags as a description. The tags refer to things like the Ottawa Freedom Convoy, which has been a massive ongoing protest against vaccine mandates in Canada. Other tags include references to "The Great Reset", which is a conspiracy theory that the pandemic was created in order to make people more subservient to elites in power, while losing both their money and freedoms in the process. "Agenda 2030" is another conspiracy theory where it was established that 2030 will be the official "end" to the virus, along with other things.
• 
  2020

  Sophie Gregoire Trudeau Gets "All Clear"

  Sophie Gregoire Trudeau announced via social media that she was given the all clear to cease her self isolation following her COVID-19 diagnosis
• 
  2021-02-16

  None of Ottawa's new travel rules apply to the largest group of people entering Canada — truckers

  Truckers are not being tested or facing restrictions like other cross-border travelers. This has led to some push back as they likely see more interactions with others than other travelers, including non-essential travel such as recreation. There are talks to either require quarantine and possibility to prioritize truckers for the Covid-19 vaccine.
• 
  2020-12-03

  Manitoba premier wants extra doses of vaccine if Ottawa reserves portion for First Nations

  The federal government's proposed plan to reserve a portion of COVID-19 vaccine for First Nations would leave Manitoba with the fewest doses for the rest of the population, Premier Brian Pallister said.
• 
  2020-08-17

  Bill Morneau resigns as finance minister and MP, will seek to lead OECD

  Bill Morneau has announced his resignation as finance minister, and will also step down as the MP for Toronto Centre, after meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau earlier Monday.
• 
  2020-09-18

  Party Leader of Bloc Québécois Has Tested for Covid-19

  Yves-François Blanchet and his wife have tested positive for Covid-19. Ottawa is considered to be currently in a second wave, which poses questions how to protect members of parliament.
• 
  2020-08-06

  Pandemic causing more drowning deaths on open water, say experts

  "A drowning prevention expert says the COVID-19 pandemic and Ottawa's record-hot July have both contributed to shifts in where people are getting into trouble on the water — and it might be time to change safety messaging. There has been a string of recent drownings in Ottawa, and officials say the vast majority of them are occurring in open water, not at backyard swimming pools or supervised beaches." "'That's why we're seeing a lot of river drownings. [It's] because of it being so hot, and accessibility to the pools is restricted,' said Wagg, noting municipal pools can only operate at about one-sixth capacity because of COVID-19 restrictions."
• 
  07/29/2020

  Gwendolyn Way Oral History, 2020/07/29

  An interview with Gwendolyn "Gwen" Way regarding her experience living in a retirement home during the pandemic. Gwen discusses the changes made by the residence where she lives to prevent an introduction or spread of the virus, as outbreaks in Long Term Care facilities have been common in Canada, and how it has effected her life within the home and her relationship with the world outside it. She compares and contrasts this lockdown and pandemic with the 19 months she spend in a sanatorium being treated for tuberculosis (TB) many years ago. The fear of the unknown and desperation at the lack of a firm end date are ideas which Gwen returns to repeatedly.
• 
  07/26/2020

  Alexandra Phan Oral History, 2020/07/26

  Alexandra "Alex" Phan shares her experience of the pandemic. Alex is a Master's student at the University of Ottawa studying Virology and working in a lab which focuses on emerging viruses- most recently SARS-COV-2 (Covid-19). She describes her activities during the pandemic and the sense that she and other researchers are somewhat removed from the collective trauma the rest of the world is experiencing, as their routines have not changed drastically. She also discusses the changes in student life and what it is like moving out of your parents house/living on your own for the first time in the midst of a tiered lock-down.
• 
  2020-07-28

  Ottawa's restaurants give each other 'a big community hug'

  "But with such a small space, taking out a few tables to adhere to physical distancing rules wasn't feasible. And its Somerset Street West location doesn't afford it much space for a patio. "But this Thursday, Corner Peach will be once again dishing up its pre-COVID menu — at a different restaurant. Arlo Restaurant and Wine, itself brand-new to Ottawa's restaurant scene, has offered up its spacious patio to Corner Peach, one of a number of examples of restaurateurs in this city lending each other a helping hand."
• 2020-07-20

  Mé​​​​​​​tis artist creates 'wash your hands' posters in 21 Indigenous languages

  "The Métis artist decided to take two of her pieces and, using translations she found on an Indigenous Services Canada website, add the recommendation to 'wash your hands' in 21 Indigenous languages." "There's a lot of elders that don't speak the English language fluently, so to see something in their own language would be comforting, just knowing that somebody cares enough to take the time to give you something in the language of your own upbringing." - Colleen Gray
• 
  2020-07-13

  Sentry program at National War Memorial restarts with COVID-19 safety measures in place

  "To limit any possible spread of COVID-19, members of the national sentry program will follow protective health measures of the government and the Canadian Forces. Visitors are asked to keep a minimum two-metre distance from the sentries at all times, the military noted in its statement." An article relaying that the sentries at the National War Memorial will be in place again. They normally stand guard every summer but have not so far this year due to the pandemic. The Canadian Armed Forces have had particularly strict regulations in place for the members since March, in an attempt to ensure should military personnel be needed to respond to a crisis, health or otherwise, there will be sufficient healthy staff available to do so. The presence of sentries at the memorial, which is also the site of the tomb of the unknown soldier, is not particularly representative of the city or military for most Ottawans or visitors but has taken on added significance since a lone gunman shot and killed one of the sentries, from behind, before storming the parliament buildings, several years ago. The sentry was the only victim to die in that attack and his death on duty has given an even deeper value in the post to those who hold it.
• 
  2020-07-11

  Ottawa ACORN mobile clinic brings COVID tests to disabled, disadvantaged

  "Saturday’s mobile clinic was organized by Ottawa ACORN, an advocacy group for low and moderate income families. It approached Ottawa Public Health to help organize the clinic, which was supported by The Ottawa Hospital, CHEO, Ottawa Inner City Health and the Ottawa Paramedic Service. The Ottawa Mission supplied hot meals to staff and those waiting to be tested, and the company Honey Group brought its mobile SMRT testing booth, which offers contactless testing."
• 
  2020-07-08

  “Insufficient facts always invite danger.” - Captain Spock

  A tweet from famed Canadian astronaut Colonel Chris Hadfield and resulting response from Ottawa Public Health. The initial tweet shows three of the main characters from the original Star Trek (Bones, Kirk, and Spock) with medical masks superimposed on their faces and another crew member, wearing the red shirt which is often jokingly said to mark a character for death, in the background without a mask. The response from Ottawa Public Health is the addition of a quote from the famously logical character of Spock: "Insufficient facts always invite danger." This is possibly a reference to those who are claiming masks are ineffectual or even dangerous based on limited or untruthful sources- a section of the population with which the Public Health unit deals frequently.
• 
  2020-07-10

  Ottawa company creates 'SMRT Booth' for mobile COVID-19 testing

  "An Ottawa company has developed a mobile COVID-19 testing booth it says increases safety and reduces the need for personal protective equipment. "Honey Group has developed “SMRT Booth”, a mobile testing solution for COVID-19 testing during the pandemic. "Honey Group says the 'SMRT Booth' stands for: - Safe – the SMRT Booth ensures all health care providers and patients are safe during testing as there is no physical contact -Mobile – The SMRT Booth can be placed anywhere -Reduce PPE: Honey Group says the SMRT Booth reduces and almost eliminates the use of personal protective equipment -Testing Time: Honey group says the booth allows health care providers to test patients faster as they don’t have to change PPE in between patients."
• 
  2020-07-06

  Letter of Instruction to Business Owners and Operators Concerning Mask Order

  The attached is a letter from Ottawa Public Health and the Chief Medical Officer of Health for the City of Ottawa, Dr. Vera Etches, outlining how the newly implemented public health order which requires the wearing of masks by all individuals in indoor public spaces and what there responsibilities are in relation to that order.
• 
  2020-07-03

  BEEP-O!: Drive-in bingo helps Cornwall non-profits get back on their feet

  "It's nothing to be concerned about, however. A woman sitting in a silver sedan at the Cornwall Bingo Centre parking lot has gotten a bingo, notifying staff with a short honk."
• 
  2020-06-24

  No known COVID-19 cases linked to anti-racism march in early June

  An article discussing a statement by Ottawa's Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Vera Etches, stating that there have been no confirmed cases of covid-19 associated with anti-racism protests early in June. The fear was that the large congregation of people, some of whom not practicing physical distancing, would spread the virus, but it appears sufficient precautions were taken by protesters. "Ottawa's medical officer of health, Dr. Vera Etches, says she is not aware of any known COVID-19 cases that have been linked to a Black Lives Matter demonstration in early June. "'I'm not aware of any cases that have been determined to have occurred because of the event,' Dr. Etches told reporters Wednesday following City Council."
• 
  2020-06-21

  Third migrant farm worker dies as Canada reaches deal with Mexico

  Article discussing the disproportionate number of temporary foreign workers infected with coronavirus and the efforts to mitigate this. The temporary foreign worker program has been controversial in Canada for years, for a number of reasons including condition and treatment of workers, immigration status, the employment of foreign nationals over Canadian residents and citizens etc. Like many societal issues the pandemic has brought the ethics and practice of the program to a flash-point. "The outbreak has triggered heightened scrutiny of Canada’s temporary foreign worker program and the conditions in which foreign labourers live and work. In Ontario alone, more than 630 migrant farm workers have been infected with COVID-19; two men from Mexico – Bonifacio Eugenio Romero, 31, and Rogelio Munoz Santos, 24 – have died. The third worker who died is Juan Lopez Chaparro, 55; he had been coming to Canada since 2010 and is survived by his wife and four children, the Migrant Rights Network said in a release Monday. "Federal Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough told The Globe and Mail last week that Ottawa will overhaul the temporary foreign worker program, including through more surprise inspections of working and living conditions at farms that employ migrant workers. Mexico had temporarily stopped sending more workers, until Canadian officials got a handle on the outbreaks and ensured people are properly paid while they’re in isolation."
• 
  2020-06-17

  "To protect those around you wear a mask you must"

  A tweet from Keith Egli, Ottawa city councillor for Ward 9 (Knoxdale-Merivale) and Chair of the Board for Ottawa Public Health shared this image of a Lego Yoda wearing a mask with the caption "To protect those around you wear a mask you must ."
• 
  2020-06-16

  How the Airbnb ban led to lower rental prices in Canada's major cities

  Many of Canada's largest cities have been experiencing what have been dubbed housing crises in the past few years; rental and purchasing prices have shot through the roof while availability shrinks, pushing out many poor or even middle class residents. This article explores how the drop in demand and government restrictions for AirBnBs (short term online rentals), as a result of the pandemic has impacted the market. To ensure they are still receiving income from their properties many who were renting their units for short term stays are instead turning to leasing them out traditionally, causing an influx in housing availability and driving the prices down with the increased supply. While this is not the best for those looking to turn a profit off their real estate it is an unexpected benefit of the pandemic for many average citizens.
• 
  2020-06-16

  Balloon Sculptures

  Tweet featuring the large balloon sculptures made now that their artist has time on his hands during quarantine.
• 
  2020-06-11

  Supports for homeless people fight infection: How the Shepherds of Good Hope put the brakes on a COVID-19 outbreak

  This in-depth newspaper piece discusses how the Ottawa Inner City Health organization and the city's 4 largest homeless shelters: The Shepherds of Good Hope, The Ottawa Mission, the Salvation Army, and Cornerstone Housing for Women, prepared for and have been seeking to limited the spread of and treat Covid-19 infections among the vulnerable homeless population. The Shepherds of Good Hope experiences an outbreak (an 'outbreak' is a cluster of cases which occurs within an institution and requires specific responses by the institution under law) but due to the protocols in place, it was limited and ended quickly. A highlight of the article is the anecdote regarding masked. While Ottawa Inner City Health was not provided with the PPE it initially ordered due to a mix up regarding their place in the queue for supplies during a shortage. However, masks, specifically, did not end up being an issue, as the Salvation Army found a palette of unused N-95 masks it had ordered during the 2009 H1N1 epidemic and which had been forgotten in the back of their loading dock for those 11 years. The palette contained 10,000 masks which were then shared among the various centres.
• 
  2020-06-08

  Darn squirrels!: School-at-home project lets Ottawa kids grow their own veggies

  News article discussing a program providing seeds and gardening supplies to school children to provide fresh produce at home during quarantine, especially for those in underprivileged circumstances, and to allow for online group lessons on subjects such as horticulture, cooking, ecology. A particular and amusing challenge they are learning to face is the healthy local squirrel population eating their crops!
• 
  2020-06-02

  Ottawa hospital workers protest exclusion from pandemic pay

  While some health care professions such as doctors and nurses are receiving additional pay during the pandemic, others such as technicians and therapists are not leading to protests for a more inclusive pay policy.
• 
  2020-05-08

  Local Grain Supply and Curbside Pick-up Setup

  Photograph taken while parked outside the Ottawa Valley Grain company waiting for our order to be delivered from inside the mill to our car. With the increase in interest in back-to-basics hobbies like baking (especially bread) it is near impossible to get any kind of flour in grocery stores or large online suppliers. While they too have been sold out at intervals, this company of local grain producers milling their own goods, has been offering large bags of a variety of flours during this time. The sign on the left reads "Ottawa Valley Grain/ ONLINE ORDER PICK UP HERE/ ONLINE ORDER PICK UP PARKING" followed by their phone number to call when you arrive to let them know you're there. The one on the right "Thank You/ Ottawa Valley Grain/ For Still Working/ During This Hard Time"
• 
  2020-05-13

  The Sounds of a Health Pandemic

  Music Professor examines the media's use of sound and music to portray the health pandemic
• 
  2020-05-24

  Indigenous families given new lease on life as pandemic opens up housing options

  This article relays an unexpected benefit to the pandemic. Because more people are staying put, putting off moving for work and school, among other reasons, there has been a downturn in the rental market. This has opened up better and more plentiful housing options for those struggling to find accommodations for large families when builders and landlords prefer smaller single or two bedroom units. Centres which aid women leaving abusive relationships and indigenous people (or both), such as the Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health, are finding this a particular boon, allowing them to clear their waiting lists/backlogs and find housing for clients previously in limbo.
• 
  2020-05-26

  Universities aren't planning cuts to tuition to compensate for online classes during COVID-19 pandemic

  Article regarding the call for a reduction in university tuition for the upcoming school year/term from the Canadian Federation of Students and student governments across the country and the refusal of many major universities to do so. The universities rationale is that the quality of education will not be effected by the move to predominantly online/distant classes and that they are fulfilling all their obligations. The article outlines the decisions of each of the major Canadian universities including Dalhousie, McGill, the University of Toronto, the University of Ottawa, Carleton, Queen's, the University of Winnipeg, the University of Alberta, and the University of British Columbia.
• 
  2020-05-24

  'The strangest Ramadan ever:' Ottawa Muslims celebrate Eid with drive-in prayer

  This article relays photographs taken and interviews conducted at an Ottawa mosque during physically distanced Eid al-Fitr services.
• 
  2020-05-08

  Physically Distanced Line-up outside LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario)

  A line of people queue using tape lines on the sidewalk 2 meters apart in front of the LCBO location at the Ottawa Trainyards. Those retail spaces allowed to open are limited in the number of people they can hold at one time to permit physical distancing, meaning any additional shoppers must wait outside for other customers to leave. Despite some backlash liquor stores were listed as essential businesses by the province of Ontario from the beginning of the state of emergency in late March. This was in acknowledgement of that fact that there are those within Ontario society with a physical dependency on alcohol and if their access was restricted it might result in an unnecessary strain on the health care system. Not only would time and resources be used if an individual required medical assistance due to withdrawal, they might also be unnecessarily exposed to the virus while seeking treatment. Some industry services have been limited, however; the Beer Store, the only store which buys back empty bottles, is no longer doing so. This is a blow to those who collect bottles on the street or from recycling bins as an income.
• 
  05/21/2020

  Union wants masks to be mandatory for OC Transpo riders

  News article regarding calls from bus drivers and maintenance workers for Ottawa-Carleton (OC) Transportation to make the wearing of masks on public transport mandatory in the city for their protection. *Josh Pringle, CTV News Ottawa
• 
  2020-05-04

  Schoolyard Closure and Basketball Players Ignoring It

  Attached to the permanent, metal private property sign at the edge of the yard of St. Thomas More Catholic School, is depicted a plasticized sign announcing that “Due to COVID-19 these school grounds are CLOSED except for walk through” by authority of the Ottawa Catholic School Board. In the background, across the grounds, at the basketball hoops attached to the school, three young men can be seen flouting the signs posted at several entrances in order to shoot hoops. Provincial restrictions have been relaxed since this photograph was taken, allowing for sunbathing and distant sports, such as tennis, in public spaces, however, the school grounds are private property and the signs remain. There has been an increase in activity around the basketball hoops since this announcement.
• 
  2020-05-19

  City seeking donations of non-medical masks for vulnerable residents

  Public appeal published on the City of Ottawa website requesting non-medical grade masks which it intends to distribute to residents at risk. The appeal specifies the type of mask and materials to be used in their construction as well as a contact to arrange their donation.
• 
  2020-04-23

  Yard Sign and Nova Scotia Flag in Condolence for Mass Shooting

  While in many respects the world has come to a halt in the midst of the pandemic, there are some events of significance which are only tangentially related to the virus. On April 18th and 19th, 2020, the worst mass shooting in Canadian history was committed across several locations in the province of Nova Scotia. As all provinces remained in some degree of lockdown or a state of emergency, the normal mass gatherings, protests, and expressions of grief which would normal follow such a tragedy were impossible. Indeed, the victims could not even have the funerals well attended by the community and media which would previously have occurred. Instead, the outpouring of national grief was largely restricted to digital communication and small physical memorials. Local schools and government buildings lowered their flags to half mast for a week. Several houses in my neighbourhood put printed-out Nova Scotia flags in their windows as an acknowledge. This larger flag was attached to an existing poster-board and wood sign urging others to “Be Kind” and “Stay Safe” took on a whole new meaning. No longer was it just espousing patience and understanding in a time where blame is leveled against individuals and groups, and to stay healthy. Now it promotes the added message of peace (kindness) following violence, and safety when that is not true. The communal grieving process which would follow violence on the scale of that which occurred in Nova Scotia still occurred, but it looked very different.