A Prayer from Angel Square

Merry Christmas! Again, I feel lucky. We have celebrated Christmas with our families. The season became even more special with the arrival of our grandchildren (and their parents) today. I'd like to follow up my last comments on the arrival of refugees, with a quote from one of my favourite Christmas books, Angel Square.

Angel Square is a novel, written in 1984 by local writer Brian Doyle. It's told from the perspective of twelve year old Tommy, who lives in the working class neighbourhood of Lowertown, here in Ottawa. The year is 1945. It's interesting to read about Ottawa in the 40's and compare Doyle's recollections with what my other has told me about that period. It's also alarming to read about the racial hatred that existed between Catholics, Protestants and Jews at that time. The simple blind prejudice seems ridiculous today. Relations between Catholics, Protestants (who uses that word today?) and Jews have certainly improved a great deal since that time.

And yet there are still problems of prejudice, fear and mistrust of anyone different. This new wave of refugees, is bringing out the very best and the very worst in North Americans. Of course I have been astonished at some of the rhetoric south of the border. Unfortunately Canada also had some pretty low moments this year with language such as the "barbaric cultural practices snitch line". Thankfully that did not come to pass. Over the past month, CBC television and radio have aired some very moving interviews, documentaries and reports on wonderful efforts being made to welcome refugees across Canada.

I recently attended a stage version of Angel Square. There is a Christmas Eve prayer near the end, that resonated with me. This was written in 1984 and the setting is 1945. Unfortunately, as we head into 2016, these words still fit.

"That night I went to bed early.
And I tried a prayer.
I had never tried a prayer before.
 I prayed for a nice time.
A time when nobody thought that some other person's face was funny look at and nobody laughed at other people's parents and said they were stupid-looking and nobody made fun of the way they talked and nobody thought somebody else wore funny-looking clothes or hateful clothes.
   And nobody got beat up because of the kind of hat they wore or because they were poor or because of the street they lived on.
  And nobody got spit on because they had different kinds of food in their lunch or their father came to meet them after school with a long coat on and maybe a beard.
  And nobody got their mitts stolen or got tripped in the snow because their names didn't sound right or they believed in some other kind of religion or read a different kind of bible or had freckles on their faces or had the wrong kind of hair or had to go home a different time from school or didn't have skates or did have skates or weren't allowed to play alleys on Saturday or on Sunday or were or got dunked in water at church or didn't swear or did swear or smelled funny or couldn't eat fish or had to eat fish or wore a hat in church or didn't wear a hat in church or said the Lord's prayer different or didn't say the Lord's prayer at all.
   And nobody got punched in the mouth because they had clean fingernails or fat lips or couldn't understand English or couldn't speak French or couldn't pronounce Hebrew.
   And there were no gangs waiting all the time...
   And you could carry a book along with you or a mouth organ...
   A time when maybe you liked a girl...
   A nice time.
  That's what I prayed for.
  The prayer might work, I thought.
  Or it might not.
  It was a mystery."

Ottawa, a happier city

I just cannot stop writing about this new government. Cabinet ministers have been busy, making announcements and changing directions. It has put a big smile on this city.

Take the proposed Monument to victims of communism as an example. Last week that story changed dramatically. Now, if you don't live in Ottawa this won't mean much to you, but it has been a big deal here. As you can read in the CBC piece, the monument was the Conservatives' idea. The NCC (National Capital Commission ) originally said they could have a site near the Garden of the Provinces, which is across from the National Library on Wellington Street. However, the Conservatives decided to put it right beside the Supreme Court Building. I won't bore you with all the details but this whole matter is an excellent example of how Harper's government operated. Many organizations, including the City of Ottawa, objected to the size and location of this monument. Those dissenting opinions did not matter. It was another "my way or the highway" move by Harper. If he would have been re-elected, the oversize monument would have been built, wherever he wanted it. The ironic thing is -  it is to be a monument to honour those victimized by Communism. The way the Harper government handled the whole thing certainly did not seem very democratic.

Anyhow, this past week, new minister Melanie Joly announced that the monument was being moved back to the Garden of the Provinces. Both the size of the monument and the government's contribution have been scaled back. Across the city you could hear a collective sigh of relief.

A friend of ours works in the Ministry of Health. He told me about the dramatic change of tone there. Civil servants are being asked for their opinions, their ideas, their expertise! Minister Jane Philpott recently conducted an online meeting with 8000 of the department employees, with a question and answer session included! Nothing like that had taken place in the previous ten years.

That's one of the main differences with Trudeau. We are getting to know his cabinet ministers. They are not merely puppets of the Prime Minister. Our local MP, Catherine McKenna seems to be off to a spectacular start with her participation in the Paris Climate Change talks. No longer is Canada the slacker in the environment portfolio.

I 'm not saying Trudeau and his team aren't making any mistakes. However, the general tone of his government is a welcome change. He has surrounded himself with some very talented people. Altogether they are giving many of us that "proud to be a Canadian" feeling again.

Perhaps no file has done this more than the refugee file. When I was in Toronto last month I got off the subway at the Yonge/Bloor interchange, perhaps one of the busiest pedestrian places in Canada. As I changed trains, among that throng of people, the words on the Statue of Liberty ran through my head: "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses ..." In that moment, as I walked with people of every race and colour, I simply felt that we are all one.

And so it has been heart-warming to listen to Minister John McCallum when he speaks of refugees, when he visits refugee camps. To see Trudeau welcome refugees, to see Governor General David Johnson and his family welcoming refugees - this is the Canada that makes us feel proud. The world is in a sorry mess but in the middle of all that, there are reasons for hope. This government is trying to show us the way forward. Good for them.

Hello There

Greetings from Ottawa!

May I offer my humble apologies to those of you who have patiently checked this space for the last while, only to find that I have been a lazy slug. When I am lying in bed at night, trying to sleep and then again in the morning, as I contemplate the upcoming day.....then I am writing away in my tiny brain, fashioning very interesting posts. However, once my feet hit the floor and the day starts, writing goes to the bottom of the list. As usual, I resolve to do better, to be more consistent with these offerings.

Since my last post we have been busy with the usual, mundane, fall jobs: cleaning out the garage, putting up Christmas lights and storing a lot of stuff in the basement. Out of town visitors (my mother-in law, our daughter and grandchildren), Christmas shopping, church bazaars,  a Christmas cake-baking day with my mom and sisters, Pat's choir concert, and Christmas parties have also kept us busy.

During December it is wonderful to see so many people and to attend so many gatherings but it's too bad it is so condensed. I'd love it if a few of these parties were spread out into the bleak, uneventful weeks of January and February.Yet as I write that, I immediately remind myself that this is a silly, frivolous complaint. How lucky I am, to have these outings to attend.

 There was a day this week that really spoke to me about priorities. We had a repair person over to fix the remote on our gas fireplace. He couldn't fix it immediately because there were parts that needed to be ordered. We had a call the next day and were told that the unit  has been discontinued and the parts are no longer available. Therefore we can never have a working remote for the fireplace. If I want to turn it off or on, I have to heave myself off the couch and onto the floor, get down on my hands and knees and turn the dial up or down. I was pretty ticked off about that when I first heard the news. Poor me!

Two conversations happened right after that. I bumped into a neighbour who has two adult sons with autism. She told us, flat out, that she hates this time of year. It is so difficult for her and her family as the special events and changes in routine at her son's group home throw their family life into  complete turmoil. Life is often totally unpredictable for them, in this chaotic season. The next news came from a friend of ours, who has been living with cancer for many years. Now in hospital with pneumonia, she told us that chemo is no longer working for her.

Those two conversations gave me a much needed reality check. When I am tempted to complain about minor ailments, I think about these two women and what they are going through. Or I  look at the images of refugees on tv and ask myself, "How did I get so lucky?"

This resolve not to complain so much, to look at the bright side, can be applied over and over again. Last week we mopped up a minor flood in the basement, as our washer sprung a leak. It was a mess for sure. The good news is that we don't have to buy a new washer. It was only a worn out hose. We have had bad luck with stoves lately  (three in a dozen years), so the fact that our sixteen year old washer is still working, is a bonus for sure. The other good news about that washer flood is that our washer is in the basement. The repair person said that when he goes to houses where the washer is on the main or upper floors, flooding is much more of a problem.

For now, I will leave you with a photo of one of my favourite Christmas displays. This whimsical Santa is hanging from a tree at a nearby house. I couldn't help but stop and take a photo. The lights, the displays, the songs and the gatherings are all welcome treats!

The honeymoon is over

Political honeymoons often last for a while, but not this one. Trudeau's political honeymoon ended at precisely 9:30 PM Paris time, last Friday. Earlier that week, media reports were stating that the foreign press regarded him as a curiosity. His youth, good looks and surprise win in the recent election were their main concerns. Those lightweight topics are gone now. As he entered the international stage for the first time, he was questioned about the heavy duty stuff : will he really bring home the fighter planes and also accept 25,000 refugees by Christmas? Suddenly it's a whole new ballgame.

Is there anything original that I can add to the discussion of the Paris attacks? It is a scary, confusing time with no clear cut answers.  Thank goodness for CBC radio and TV and my parish of St Joes. It felt right to gather at St. Joes on Sunday and join in the prayers for peace and sing hymns like The Prayer of St Francis: "Make me a channel of your peace..."

I spent much of Sunday reflecting on the Paris attacks, with the help of the reports, reflections. interviews and  discussions on CBC radio.  The Sunday Edition, with Michael Enright, offered a very thoughtful program, interspersed with classical French music.

For many people, Sunday was a day for gathering and reflecting, whether in churches or in town squares, here in Canada, in Paris and all over the world. CBC radio's Cross Country Checkup provided an excellent opportunity  for Canadians to gather around their radios and share thoughts and feelings. I was so impressed with the variety of comments from across the country. How lucky we are to live in this country, with this weekly opportunity to connect on Sunday afternoons!

Here is a snapshot of what I heard on Sunday:
- The formation of ISIS was a direct consequence of the over-reaction of the U.S., after the September 11th attacks in New York.
- One person told of how it took three years for her background to be checked by Canadian officials before she was allowed into the country. She wondered how the backgrounds of 25000 people can be checked so quickly.
 - Many commented that there is so much coverage of the Paris attacks but little coverage of recent terrorist attacks in Beirut.
- People fear a backlash against Muslims
 - A young Muslim woman said she was tired of having to explain to people that violence has no place in her religion.

If the radio discussions provided me with a measure of consolation, that was short-lived. I found Wendy Mesley's section of The National to be more negative and fearful. After airing the Republican candidates' views, in favour of increased military action, she asked her guest panel questions like:
How worried should we be?
Is the threat coming closer?
Which is the bigger threat? the lone wolf or the  refugee system?
Should Canadians be worried that the Canadian (refugee) system could be infiltrated?

Yes, it is the job of journalists to ask tough questions. We need the facts. Call me corny, but I also needed to feel a bit better, I needed a bit of comfort. I was grateful that The National did include some moments of hope and optimism in that Sunday night show. They reported on a victim of the shooting who survived. When she thought she would be shot, she was thinking that she wanted her friends and family to "keep believing in the good in people"

For me, Sunday's shows were simply a reminder of the power of words. The tone that journalists choose to use, the questions they choose to ask, the slant they choose to go with, has such an effect on the final product. There must be some very interesting discussions going on, in newsrooms all over these days.

 On Tuesday's The National, there was a touching video of a father talking to his young son about the tragedy. There was also the story of the young men in a Montreal subway. If you have not seen their video, Love Over Fear, have a look. Right now I'm glad to see and hear anything hopeful at all.

"The times, they are a changin' "

So here's another election postscript. In my last post, Sunny Ways, I closed with a mention of my summer student days at the Lester Pearson Building here in Ottawa. Coincidentally, there was a news item about that building this past Tuesday. In this CBC report  you can read about the Queen's portrait being re-placed in the main lobby.

When Queen Elizabeth officially opened the building in 1973, there were a couple of large Canadian coastal landscape paintings installed there. The artist was Quebec painter Alfred Pellan. The paintings hung there until four years ago, when John Baird ordered them to be re-placed by a large portrait of the Queen. This was shortly before William and Kate's visit in 2011. The Conservatives planned to sell the paintings but there was a protest in Quebec, so that idea was dropped. Now they're back in their original location. This is perhaps not of great significance, but it does illustrate the subtle ways by which governments put their stamp on this city. (That department, which was External Affairs when I worked there, changed to Foreign Affairs and is now called Global Affairs Canada.)

There's another interesting CBC item about the change of atmosphere among the federal civil service. It was written about Justin Trudeau's appearance at the Pearson Building last week.

We have spoken to friends who work in a few different federal departments and the theme is common. They all reported a new, optimistic change in atmosphere.

Sunny Ways

Well, Justin Trudeau sure got a sunny day to start off his new government. Here in Ottawa, Wednesday was the most glorious fall day, sunny with a high in the mid-teens. Many would argue that it was a great day for Ottawa and indeed, the country.

Many years ago, on another sunny day (June 30, 1984) we went down to Rideau Hall to be there when John Turner was sworn in as the new Prime Minister. There has never before been a specific public invitation to be there. It is just a known fact that the grounds to Rideau Hall are usually open to the public, so you can line up along the driveway if you want to.

John Turner's first day as PM   June 30, 1984

Jean Chretien emerges from Rideau Hall

It was a more relaxed atmosphere back in '84.

This year however, there was an invitation issued to the public, to be there to watch the PM and cabinet arrive.  And so we set off, to be there when the grounds opened at 9 am. We thought we'd go in by the side gate, rather than the front. We foolishly thought that most of the crowd would enter by the main, front gates. Wrong!

For the first time ever, we went through security to enter the grounds at Government House, so that took a while. Once we were near the main driveway, it was evident we would be about 4 people deep from the edge of the driveway. Was it really worth it to get up early and rush downtown to catch only a glimpse of Trudeau and his cabinet? It was.

 It was simply wonderful to be there on that historic day. RCMP estimated the crowd to be about 3500 people. Parents took their kids out of school, grandparents were there with their grandchildren and teachers were there with their students. The crowd was friendly and enthusiastic.

After the wait, everyone was excited as Trudeau and his team walked past. After the secrecy and speculation of who might have been chosen, it was exciting to catch a glimpse of the ministers, recognize some of them and know that they had made it.

Our new MP, Catherine McKenna

 After they entered Rideau Hall we moved away from the driveway and got as close as we could to the screen where we watched the ceremony. Call me corny but it was fun to be there in that enthusiastic crowd. When Trudeau took his oath there was not just the polite clapping inside the building. Outside, thousands of us clapped and cheered. When has that happened before? That people were so enthusiastic at a swearing-in ceremony of a Prime Minister in this country?

And then we stood some more. Again it demonstrated the interest level among the crowd - that so many people would stand still and so quietly, while each minister was announced. As the names  and then the portfolios were announced, the crowd again broke into applause. There was a lot of cheering when Stephane Dion's name and his title as Foreign Minister was announced. Clearly I was not the only person there who feels this man deserved another shot in the limelight. (see my April 17, 2013 post - Trudeau Revisited, for more thoughts on Dion.)

Dion waves to the crowd on his way into Rideau Hall

The whole experience left me with such a good feeling about the state of democracy in this country. People cared enough to come out and stand and cheer as these ministers were announced. They were not cheering at a sports event. This was the start of a new government. After a decade of not really knowing the members of cabinet, this was such a refreshing change. Over the past days we have been introduced to them and their individual stories. As in past years, once again we are going to become familiar with these people. Trudeau is not going to be calling the shots alone. As he said on Wednesday, "Government by cabinet is back".

As we biked home, along Sussex Drive, my mind drifted way back as we passed The Lester Pearson Building, home to the Foreign Affairs Department. Many, many years ago, I was a student, working at a summer job in that department, which was then known as External Affairs. Somewhere in my Dad's home movie collection is my record of the day that the Queen, alongside Pierre and Margaret Trudeau, officially opened that building. And now his son is Prime Minister! How quickly life flies by.

Of course I realize that this is only the honeymoon period. There will be rough days ahead for this government. However, they really did get off to a very good start.

Election Postscript

Well, almost two weeks have passed since election day but the airwaves are still filled with post election talk and cabinet predictions. Around Ottawa, anyone you talk to, who works in the federal civil service, is talking about the difference in atmosphere, already evident in their offices. After that climactic election night,  political junkies like me have been savouring the discussions and analysis of the campaign. There was an entertaining discussion on CBC radio's Sunday Morning last week, comparing Justin to Pierre. Macleans had a great recap of the entire campaign.  In it, writer Scott Feschuk comments on Harper's decision not to mention he was stepping down as leader, during his concession speech. "Did Steve deign to mention this minor factoid during his final high-profile speech to the people he served for a decade? He did not. It seems logical to conclude he wanted to deny the media the clip they desired - one last, little spiteful gesture. Classic him.
A Conservative spokesperson saw it differently. He said Harper simply "chose to speak about other things". Makes sense. It's reminiscent of when Neil Armstrong placed a boot on the surface of the moon and announced to the world, "Can someone please check if I left my car lights on?"

Anyhow, for what it's worth, here are my final (I promise) thoughts on this election. Everyone is talking about how long and how hard the Liberal party worked on this campaign and that is true. What is also true is that there were so many organizations involved in getting out the vote. Feelings against Harper were so strong that various groups worked for years sending out emails, gathering supporters, raising money, identifying and targeting swing ridings, encouraging supporters to work and to get out there and vote. A lot of the credit for the high voter turnout rate must go to Rick Mercer's first show of the season and groups like leadnow, avaaz, Friends of CBC,  native activists, environmental activists and so many others.

I find the increase in voter turnout and of, course the election results themselves, very hopeful. Sometimes hard work does pay off. It is also heartening to realize that even though the Conservative Party spent so much of our money on ads to promote themselves during non-election times (think Economic Action Plan) and then spent millions of their money on attack ads during the campaign, that the little guys still won. The Conservative money and their tactics (the wrap around newspaper ballot-like ads, the ka-ching ka-ching money demos, the rallies with the Ford family, were no match for ordinary hard-working Canadians working together for a common cause.

One last word about the losers. There was a touching interview on CBC Radios' Ottawa Morning with Paul Dewar. Paul was our MP for the past nine years. As the interview demonstrates, he is simply a fine, classy person and will be missed on Parliament Hill.

The People have spoken!

Allelulia! It is over!

It's been an action packed few days. On Sunday we braved the cold to sing Harperman with Tony Turner, on Parliament Hill. It was a small but very enthusiastic crowd. Many were members of the public service who thanked Tony for his role as spokesperson for their issues. By Sunday, the polls were pointing to a Harper defeat so the mood was upbeat.

On Monday I worked in a swing riding. A week ago, polls indicated that the riding of Nepean was a neck and neck race between the Liberal and Conservative candidates so I volunteered to help out the Liberal on election day. For only seven measly hours I got a tiny taste of what the media has been talking about - that is, the incredible work that goes into winning an election. First, we dropped off ads on the doors of known Liberal supporters in the area. Then, after the polls opened, we picked up the bingo sheets, at each polling station. These sheets track who has voted in each poll. Those voter numbers are cross matched with lists of known Liberal supporters for each poll. That process is repeated each hour. Around dinner time the tactic shifts to actually knocking on the doors of the supporters who have not yet voted and offering them rides to the polls. When politicians say, "We need to get out the vote," they really mean it! This is not glamorous work. But this is how the Liberals won the election, through months of sheer hard work. (Liberal Chandra Arya did win in Nepean.)

Here in our riding of Ottawa Centre, our NDP member, Paul Dewar lost to Liberal Catherine McKenna. Voter turnout here in Ottawa Centre was a whopping 82%! Politics is such a tough game. Dewar was not part of the Harper government but he was swept out of his job on this strong Liberal wave. Dewar didn't do anything wrong. He is a very well respected MP and it's  a shame to lose him and many other strong NDP members. However, I won't complain today. McKenna ran a great campaign. I was very impressed with her at the all candidates debate.

Trudeau has performed so well over this long campaign. It is a treat to hear a politician speaking in an optimistic manner. Much of what he said yesterday and today reminds me of Jack Layton. Maybe that's a large reason why he won. People want something to hope for, something optimistic. Harper, on the other hand, in his speech last night, felt he had to tell us not once, but twice, that we are living in dangerous times. A total contrast to Trudeau's use of the Wilfred Laurier phrase "sunny ways."

This morning I had an email invite to the Trudeau rally, here at the Westin Hotel. It was a warm sunny day and we had planned to work in the garage. So there was the choice - clean the garage or witness the triumphal return to Ottawa of Justin Trudeau? As I wrote here, back in April of 2013, when Justin won the leadership, I am a nostalgic fool. As a grade ten student, in 1968, I went to the convention site when his father, Pierre won the leadership. We went downtown again in 2013 when Justin won his leadership. So today, I pinned on my 1968 Trudeau button and we headed downtown to hear Justin Trudeau's speech.

It really was exciting to be in that room again, this time with him as Prime Minister elect.

He spoke so enthusiastically, so hopefully, so warmly. What a refreshing change for all of us. I wish him and his family well in the days ahead.

This is the closest to Trudeaumania that we've seen, since Pierre!

Unfortunately Justin Trudeau will not be able to undo all the changes that Harper wreaked on our country. Some of those changes are permanent. The federal government is a big operation. It will take time to change directions in so many areas. So we'll have to be patient with our hopes for this new phase of life in Ottawa, in Canada.

Harperman - One Last time

Last night I saw an interesting item on TVO's The Agenda. Here's the promo for the show: "It's been called the war on data: the cancellation of the long term census, records tossed in dumpsters, the shuttering of government libraries, and cuts to environmental organizations. This has led to what some see as a country that increasingly doesn't know itself. From understanding how many Canadians live in poverty to the state of our lakes, oceans and polar ice, The Agenda convenes a panel to discuss what has happened to Canada's data."

This show is both enlightening and frightening. It provides us with even more reasons to vote for anyone but Harper. It is astonishing that major newspapers are endorsing his government.

Tomorrow afternoon we're off to the Hill again. They're calling tomorrow's event the Harperman Farewell Singalong. (harperman.ca) This time Tony Turner, the song's composer, will lead the singing. There were about a thousand of us there in September. It's going to be a lot colder tomorrow but I'm betting there will be many of us who feel it's a fitting way to mark the end of this long campaign.

That's it till after e day. Fingers and toes crossed!

Harper land - military influence?

What  a week! Between the election campaign, Blue Jays games and hosting our grandchildren, it's been crazy! I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that I am optimistic that this may be the last time I write about Harper as our PM.

Just as the Texas Rangers made all those unexpected errors in Wednesday's seventh inning, we have witnessed a couple of errors on the election field as well. Trudeau's performance has shown nothing but improvement throughout these seven weeks, but then his campaign co-chair sent that inappropriate email, to Trans Canada, tossing Mulcair an unexpected gift. Will this help Mulcair? And then there's Harper, consorting with the Fords. How desperate is he, to do not one, but two events with them this week? Surely this is a huge tactical error. How can a law and order PM associate with criminals?

Along with these major stories, I heard an interesting local piece on CBC radio last week,
about Ottawa's summer sound and light show. Now this is not a huge story, but it demonstrates how things have been done in Ottawa, during Harper's regime.

Back on Oct. 24, 2013 I wrote my first Harperland rant, about living in Ottawa under Harper. In that post I complained about how Parliament Hill's summer Sound and Light show had been "Harperized." By that I meant that the show's content had been altered to include many more references to the military's role in Canada's history.

You may ask why I keep going to this show every year, if all I do is complain about it. The fact is the visuals are great. It's a short, free, entertaining tourist attraction. It's a lovely way to spend a summer evening with out-of-town visitors. Tourists love the use of the Parliament Buildings as a screen for the show. However, this past summer's version was even more objectionable than ever. Many of the cultural highlights from past year's shows had been dropped in favour of even more military content.

Anyhow, I feel slightly vindicated in my criticisms by last week's news report, which shows that it was Heritage Minister Shelley Glover who dictated much of the final content of the show, over the objections of her deputy minister and other government staff, who wanted less military content and more references to women.

I've got nothing against the military. Of course I recognize the important role they play in Canadian society. I simply think that under Harper, their status has been elevated unnecessarily. Take sports, for example. Has the military always been intertwined with professional sporting events? Is it my imagination or has that partnership not strengthened over this past decade?

On the night of our local candidates debate, Pat left the meeting early and was walking home when there was a sudden roar overhead. He said it was alarming and he was not alone. Many Ottawa residents, especially those downtown, were frightened by the noise of the CF-18 fighter jets that performed a flypast at the Ottawa Redblacks football game that night. It was Canadian Armed Forces Appreciation Night. (Would they ever dedicate a doctor appreciation night? How about nurses or social workers  or farmers night?)

The next day both The Redblacks and the Air Force apologized...sort of. "Folks, we regret that anyone was unaware of the flypast in advance" tweeted the Air Force. That "anyone was unaware?" Are we all supposed to read the Air Force's twitter feed on a regular basis?

Redblacks CEO Bernie Ashe stated, "All teams hold one such ceremony once per season and our focus was on doing our best to let Canadian Armed Forces members know that we support them."

In Montreal, residents' reaction was similar after their flypast. CBC reported that, "Two CF-18 fighter jets streaking low across Montreal Sunday afternoon left many downtown residents wondering what was up. Turns out the jets were doing a flypast as part of the Montreal Alouettes' pre-game show. Many Montrealers didn't know it was scheduled, however, and were caught off-guard by the screaming, darting jets overhead." 

I would love to know just how much we Canadians are paying for these flypasts at CFL games.

Another popular Ottawa summer tradition is the RCMP's Musical Ride Sunset Ceremony. We are lucky to have the opportunity to attend this free two hour show, held at the RCMP stables for four nights in late June every year. This year though, there were complaints about an added feature. The RCMP Emergency Response Team put on a demonstration before the Musical Ride portion of the show. As Kelly Egan reported in The Ottawa Citizen, many in the audience were stunned by the mock takedown at a family show. In his blog, Frank Koller wrote, "Is there no place now where Canadians can be spared the Conservative Government's jingoistic militaristic bleating with its conjured up images of dangers lurking around every corner, nurturing the fear that others are out to rob us of our freedoms?" Egan wrote that the EMR mock takedown is only added to the Ottawa version of the Sunset ceremony. No other Canadian cities see that demonstration. It was added about ten years ago. Ten years ago? A coincidence? I think not.

Will the atmosphere in Ottawa change under a new government? Here's hoping.

The Election - Advance Polls Open

Well we're almost there! Today the advance polls opened. You can vote all weekend. We went to our local polling station about an hour after they opened, expecting a short wait but it was busy. When we left, there were at least twenty people in line! I wonder if this is usual or is this a predictor of a higher than usual voter turnout? I cannot remember such interest in an election or so many groups working so hard to defeat the sitting government. This week Rick Mercer used his season-opening rant to encourage voter turnout.

There's a great site which encourages strategic voting. They have identified swing ridings across the country. My riding of Ottawa Centre will probably go NDP again, although Liberal Catherine McKenna will likely close the gap from the last election. Presuming that Paul Dewar does not need my help, I have offered to work in the riding of Nepean (for the Liberals) on election day. There, the Conservative and Liberal candidates are running neck and neck so every vote will count.

Today I heard Harper's radio ad, that warned of a $1000.00 tax grab by the Liberals, if elected. Harper spoke in a friendly, concerned fashion and ended with, "We'll talk tomorrow." So does this mean he will air a new radio ad every day, now until the election? We really are headed into a very intense phase of this long campaign.

Harperman - Tony Retires

"Tony Turner says the Conservative government can't silence him anymore." That's the opening line in a piece that appeared in last Saturday's  Ottawa Citizen - "Harperman writer decides it's time to go, sing out for change".

As you can read there, Tony has decided to retire now. He has been told by senior management at Environment Canada that he will face some kind of discipline for his recording of Harprman. I sure hope they are unable to affect his pension.

For the next twelve days he'll be singing Harperman  a lot. "I have been asked to perform at rallies and I will do that for the balance of the election. This election is too important to be silent."

All candidates meeting

Ah election season...it's just like Christmas! The lead up, the preparations, the decisions, the excitement and then the finale - Christmas Eve - Election Day! Now that we're into October, it really seems like we're building up to a crescendo. The final debate was last night. Our airwaves will now become supersaturated with ads, as we count down to the 19th.

On Thursday night I attended an all candidates debate in my riding of Ottawa Centre. Ottawa Centre goes back and forth between the New Democrats and Liberals. The NDP's Paul Dewar has held the riding for the last nine years. He was the foreign affairs critic for the NDP. Dewar's a fine person and I really hope he gets back in.

We got to the meeting ten minutes before start time but clearly we were too late.The two hundred chairs were already filled and there were maybe a hundred more people who stood for most of the two hour meeting.

It was an entertaining evening. The crowd was, for the most part, very polite. The CBC's Amanda Pfeffer served as moderator and did a great job. She managed to keep things running smoothly with good grace and humour. At one point during the audience questions, she reminded the questioner to choose just two candidates to answer his question. He responded, " Okay I'd like Paul and Catherine and Damian to answer."  To which Pfeffer replied, "Well, we'll put you in charge of the budget."

Near the end of the evening someone asked the candidates to state how their party, if elected, would support the CBC. That question and the responses by the NDP and Liberal, drew a lot of applause. 

Although the audience was polite, at times you couldn't help yourself. There were a couple of occasions when the Conservative, Damian Konstantinakos,  was stating how his government supported the CBC or listened to scientists, when spontaneous ripples of laughter erupted around the room.

One of the most unusual questions of the night went something like this, "Can you tell us which particular policy in your party's platform that you personally do not agree with?" That was a tough one. The Liberal candidate had to answer that one first and to her credit, after some hesitation, she answered that she thought they could do more work on prisons and incarceration. 

A more dramatic question was,"It's been almost a year since the shootings on Parliament Hill. What is your position? Was that a terrorist attack or was that a person with a mental health problem?"  The Conservative candidate was quick to name it a terrorist attack and went on to talk about ISIL. The NDP and Liberal candidates both spoke very thoughtfully about  mental  health challenges contributing to the whole  tragic event.

Most of the audience questions were directed to incumbent Paul Dewar and his main challenger, Liberal Catherine McKenna. They were both very impressive. The Green Party's Tom Milroy was also a good speaker.

This meeting, this riding, reflects the problem right across the country. A majority of people want to get rid of Harper but don't know which way to turn. If only the Liberals and the NDP had banded together. If only they had decided to run either an NDP or Liberal in various ridings. Harper has got to be loving this contest between the two main opposition parties. I hate to think of it, but he could slide back in, because the Liberals were too proud to consider working alongside the NDP.

Harperman Singalong

Well, what a great day for a protest event! Ottawa has been blessed with a great stretch of summer weather this week. We've enjoyed some bonus swims at our favourite swimming hole but the highlight of our week was yesterday's Harperman protest event at Parliament Hill.

We biked downtown along the Ottawa River Parkway. I think I have whined about this in a previous post but bear with me. The parkway, which runs along the Ottawa River, was built when I was a kid, back in the 60's. Everyone in Ottawa knows it as The Ottawa River Parkway. However, a year or two ago Harper had it re-named. Now it is officially The Sir John A. MacDonald Parkway. It seems that you just can't have too many things named after (Conservative) MacDonald. Anyhow...

The weather brought out all kinds of people, with great shirts and signs.

There weren't a lot of speeches. Tony Turner's wife Sharon Reeves spoke. (Tony is still an Environment Canada employee and was advised not to attend.) Clive Doucet also spoke. Doucet is one of the best mayors Ottawa never had. He was a great city councillor but was unsuccessful in his race for mayor.  Both he and Sharon spoke eloquently about freedom of speech.

Tony Turner's wife, Sharon Reeves

Clive Doucet

It was a short but very enthusiastic protest. It simply felt good to be there, right on Parliament Hill, among like-minded folks, all happily belting out a song that summarizes our feelings during this election period. It was a hopeful mood.

For a detailed account of the afternoon, check out CBC's report . Of course, if you haven't heard the song, go to http://harperman.ca to view the song as it was originally recorded in June. There's also a new animated version there. For reports of all the singalongs that were held across the country yesterday, click on press coverage. During the coming week, the Harperman site will be updated with video of the Parliament Hill event. This song has really taken on a life of its own.

P.S. In a sad turn of events, you may have seen Wayne Gretzky, on stage, with Harper today, singing his praises. Many years ago, I took our kids out of school one afternoon, so we could race downtown and catch a glimpse of the Great One. That's it Wayne..it's all over for me.

What can we do to help?

It’s goodbye season again; that time of year when many parents have recently sent their adult children off to school or jobs. While it is a season of renewal and excitement for young folks, it can also trigger feelings of loss and sadness for those of us with the empty bedrooms.
 But what do I really know about sorrow? Last week I enjoyed time at a beach, playing with my three-year-old grandson. I was thinking of another three-year-old boy on a far away beach; that profoundly moving photo.
 It was heartbreaking to hear his father interviewed. The poor man has no desire for a new life in a new country now. He has buried his wife and sons and wants to spend the rest of his life near their graves. Such is the power of love and loss. If I felt sad to see my grown son drive away to a new job, how does this man feel, to say goodbye to his three most important people, forever?
 I was lucky enough to spend some time at a couple of cottages this summer. One of them, had problems with the water supply and the fridge. The noisy pump, which brought water in from the lake, did not always function properly and for the first time, I experienced taps with no water. When the pump was functioning we boiled water to wash the dishes.
 Once home, basking in the luxury of hot and cold running water, we turned on our TV. We saw the images of all those refugees, those long lines of people, walking forever, carrying children, crawling under barbed wire, screaming in desperation when soldiers attempted to hold them back. How grateful would they be to have that cottage? Can we ever imagine how much they are suffering? Where are they getting their water? What are they eating?
 At a gathering earlier this summer, I heard someone remark, “I don’t know why we let those people into our country?” I am ashamed to admit that I was so taken aback that I said nothing. When we look back to the Second World War and recall the ships of Jews that Canada turned away, it seems unbelievable. So here we are again. How will we respond this time?
 Our world, our country has changed profoundly. The white/ English/French Ottawa that I grew up in during the 50’s and 60’s has disappeared. Ottawa, like most Canadian communities, is becoming increasingly multi-cultural.
 Once a month I volunteer at our local library, hosting an English conversation group for newcomers to Canada. It’s nothing fancy, just an opportunity for people to drop in and practice speaking English for an hour and a half.  I answer any questions they may have about Ottawa. We talk about food, families, their countries, and of course, Canada’s weather. At our last session one young man had taken a bus for an hour, just to attend the group.
 I’ve met people from many countries and heard many stories. These brave people have given up so much for the opportunity to come here and restart their lives. Last week I said goodbye to my son for a few months but these people have said good-bye to their country, their familiar surroundings and most painful of all, to their families.
 Here in Canada we are starting a new season. Along with the renewal of our usual fall activities, maybe we need to add a new item to our to do lists:
 What can we do to help these people?

Harperman Part 2

Oh My Goodness! Perhaps you have seen today's news. In June I wrote about our neighbour, Tony Turner, and his protest song, Harperman. Well last night while I was sitting on our front verandah Tony walked by and stopped for a chat.  

I had no idea that Environment Canada had forced him to take a paid leave because of the song. He's been at home while they investigate and decide whether or not he will be allowed to return to his position. The media got wind of the whole situation and Tony told me there would be an article in today's Ottawa Citizen.  By tonight it was all over radio, tv, newspapers, Facebook, Twitter etc. 

 How will today's media coverage influence Environment Canada's decision? Tony is in the middle of a project that he would really like to complete. This is not how he wanted his career to end. 

In today's Ottawa Citizen, Kathryn May writes,"Turner has been a public servant for 19 years and is nearing retirement. He most recently was assigned to co-ordinate a project to map priority areas for migratory birds.But he has also been a stalwart of the local folk music scene since 1994 when he joined Writers’ Bloc, Ottawa’s songwriters collective. He has several CDs, plays regularly across the province and is best known for the song Circle of Song, which will be included in a new anthology of Canadian folk songs." 

I really like Harperman. It's got a catchy tune and the lyrics are right on. Thanks to today's coverage it's well on its way to  becoming a powerful protest song , reminiscent of the 60's protest songs. Funny thing about the media coverage of this whole situation. Until today I had not heard about the September 17th Harperman singalong event, on Parliament Hill and in many other cities across the country. You can bet those singalongs will be far better attended as a result of today. 

However, Tony's not just about protest. Have a listen to the song May mentioned, Circle of Song, to get a better picture of this excellent musician and truly fine person.
 

Harperland, without Flora

Years ago, you used to hear stories about friendly, behind-the-scenes relationships among politicians on opposite sides of the House of Commons. On the floor of the House they sparred about policy but after hours, many got along just fine. That camaraderie among foes has been in short supply in recent years. Yesterday however, we saw a glimpse of that possibility. When Elizabeth May gave the Green Party speech to begin their election campaign, she started off by delivering a heartfelt tribute to recently deceased Conservative Flora MacDonald. In fact, she dedicated the Green Party campaign to the memory of Ms. MacDonald and advised her candidates to try to follow her example of public service. She added that she regretted not being able to attend her funeral. It was an unusual start to an election campaign. Good for her.

Flora MacDonald's funeral was held at 2 pm yesterday at Christ Church Cathedral here in Ottawa. Last week some questioned Harper's decision not to offer a state funeral for MacDonald. Not only did she blaze a trail for women in government, she worked diligently for many humanitarian causes, long after her retirement.

Folks chatting outside Christ Church Cathedral, after Flora MacDonald's funeral

At the funeral service four people spoke about her. We were left with the impression of a warm, dedicated person who cared deeply about the plight of many. Former PM Joe Clark spoke about her time as Minister of External Affairs. Two of the many events of that time were Canada's role in the escape of the American hostages in Tehran and the arrival of thousands of Vietnamese boat people. Communities across Canada welcomed these refugees, following a policy designed by MacDonald. The city of Ottawa's efforts were led by then-mayor Marian Dewar. Her son, Paul Dewar, our MP, was in attendance at yesterday's funeral. So was his leader, Tom Mulcair.

Their presence, along with Elizabeth May's tribute, is an example of what politics can be. Politicians can respect each other, even if they are from different parties.

Prime Minister Harper had his morning meeting at Rideau Hall but didn't stay in town for the funeral. No doubt the plans for his campaign launch had been set in stone, long before MacDonald's funeral plans were finalized. Harper has never been accused of being flexible - there was no way he could change his itinerary. On the evening news he was shown, along with his family, in a Montreal bakery at about the time many of us were sitting in church, paying tribute to a very important (Conservative) Canadian.

I find it hard to believe that Jim Flaherty rated a state funeral but Flora MacDonald did not. It also seems totally absurd to drag your family to a photo op in a Montreal bakery, rather than  attend MacDonald's funeral.

Harper's decision to stick to his plan yesterday reminds me of another strange decision. In January of 2013, a group of Cree youth started walking from northern Quebec towards Ottawa. They were walking in support of Idle No More and the Quebec Cree Nation. This small band grew as they hiked and snowshoed along. By the time they arrived in Ottawa there were 270 of them and the journey had taken two months. Some of them had walked as far as 1600 kilometres in sub-zero weather.

On March 25, the group was met with chants, cheers and many MPs on Parliament Hill. Again, noticeable by his absence was the Prime Minister. Another scripted event took priority that day as well. Instead of welcoming these young people, after their arduous journey, Harper flew to Toronto's Pearson airport to welcome a pair of giant pandas to Canada, from China.

Chinese pandas, over Cree youth. A bakery photo op instead of a famous Canadian's funeral. There will be much talk in the weeks ahead about the priorities of each leader. Harper has already demonstrated his.

Harperland and Al Gore

It's easy to be cynical about the world and its problems. Thank goodness for all the great leaders who encourage us to be optimistic and keep on trying. Take Al Gore.  CBC's The National recently aired an interview with him. If many of us had come as close as he did, to becoming president of the U.S.  well, we might spend the rest of our lives in a some kind of bitter mood. Not Al Gore. He can even joke about the situation. Part of the piece showed him walking onstage and announcing, "I'm Al Gore and I used to be the next president of the United States."

Gore is using his fame to advance the cause of protecting the environment. He does this with his books, his movie, An Inconvenient Truth, and his work around the world, educating and encouraging others to join him in a campaign to curb climate change.

When asked what he thinks about Canada's recent actions (non-actions?) on environmental protection, Gore spoke diplomatically but emphatically, "In recent years, at the national level, the reluctance of the Canadian government to really provide leadership on the climate issue has been a cause for concern and many have expressed that concern." Amen! We are concerned. Actually we are embarrassed.

There was another piece on Thursday night's National, about the critical disappearance of the bee population in North America. Climate change was cited as the biggest culprit for this situation. Reduced crop pollination is just one of the results. Scientist Jeremy Kerr of the University of Ottawa was blunt.  "The federal government should have been moving quickly (on climate change) ten years ago and didn't. The federal government should have been moving quickly five years ago and did nothing. We need them to stop delaying and start working."

If only Harper had spent a fraction of his war on terror money or a fraction of his economic action plan ads on a war against climate change. Al Gore was slightly optimistic in tonight's interview. He thinks that with the rapid advances in technology like solar and wind power, that there is still a chance to make positive change. Hopefully, a new federal government will follow his lead.

Harperman - Tony Turner's Song

Almost every day there seems to be a new reason to vote against Harper. Whether it's more bad news about the people he chose to sit in the Senate, his muzzling of our scientists, the death of door-to-door mail delivery, the firing of safety inspectors, Canada's lack of leadership on environmental issues, the closing of government libraries and the destruction of government library materials, it all contributes to a scary picture of one man running the country in exactly the fashion he chooses, no matter what any experts may try to advise. In a particularly mean-spirited move, the Canada Revenue Agency has been engaged in auditing many charitable organizations because of their political activities. I guess an organization called Canada Without Poverty sounds pretty scary to our current government.

Here in Ottawa, it's not hard to find civil servants to tell you news from the inside. It doesn't matter which federal government department they work for. The story is the same: massive cuts to their staff and budgets and the loss of power and control in their departments. For an example of how tightly controlled civil servants are these days, have a look at this article  by Margaret Munro, who tells us that "federal librarians and archivists who set foot in classrooms, attend conferences or speak up at public meetings on their own time are engaging in high risk activities, according to the new code of conduct at Library and Archives Canada."

No one in Ottawa has any real power or decision-making ability except Harper. Gone are the days when ministers ran their departments and were responsible for them. Virtually every decision must go through the PMO. This is truly a one-man show.

Our neighbour, singer Tony Turner, has written an excellent song which neatly summarizes the situation. Have a listen and feel free to pass it along.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei50lM6ab1c.

Summer concert season

Ah June; the start of summer concert season. What makes a good summer concert? Is it the weather, the venue, the musicianship of the performer? Or is there something else?

Ottawa’s re-named  CityFolk festival (formerly Ottawa Folk Festival) recently announced their headliner – rock legend Van Morrison. Good for them but I won’t be there. I’ve already had the pleasure of his company at the 2007 version of Bluesfest. Sure, I enjoyed hearing Gloria and Brown Eyed Girl and many other hits. What bothered me was his attitude. Maybe it shouldn’t matter, but when I attend a concert, I appreciate some kind of performer/audience interaction. Mr. Morrison appeared on stage, sang his songs, introduced his band at the end of the show and left abruptly, with no encore. He made absolutely no attempt to connect with the thousands of people who paid a lot of money to see him.

Contrast him with Diana Krall. The Citizen’s review (http://ottawacitizen.com/entertainment/local-reviews/music-review-feel-good-and-familiar-works-for-diana-krall-at-nac ) of  “Canada’s jazz queen’s” May 31^st concert gave her top marks for musicality but what impressed me, as much as her musicianship, was her demonstration of humility and generosity. So many top stars introduce their band near the end of the show but not Ms. Krall. As soon as her opening number was done, she introduced the five members of her band. She was also accompanied by an orchestra and throughout the show she acknowledged them and praised their conductor. When introducing each song, she always mentioned the name of the composer and/or arranger. Krall, the big-name entertainer, often said she felt so lucky to be able to perform the piece or to play with such great instrumentalists. At the end she stood among her bandmates to take her bow. What a class act she is.

Another outstanding performer that I’ve had the pleasure to see both at outdoor festivals and onstage at the NAC is Natalie McMaster. Whether on her own or with members of her musical family, she provides wonderful musical entertainment and a real warmth.  At the end of her show you feel like you have met her, that you know and care about her.   

One of the most magical outdoor concerts I’ve been to was James Taylor at Bluesfest, in July of 2008.  Us old fogies were settled in our lawn chairs long before the concert began, enjoying a perfect summer night. With his friendly chatter, it felt like an evening with friends in a living room, as we all sang along to his sweet, gentle hits.

I didn’t know what to expect from Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers when they performed at Confederation Park a couple of years ago. Could he really play banjo as well as make us laugh? It turns out that the multi-talented Steve Martin is a real musician with the funniest banter of any concert.

I’d love to see Paul McCartney again. His performances are the opposite of Van Morrison’s. In a CBC radio interview in 2010, he said, "I go out there and try to give people the best night of their lives." He delivers. There really is nothing quite like belting out all those great tunes with McCartney as a very enthusiastic choir leader. As the cameras panned the crowd at his concert, I was struck by the sea of happy faces; all these strangers, of various ages and backgrounds, united in joyous singing. What a great gift, to be able to give joy to so many.

Concerts can be like that; magical escapes. Audience interaction, humour, warmth, along with great music make for unforgettable experiences. Here’s hoping that this summer’s Ottawa festivals provide us with plenty of magic.

Nepal

How could I have neglected this space for so long? Blame it on May, my favourite month, with its gift of flowering trees, like these at Ottawa's Experimental Farm.

We've also had the pleasure and the total busyness of an extended visit with our grandchildren. They just left this morning so I'll put away the high chair, toys and the Raffi Christmas cd until the next visit. Our little guy loves Santa and Christmas songs.

When I watch the evening news I feel like I am living on a different planet. Here I am in Ottawa, Canada, a stable country, with fairly reasonable weather, while in so many parts of the globe, misery and catastrophes are rampant. While I stroll among the lilacs at the Experimental Farm or play with my grandchildren, thousands in Nepal are living outdoors, desperate for aid, as they await the start of monsoon season. The Nepal earthquakes have faded from the media but those people 's lives are still in turmoil.

 There are so many causes to support. It often feels overwhelming. However, if anyone reading this has thought about donating to the Nepal relief effort, now is the time. The Canadian government will match any donations made by Canadians by tomorrow, May 25th. For more information about the many charities working in Nepal have a look at this CBC piece where you can click on a charity to donate.

Lesson for today: Be assertive

On Tuesday night on CBC's The National, their medical panel had a discussion entitled Health care in the online world. They talked about  doctors using email, twitter, medical apps on phones and digital  medical records. May I humbly suggest that it is all well and good to use these new tools as long as we keep in mind that it is us lowly humans who must make it all work.

Recently I changed doctors. I am very pleased that my new doctor is a lovely woman whose office is within walking distance of my home. When I left after my "meet and greet" appointment on March 5 th, I signed a form consenting to the transfer of my records from my previous doctor. That doctor's office contacted me a few days later, when they received the request. They would transfer the records after I paid them $25.00.  I gave them my MasterCard number and thought that was the end of the story. (Silly me!) Knowing that such transactions frequently take time to process, I waited and made an appointment for April 28th, to get my new doctor's opinion on my ongoing knee problem.

When I walked in, I expected my new doctor would be able to access my previous records, including the MRI that was done on my knee. No such luck!  The answers to all my doctor's questions -  dates and results of my tests -  were in my hard copies which I had left at home because I had trusted that the transfer had been done. My new doc said she would have her staff double check the next morning and I was asked to call my old doc to see if they had actually sent them.

So the following morning I called the new doctor's secretary. No, they were sure they had never received them. I called the old doctor's office. Now these are the people who charged $25.00 to my MC on March 12th.  I politely enquired whether or not my records had been sent out. They sent the records out on March 13th! The secretary at the old office said she would call the new office. The records had been sent out on an encrypted disc and the password had been sent in a separate email.

After another couple of calls, the secretary at the new office confirmed that yes, they did receive the records a while back, but it was an unusual format and she had never figured it out. Now, however, she had the records and would make sure that my new doctor saw my file.

So, my lesson: Do not rely on technology. It is only as good as the people that use it. Do not assume that an electronic message or task has been done. I should have called to ensure that my records had been received.

Now my daughter Norah, who is way smarter than me, already knows this. Recently, on a Monday, a doctor told her that she would request a test at a hospital. There would be a long waiting period for the test. The next day Norah called the hospital to see if they had received the requisition from her doctor's office. No they hadn't. She called again on Wed and received the same answer. So she called her doc and was told it had been sent. On Thursday the hospital told her to get the doc to re-send the requisition. On Friday she called the hospital and was told that they had finally received the req. but they could not act on it because the doctor's office had failed to attach the clinic notes. So on Friday afternoon Norah called the doctor's office and asked then to attach the clinic notes to the requisition.

If she had not started her enquiry, she could have been waiting politely for a call from the hospital for months, knowing that it was a long waiting list. She never would have received that call and months would have been lost.

Fortunately neither of these cases are life and death. What if they were more serious, time-sensitive issues?  As patients, we have to be proactive and assertive. We may go to all kinds of super intelligent specialists and have access to all kinds of technology but we are the only ones who know our entire medical history. It's imperative to keep track of our health episodes and to follow up on doctor's orders so that we can advocate for ourselves. Sitting back politely is not a useful strategy.

Holy Week Walk

After a long winter, there is something special about those first walks outside  on warm sunny days. My first spring walk happened last Friday.

The sun was shining and the temperature climbed to a balmy fifteen degrees as we joined about sixty others for a walk in downtown Ottawa. That first warm day marked not only a welcome sign of spring but a significant day in the Christian calendar - Good Friday.   

This walk was organized by Kairos Spirituality-for-Social Justice Centre, a ministry sponsored by The Grey Sisters. It was a few of those sisters who organized and lead the walk. If this is conjuring up images of nuns in habits leading a group of people in costumes, with perhaps a big cross, think again. This was just a casually dressed group of people going for a walk together on a lovely sunny day. The only prop was a microphone and speaker, rolled along so that we could hear the reflection at each stop along the way.

Crossing the Laurier Avenue bridge, towards the National Defence Building

Anne Taylor, one of my former high school teachers, gave the welcome and introduction to the event. The former high school building where I first met Anne, is still owned by The Grey Sisters. They transformed it into the Bronson Centre, which houses many charitable agencies. It's just one example of the leadership and care for  marginalized people, that these wise women are providing, here in Ottawa.

Sr. Anne Taylor walks with a young participant

This walk, in its fifteenth year, was called a Social Justice Way of the Cross. We walked from our downtown parish of St. Joseph's to Confederation Park and made several stops along the way. At each stop a thoughtful reflection was read. It was similar to other Good Friday walks, in that the last days of Christ’s life formed the basis for the prayers and reflections.

However, the stations of the cross served as a point from which we were connected to present day situations. At a totem pole in Confederation Park, the stop was Jesus Falls: Violence against aboriginal women and girls. Some of the other stops were:

Jesus carries his cross: Carrying one another’s cross: Palliative care

Veronica wipes the face of Jesus: Empowering and including women and

Jesus comforts the women: Defend mother earth

In Confederation Park, walking towards City Hall

It was a very meaningful gathering. One phrase that stuck with me is "active hope". After each reflection was read we sang a simple refrain, “What have you done? What are you doing? What will you do, now you know?”

It reminded me of a picture I recently came across on Facebook, from Guideposts. It is of former President Jimmy Carter, a man who has been such a giver, in his post presidential years. Here he is, dressed in work clothes, probably at a Habitat for Humanity build.

 

With the national and international news getting more depressing by the day, it's not easy to stay positive or hopeful. Thank goodness for the people of active hope, who  are doing such good work and encouraging us to do the same.