The Ottawan Newsletter

Hello Ottawa

In Today’s Edition

→ The Federal government is appealing to the Supreme Court over its use of the Emergencies Act to roust the Convoy out of its downtown occupation four years ago

→ What’s For Easter Dinner in the Wednesday Dining and Drinking Update

→ The Deal of the Day is on Québec-made boots at Martino

– Martha and Darren

WEDNESDAY DRINKING AND DINING UPDATE

🐇 Road Trip: All ages are invited to book a space at Hummingbird Chocolate’s Paint Your Own Chocolate Bunny on Sunday March 22.

🥣 Wear your pjs to the 40th Sunday Morning All-You-Can-Eat-Cereal Cartoon Party at Mayfair Theatre this Sunday. This week’s event has the added excitement of comic book giveaways for the kids who attend. (Old Ottawa South)
🎁 The Piggy Market takes the stress out of shopping for kitchen basics with its new Grocery Essentials Box. Included are: 1 loaf of bread (choose white, whole wheat, or sourdough )1 dozen eggs ½ lb bacon.2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 lb ground beef, 100g Cheese of the Week (rotating). The box is available for pick up or delivery. Price: $50 (retail value $55). Add-on treats are also available.
🍽️ We generally consider that Kingston is outside of THE OTTAWAN’s balliwick but it admittedly does have a lot of nice restos. Right now, Kingstonlicious is on with prix fixe menus. (h/t to Ottawa Road Trips)
🥂 The Province is now allowing community outdoor events, farmers’ markets, outdoor movies, art exhibits and neighbourhood festivals to apply for bring-your-own-liquor licenses. While permission to allow patrons to bring booze must still be applied for, municipalities must create a licencing system – they can’t blanket ban it.
☕ In the Ottawa Citizen Peter Hum profiles ChocoMyth in Barrhaven, where young people like the owners ‘can lounge late into the night’. Hum loved the ‘pistachio antepia ($17.99), a vividly green, multi-layered cylinder that alternated a fluffy pistachio cake and rich cream’.
🥙 Faces magazine answers the question that no one knew to ask: ‘Where to find Ottawa’s Viral Crispy Shawarma?’. Shawarma Garlic & Onion on Richmond Road is apparently the answer.
🧮 Someone who really loves Ottawa dining has created Ottawa Eats, listing almost any resto that you can think of and organized by cuisine, by neighbourhood, and by review.

What’s For Easter Dinner

🐰 Finish the NeXT Easter Dinner package at home.
🐰 Red Apron offers Turkey Cobbler, Ontario Berkshire Ham, Salmon Brunch, or Spring Lamb Stew, all dinners for four.
🐰 Forget dinner and book the Easter Brunch at Brookstreet Hotel's Perspectives Restaurant instead (April 4 or 5) (Kanata)
🐰 Bring home an Easter bundle from Meatings: choose from turkey or ham.

STATISTICS OTTAWA

NUMBER

100
The number of festivals on Festivals and Events Ontario’s 2025 Top 100 Festivals & Events in Ontario list.
Two Ottawa fests made the list, Ottawa Children’s Festival and the Ottawa Jazz Festival.

Festivals and Events Ontario

ALMONTERS OF THE DAY

The volunteers of Mississippi Mills Animal Hospital
The two veterinarians and two technicians spent eight days in Iqaluit assisting Nunavut Animal Rescue.
There are no permanent vets in Iqaluit, so the team worked eight days, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, spaying, neutering, and performing some surgeries. All in all, the team helped 60 animals.
– Liam Baker at CBC

QUOTE

What people are struggling with is, why is this running through such pristine and irreplaceable wilderness?

– Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations chief executive Lesley Lavender concerns of cottage owners that their land will be expropriated to build the Alto high speed rail line.

– John Lorinc in Cottage Life magazine

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WHAT’S GOING ON AT CITY HALL

No more meetings this week

Agenda.

Whose flag is flying at City Hall today? None

City Hall flies the flag of embassies and high commissions on their national days.

WHAT OTTAWA IS TALKING ABOUT

🛻 The Federal government is appealing to the Supreme Court over its use of the Emergencies Act to roust the Convoy out of its downtown occupation four years ago. The court ruled in 2024 that the Act’s use was ‘unreasonable and led to the infringement of constitutional rights’. It was upheld on appeal. – Catherine Morrison in the Canadian Press

🪑 The co-working space for Federal public employees at at 480 Boulevard de la Cité in Gatineau is closing this summer. The Federal government opened a variety of coworking spaces across the Capital last year as it brought employees back to the office and found that it didn’t have enough office space. The other five coworking spaces remain open. – Ben Andrews in the Ottawa Citizen

🚋 OC Transpo has three working O Train carriages stored near Moodie Station but won’t put them into service. The agency says that, even though it has put the vast majority of its carriages out of service, it would be too hard to move the three where they are needed. – Guy Quenneville at CBC

🏚️ A decision on 24 Sussex Drive could be made within ‘months’. Prime ministers Mark Carney and, before him, Justin Trudeau have called Rideau Cottage home after the official residence was deemed unfit for habitation.

A memo by the Privy Council Office says ‘Rideau Cottage’s proximity to the Governor General’s residence and the surrounding residential neighbourhood increases security risk, while the building’s small footprint and lack of adequate functional space make it inadequate for a prime minister’s needs. – Ashley Burke at CBC

THE DAILY POLL

Was the Federal government correct in using the Emergencies act to end the Convoy?

🔘 Yes, the regular laws were not up to the job

🔘 No, the Convoy was peaceful and regular policing could have dealt with it

🔘 You can’t reason with people who protest laws enacted by their province by occupying downtown Ottawa

🔘 The Emergencies Act is for actual threats to the nation, not political protest

Previously in ottawan polls:
We asked, ‘Do you find the headlights of cars annoying at night?’
- 60% Yes, they are like laser beams
- 5% No, I don't really notice anything unusual
- 20% It’s just the way of the world. Cars, streetlights, and lightbulbs just get brighter
- 15% That, and people these days dress like bums, music is just noise, and those lousy kids won't get off my lawn
- Commentary

▪️ “It’s especially hazardous on dark rainy nights and early mornings.”

▪️ “Sometimes scary.”

▪️ “Canada should ban the use of the very bright, white head lights.”

▪️ “They should be banned. Too blinding for oncoming traffic.”

▪️ “The LED lights are the problem. They are very distracting like many other technological bells and whistles in new cars. Gone are the good old days when you could drive your car without it telling you what to do at every turn.”

▪️ “Driving at night sucks now, especially when you’re outside the city on unlit roads.”

▪️ “Might as well drive with a blindfold on with the glare that those LED lights cause.”

▪️ “Many are absolutely blinding, even when switched to ‘low beam’. I wonder how many accidents they actually cause!”

▪️ “The blinding effect is intensified because street lights are few, widely spaced and dim.”

▪️ “We need to invent sunglasses for use while driving at night.”

▪️ “In a small car, driving at night has become difficult. Glaring headlight obscure my view especially of pedestrians, bikes and traffic lanes.”

▪️ “And the old style bulbs are behind discoloured headlight lenses making them even dimmer, matching the complainers.”

▪️ “I’m convinced that’s why I need eyeglasses and I have an astigmatism, when I never had either before. Blinded by the light.”

▪️ “Omg they are SO annoying and dangerous to drivers. I’m glad Transport Canada is having a survey about it and I hope they get rid of them!”

▪️ “Bring back warm toned light!”

▪️ “Regulation of cars and after-market parts (ie headlights bulbs) in Canada hasn't caught up to new bulb makes. Rules-likers, time to write the Transport Minister!!!”

▪️ “They can be blinding! Rather dangerous ...”

▪️ “I find it dangers when driving when you meet a car with the new laser colored lights.”

▪️ “I’ve always had issues with lights at night. I don’t have astigmatism, so it’s not that. There’s always such a glare, especially in the rain. I’m lucky I can see the lane lines sometimes!”

▪️ “Welcome to the 2020s. Life is a whole lot different from when I was a kid 60 - 70 years ago. Amen.”

▪️ “I live just outside the urban roads, so the darkness makes it even worse. The new lights are blinding.”

▪️ “It’s totally unsafe.”

▪️ “Nothing unusual.”

▪️ “Overly bright headlights frankly are a significant hazard, since they induce a temporary blindness to one’s surroundings.”

▪️ “Yes. Back in the day, there were two settings as we all know (low beam/high beam), and now i cannot tell the different on some new models. Then I second guess if it’s my eyes :)”

▪️ “I find it has become more of a problem as the number of SUVs and pick up trucks on the road increases.”

▪️ “There aughta be a law!”

HISTORIC OTTAWA LOGO T-SHIRTS

Ogilvy’s Department Store T-Shirt

Charles Ogilvy Limited began as dry goods shop on Rideau Street in 1897, and ended its reign as Ottawa's greatest department store in 1992.

Help support the ottawan by buying one of our historic logo t-shirts.

Shop for t-shirts

THE ROLLING THREE DAY CALENDAR

Is there an event we should know about?
Please use our easy event submission form

✳️ Means change from previous edition

WEDNESDAY

✳️ Cup of Intention Open Studio: DM to confirm your space at tonight's cozy evening with a creative project. $45 for two hours. (Stittsville)
✳️ You can still register for Heritage Ottawa’s lecture How Boozy Bytown Became Canada's Capital tonight.
Catch tonight’s programming at Youth Infringement Festival: Negative Space, The Fire in Which We Burn, and Angsty Puppet Play. (Downtown)
🆓 Acclaimed classical pianist Roman Timofeev performs Mozart’s Sonatas in C (K. 309) and C minor (K. 457), and Fantasia in C minor (K. 475) at the next noon time Doors Open for Music at Southminster
Enjoy junior men’s hockey as Ottawa 67s meet Oshawa Generals on home ice in a 3:00 pm game (Lansdowne)
Jaeden Izik-Dzurko plays Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No 3 and Aaron Copland’s Suite from Appalachian Spring with the National Arts Centre Orchestra. (Downtown)
A new exhibition at Ottawa Art Gallery ‘explores the intersection of art and science through the life and work of Faith Fyles (1875 – 1961), the first woman to be appointed as a botanist with Canada’s Department of Agriculture.' View the exhibition on Level 4 until September 27. (Downtown)

Cinema

ByTowne Cinema: Space Cadet, Hamnet, Staff Picks: The Strada, Pillion
Mayfair Theatre: Sirāt, One Battle After Another, THX 1138

Gigs

Girls to the Front. Irene’s Pub
Here Comes the Sun: Happy Beatles Hour with Jonathan Cook. The Robo Lounge
Lights: Come Get Your Girl Tour. Bronson Centre
Hip Hop Jam. Red Bird

THURSDAY

✳️ Learn about the fine feathered friends in your backyard or the local park at Save Wings Ottawa’s Annual Bird Display (today from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm). (Centretown)
✳️ International Film Festival of Ottawa’s SAVE AS panel discusses case studies of restored classics at Library and Archives Canada (Downtown). Today’s festival screenings: Memory of Princess Mumbi (Kenya, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, 2025) with short film Paradise Heights (Canada, 2025), Meteors (France, 2025) with short film The Punk of Natashquan (Québec, 2025), Nakdong River (Korea, 1952), Point of Order (USA, 1964)
✳️ Use the code STARTS to save 50% on your ticket to the Ottawa Home + Garden Show (today through Sunday at EY Centre). (YOW)
🆓 Bring the kids (ages 6-12) to the drop-in session at Nepean Museum’s MakerStudio. Today's theme is natural inks and dyes. (Nepean)
Have some laughs, then get home to bed with the Debut of Early Bird Comedy at Wise Town Cafe. (Golden Triangle)
There will come a time when your garden needs attention. Get ready with a visit to the Ottawa Home & Garden Show today through Sunday at EY Centre (YOW).
Youth Infringement Festival continues. (Downtown)
Ottawa Senators vs New York Islanders. 7:00 pm at Canadian Tire Centre (Kanata)
The Carleton Music Club Show will raise funds for OrKidstra with an evening of great music. 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm at Rainbow Bistro (Byward Market)

Cinema

ByTowne Cinema: Space Cadet, Calle Málaga, Hamnet
Mayfair Theatre: Marty Supreme, Sinners

Gigs

Open Mic. Moose McGuire’s (Hunt Club)
Genna G at the NAC: Album Launch Party. National Arts Centre
Bingo Thursday. Broadhead Brewery
Supersonic Hearts Band. Manor Lounge

FRIDAY

It’s not easy to categorize Careful, the 1992 feature by Winnipeg-born Guy Maddin. Take a chance and see the 4k restoration of the film at the Mayfair Theatre tonight, when the director himself will introduce the screening. (Old Ottawa South). Presented as part of The International Film Festival of Ottawa.
Today’s other screenings at the International Film Festival of Ottawa: Mile End Kicks (Canada, 2025) with short film Fan (Canada, 2025), Bayaan India, 2025) with short film Mercenaries (Québec, 2024), and Twelve Moons (Mexico, 2025) with short film Living Grounds (Québec, 2025). Following tonight’s screenings, head to the Albion Rooms to meet up with fellow festival goers (Downtown).
The National’s Matt Berninger brings his solo tour to the Bronson Centre.(The Glebe)
Rockers Raw Sugar play the Carleton Tavern. (Parkdale)
Visit a medium, palm reader, tarot card reader, or intuitive healer at the Ottawa West Psychic and Crystal Fair. Continues until Sunday. (Bells Corners)
Ottawa Home + Garden Show continues at EY Centre (YOW)

Cinema

ByTowne Cinema: Space Cadet, My Beautiful Montréal (Montréal, Ma Belle) International Film Festival of Ottawa: Mile End Kicks, Secretary
Mayfair Theatre: Sentimental Value, Hamnet, Careful

Gigs

80s Dance Party. House of TARG
Corridor, Still Youth. The 27 Club
Dueling pianos. The Robo Lounge
C.A. & Sonny. Stray Dog Brewing Co

JUST ANNOUNCED / NOW BOOKING

Road Trip: What are you doing on Saturday? Learn the art of floral arrangement at Carleton Place’s Blossom Shop.
🆓 You’ve caught his humorous – and oft times informative – videos on social media, now see Stewart ‘Brittlestar’ Reynolds live at the 2026 Kesterton Lecture: Peace, Order, and Good Journalism (with a Side of Comedy) on Wednesday March 25. (Old Ottawa South)
Bestselling author Zadie Smith stops in at the National Arts Centre on Saturday, October 17. (Downtown)

MADE IN CANADA DEAL OF THE DAY

Save 33% on select Québec-made boots at Martino. The sale ends tonight.

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BUT, ONE MORE THING ...

Eastern Ontario Birding has published a guide on what birds will be returning to Ottawa and when we should be expecting them. This week and next, for example, we should be expecting Red-shouldered Hawk, Northern Saw-whet Owl, American Woodcock, Great Blue Heron, Eastern Bluebird, and the Eastern Meadowlark.

(h/t to Ottawa Road Trips)