We have been sending monthly e-mails, and posting online, our compilations of local events that may be of interest to you.  These listings have been well-received so we will continue doing this every month (and “you’re welcome� to the numerous thank-you’s we’ve received!).  Starting this month we will also be including a short message from Ottawa Centre’s federal candidate Jen Hunter.  We hope these monthly updates from Jen will allow you to get to know her better, and consider joining her campaign team.

 

Jen’s Corner
Preparing for the Election - Standing in the Candidate’s Shoes

Hi!  I am Jen Hunter, the Green Party of Canada Candidate for Ottawa Centre. On March 31st I was chosen to represent Ottawa Centre in the next federal election.  I am grateful for the support and excited by this incredible opportunity.  For those of you I haven’t yet met - my passion is leadership and collective intelligence, and I am profoundly committed to bringing our ideas to Canadian Parliament.

While I will be the first to say I have a lot to learn and there is a lot of work to be done to prepare us to win the coming election - it is possible! I’d like to say a HUGE thanks to the executive for being so incredibly helpful and skillful in bringing me into this role.  A few highlights since March include my first:

…Campaign Strategy Meetings to develop an approach that will deliver on our three objectives: to win, run an engaging, inspiring and innovative campaign and demonstrate it is easy to be green!

…Community event as candidate on Parliament Hill (4/20) and second was the Eco-Fair at the RA,

…Canvass (in the Westboro community - more to come, would you like to get out and hear what our community is thinking about and cares about?),

…Contributions - close to $3000 on March 31st and more on the way!

…Media Interview and article appeared in the Centretown News and then OSCAR.

…Chance to host Paul “Lou Lou” Chéry, General Secretary of the Confederation des Travailleurs Haitiens, who came here to share the story of what is going on right now in Haiti and what Canadians need to know and can do to help (visit canadahaitiaction.ca for more information).

Over the summer, our plans include solidifying our election leadership team - is there a role you would like to play?  We are also looking for people who would open their homes and invite friends and neighbours over to talk about Vision Green and share their perspectives on what really matters to Ottawa Centre, are you interested in hosting a gathering?  And, a successful campaign always needs money - so if you are interested in contributing to the coming campaign, please let us know - we could use your support!

The role of candidate is an exciting one and I am really enjoying meeting people who share our passion and vision for a Canada that demonstrates leadership and action on the most pressing issues for Canada and the world!

I am really looking forward to meeting all of you - and let me be the first to invite you to get involved in the fun of a federal election!  We have a real opportunity to win and bring the first Green MP to parliament.  Let me know how your creativity, energy and connections can help us make history!

Jen Hunter
Ottawa Centre candidate, Green Party of Canada
 

August 2008
Events listing compiled by the Green Party in Ottawa Centre

The Green Party is pleased to provide you with this compilation of events in and around Ottawa Centre.  The Green Party does not officially endorse any of these events unless otherwise indicated.  We believe that community organization is essential to grassroots democracy … and community events are just plain fun too!

Enjoy our community!
Your Ottawa Centre Greens
www.ottawagreens.ca/ottawacentre

 

WEEKLY FARMERS’ MARKETS:

Lansdowne Park: Local farmer’s market at Lansdowne Park.  All local, much of it is organic too.  Every Sunday 8-3:00 and Thursday 2-7:00pm until October 30.
More info: www.ottawafarmersmarket.ca

Main Farmers’ Market: Local farmers’ market in parking lot of St. Paul’s University (223 Main Street).  Every Saturday 9-2:00 until Sept. 27.
More info: sustainablelivingottawaeast.googlepages.com/mainstreetfarmers%27market

Do you know how the Green Party promotes local organic agriculture?  See the Green Party of Ontario’s agricultural policy at www.gpo.ca/sites/greenparty.on.ca/files/GPOStatemntAgricultureOct3Web_0.pdf

JULY 18 – AUG 16
Outdoor movies: “Centretown Movies�
Where: Dundonald Park, 512 Somerset St. W.512 Somerset St. W512 Somerset St. W
What: Pay-what-you-can movies shown on big screen in the park each Friday and Saturday night. Many movies are hosted by NGOs and proceeds from shows go to them. Bring your own lawn chair.
More info and schedule: www.csit.carleton.ca/~arya/cm/

JULY 25 – AUG 9:
Music festival: “Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival�
Where: heritage churches in Ottawa
What: Over 250 of the top chamber musicians from Canada and the international scene will perform in acoustically perfect heritage churches
More info: www.chamberfest.com

JULY 31 – AUG 4:
11-9:00pm daily
Festival: “Buskerfest 2008�
Where: Sparks Street Mall
What: Dance, juggling, fire, wit, comedy, and more from variety of performers.
Cost: Donations appreciated
More info: www.sparksstreetmall.com/busker_2008_list.htm

AUGUST 1-4:
Festival: “Rideau Canal Festival�
Where: Locations along Rideau Canal, Ottawa
What: Celebrate our UNESCO World Heritage Site (Rideau Canal) with heritage, cycling, and boating experiences and more. They are committed to being the first ‘zerofootprint’ festival ever staged in Canada.
More info: www.rideaucanalfestival.ca

SATURDAY AUG 2:
11-7:00pm
Festival: “Muslim Summer Festival�
Where: Britannia Park, at Carling Ave and Pinecrest Rd.
What: Food, kids’ games, henna, and more.
More info: muslimsummerfestival.com/

AUGUST 2-4:
Fair: “Project Ecosphere – Ottawa Edition�
Where: Confederation Park, at Elgin St. and Laurier Ave.
What: Multidisciplinary fair dedicated to ecology and the environment.  If you’d like to volunteer at the Green Party’s booth please contact Mark Kersten at mark.kersten@greenparty.ca.
More info: www.projetecosphere.org/en/index-ottawa.php

MONDAY AUG 4:
11-4:00
Festival: “Colonel By Day�
Where: Bytown Museum
What: Celebrate the holiday named for one of Ottawa’s founding fathers with music, dancing, heritage demonstrations, and games.
More info: www.choocopo.ca/CBD_2008.pdf

WEDNESDAY AUG 6:
2:30-4:30pm
Talk: “Bob Rae on Israel and Palestine�
Where: Parliament Hill, Centre Block, Room 256S
What: The Hon. Bob Rae, External Affairs Parliamentary Critic of the Liberal Party will give a talk on his recent trip to Israel and the Occupied Territories at a joint meeting of the National Council on Canada Arab Relations (NCCAR) and the Middle East Discussion Group (MEDG).
RSVP: Tel: (613) 238-3795 / admin@nccar.ca
More info: www.dialoguewithdiversity.com/index.php?option=com_events&task=view_detail&agid=165&year=2008&month=08&day=06&Itemid=62

SATURDAY AUG 9:
6:30-9:30pm
Vigil: “Never again – Hiroshima Day�
Where: Friends House, 91A Fourth Street, Glebe
What: Film screening on nuclear weapons, and lantern decoration before marching to Brown’s Inlet to light and float lanterns.
Organizers: Ottawa Peace Assembly
More info: www.nowar-paix.ca/

SATURDAY AUG 9:
5-11:00pm
Festival: “Lumière Festival�
Where: Stanley Park, New Edinburgh (Vanier)
What: Celebrate light with performers, costumes, music, and of course lanterns.  Family-friendly event.
Organizer: Crichton Cultural Community Centre
More info: www.lumiereottawa.com

WEDNESDAY AUG 13:
5:30pm
Social event: “Green Drinks Ottawa�
Where: Lieutenant’s Pump Pub, 361 Elgin Street
What: Monthly get-together of enviro-minded folks who chit-chat enviro-matters over drinks.
Cost: Free (except your drinks)
More info: www.biothinking.com/greendrinks/index.php?country=Canada&city=Ottawa

AUGUST 13-16:
Sports: “2008 Ontario Summer Games�
Where: Locations in Ottawa
What: The Ontario Games are the Province’s premiere multi-sport event and provide sports competition for youth between the ages of 11 and 22. The Games will involve approximately 3,500 participants (athletes, coaches and officials) from across the province, as well as over 1,000 volunteers.
More info: www.2008osg.ca

AUGUST 14-17:
Music festival: “Ottawa Folk Festival�
Where: Britannia Park
More info: www.ottawafolk.org

AUGUST 14-24:
Festival: “Ottawa SuperEX�
Where: Lansdowne Park
What: As Ottawa’s largest annual community event, SuperEX works closely with many communities to present a varied mix of programming, exhibits and entertainment designed to reflect not only the Ottawa of today but the region’s past as well.
More info: www.ottawasuperex.com

AUGUST 18-24:
Festival: “Capital Pride Week�
Where: throughout Ottawa
What: Concerts, the famous Pride Parade, and more.  Visit the Green Party’s booth at the Pride Info-Fair on Sunday August 24 (3-7:00pm) in front of City Hall.
More info: www.capitalpride.ca 

TUESDAY AUG 19:
7:00pm (movie starts at 7:30pm)
Movie: “Fight back, fight AIDS: 15 years of Act Up�
Where: Club SAW, 67 Nicholas Street.
What: Part of the Divergence Movie Night series of independent GLBTTQ movies.  This movie covers a New York political group from 1987 to 2002 in their fight for cheaper pharmaceuticals and less government complacency.
Cost: $5 suggested donation
More info: www.divergencemovienight.com/

SATURDAY AUG 23:
Tour: “Urban Agriculture Bike Tour�
What: All cyclists (no expertise required) invited to join tour of local community gardens to learn about local food production and urban food security issues.
More info: Jessica at 613-236-9300 x309 or communitygardening@justfood.ca (please include attn: Jessica in the subject line).

SATURDAY AUG 23:
12-11:00pm
Dance festival: “Dancing in the street�
Where: First Avenue and Bank Street, Glebe
What: Music, dance, skateboarding, and more.
More info: www.glebeca.ca/events/events.html

SATURDAY AUG 23:
Music festival: “Ottawa Reggae Festival�
Where: Le Breton Flats Festival Park
More info: www.ottawareggaefestival.com

WEDNESDAY AUG 27:
6:30-8:30pm
Workshop: “Seed saving workshop�
Where: 280 Metcalfe Street, 5^th floor
What: Learn the lost art of seed saving, and apply it in your own garden.
Host: Greta from “Greta’s Organic Seeds�
Organizer: JustFood.ca
Cost: $5 or pay what you can
More info: contact Terri at info@justfood.ca or call 613-236-9300 x301

SEPTEMBER 5-7:
Festival: “Simply Raw Festival and Raw Lifestyle Film Festival�
Where: Two downtown locations
What: Celebrate raw vegan lifestyle with food, films, and discussion.
More info: www.simplyraw.ca/festival08/index.php

MONDAY SEPT 8:
Elections: “Three federal by-elections in Canada�
Where: Guelph (Ontario), Saint-Lambert (Quebec), and Westmount-Ville-Marie (Quebec).
What: Green Party of Canada candidates are running in each of these by-elections, including Mike Nagy in Guelph (Green Party’s prominent environment critic) and Claude William Genest in Westmount-Ville-Marie (Green Party’s deputy leader).  You can help their campaigns even if you live here in Ottawa.
More info: www.greenparty.ca/en/take_action/by-elections

WEDNESDAY SEPT 10:
5:30pm
Social event: “Green Drinks Ottawa�
Where: Lieutenant’s Pump Pub, 361 Elgin Street
What: Monthly get-together of enviro-minded folks who chit-chat enviro-matters over drinks.
Cost: Free (except your drinks)
More info: www.biothinking.com/greendrinks/index.php?country=Canada&city=Ottawa

THURSDAY SEPT 11:
7:00pm
Film: “Taxi to the dark side�
Where: Bytowne Theatre, 325 Rideau Street
What: An in-depth look at the torture practices of the United States in Afghanistan, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, focusing on an innocent taxi driver in Afghanistan who was tortured and killed in 2002. Winner of Best Documentary 2007 Oscar.
Organizers: Nowar-Paix and Justice for Mohamed Harkat
Cost: $7-10
More info: www.nowar-paix.ca/taxi/index.html

SUNDAY SEPT 14:
12-4:00pm
Festival: “Feast of Fields 2008�
Where: Vincent Massey Park, on Heron Road near Riverside Drive
What: Local organic farmers and local chefs meet to produce great cuisine – and you get to eat it!  Buy tickets ahead of time (day-of-event tickets were sold out last year).
Organizers: Canadian Organic Growers in Ottawa
Cost: $25-50 depending on ticket type
More info: www.cog.ca/ottawa/feast_of_fields/index.html

THURSDAY SEPT 18:
7:30-9:00pm
Meeting: “Green Party of Canada in Ottawa Centre – Annual General Meeting�
Where: McNabb Community Centre’s Pre-School Room, 180 Percy Street (near Gladstone and Bronson).
What: Elect executive for upcoming year, talk to local candidate Jen Hunter, and find out more about the party and how you can contribute locally.
More info: www.ottawagreens.ca/ottawacentre/?page_id=252

SEPTEMBER 19-21:
Convention: “Green Party of Canada 2008 Convention�
Where: Pictou, Nova Scotia (Elizabeth May’s riding)
What: Previously scheduled for Sept 5-7.  If you are a political junkie, you’ll love the convention.  Hear Farley Mowat, Dr. Gordon McBean (co-recipient of Nobel Prize awarded to IPCC authors), elect council, and contribute to decisions on motions for party action.  If you want to attend, contact your Ottawa Centre party executive at ottawa-centre@greenparty.ca.
More info: gm2008.greenparty.ca/en/index.html