The Ottawan Newsletter

Hello Ottawa

In Today’s Edition

→ A doctor is suing the Ottawa Hospital for $2.3 million over bullying and sexual harassment

→ The National’s Matt Berninger brings his solo tour to the Bronson Centre tomorrow

→ Deals of the Day: Womenswear at Ursa Minor, Marigold, and Cokluch

– Martha and Darren

STATISTICS OTTAWA

NUMBER

$9,999,995
The asking price for the most expensive house currently on sale in Ottawa. The seven-bedroom, five-bathroom home is on DeLong Drive in Rothwell Heights.
Check out the listing here, and, because it is 2026, here is the TikTok.

Josh Pringle at CTV

OTTAWAN OF THE DAY

Graeme Clarke
At the last minute before the National Hockey League trade deadline, the former Ottawa 67 was picked up from the Washington Capitals by his hometown Sens to change-up the roster at the Belleville Senators.
– Callum Fraser in the Ottawa Citizen
↪ The Ottawa Charge have invited the costars of Heated Rivalry, Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, to attend its April 3 match. Neither has RSVPd yet.

QUOTE

I’ve been thinking a lot about the potential to operate City-owned retail space (which we would need to acquire) on a not-for-profit basis to help local growers and social enterprises afford storefronts

– Kitchissippi ward counciller, and candidate for mayor, Jeff Leiper approving of an idea by a Toronto city councillor to open publically-owned grocery stores.

– @jleiper.bsky.social‬

SPORTS

🏒 PWHL Ottawa Charge 0 – Minnesota Frost 5, yesterday
🏒 NHL Ottawa Senators 1 – Washington Capitals 4, yesterday
🏒 OHL Ottawa 67s 6 – Oshawa Generals 1, yesterday

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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

⚖️ A doctor is suing the Ottawa Hospital for $2.3 million over bullying and sexual harassment. The Hospital apologized to the infectious diseases physician last year after an independent investigation found bullying, retaliation, and sexual harassment against her. – Sharon Kirkey in the National Post

↪ The doctor’s lawyers have created an information page about the case, which also includes advice for women who find themselves in similar situation.

🚨 About one fourth of the Ottawa Police Service’s deficit is because the Federal government won’t reimburse costs of Israel-Palestinian protests. An Ottawa Police Service Finance and Audit Committee report says the Service had a $28.9 million budget deficit in 2025. Of that, $6.5 million was the costs of policing Israel-Palestinian protests. While the Federal government does have a Nation’s Capital Extraordinary Policing Costs Program for the Ottawa Police Service, Public Safety Canada told the Service that these protests would not be covered.– Josh Pringle at CTV

🚋 The Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust is looking for community support to buy 93 acres on Clyde Lake. The land, south of Calabogie, features ‘a tall forested ridge rising from the lakeshore before opening into gently rolling upland forest’. Should the Trust be successful, it plans to open the land for ‘hiking and nature observation, along with guided walks and educational events ’.– Millstone News

THE DAILY POLL

Should the City open not-for-profit grocery stores to help fight food costs?

🔘 Yes, take profit out of food prices

🔘 No, there are few things more competitive than giant companies fighting tooth and nail for consumers’ business

🔘 Are you really asking if the entity who built the O Train and approved Lansdowne 2.0 could run a shop efficiently?

🔘 Let Ottawa ByLaw do it. There will be a store on every block, with ever-increasing hours.

Previously in ottawan polls:
We asked, ‘Was the Federal government correct in using the Emergencies act to end the Convoy?’
- 24% Yes, the regular laws were not up to the job
- 6% No, the Convoy was peaceful and regular policing could have dealt with it
- 40% You can’t reason with people who protest laws enacted by their province by occupying downtown Ottawa
- 30% The Emergencies Act is for actual threats to the nation, not political protest
- Commentary

▪️ “Trudeau was just running scared, just him and his father are the only two PMs to use it.”

▪️ “Living in Ottawa was hell during the convoy, when the police aren’t stopping people from physically and verbally harassing anyone walking downtown and engaging in 24/7 noise pollution, then the Federal government needed to do something.”

▪️ “If you lived through this protest downtown, you’ll never forget how those truckers made life a living hell.”

▪️ “In the absence of current laws being effective it was the only alternative. All of this means current laws need to be reviewed to properly respond to this kind of protest.”

▪️ “They were breaking the law, yet our police force failed to act. When they finally did it was quickly resolved.”

▪️ “They held Ottawa hostage. I did not feel safe going downtown.”

▪️ “As soon as it moved from a protest to an occupation, it was no longer a protected right. Whiners wanna whine.”

▪️ “The police should have used tear gas on day 3.”

▪️ “The protesters hung around for far too long after they had made their point so it became an illegal occupation and not just a protest.”

▪️ “Don’t get me started.”

▪️ “Due to the inadequacy of the Ottawa Police force they were definitely within their rights to use Emergency Act. Some folks lost their jobs, hearing, and probably sanity due to the noise violation.”

▪️ “Yes!! Mayor Watson and Premier Ford were absolutely useless in removing the convoy from Ottawa!!!”

▪️ “If anyone in charge had done their job at the start they wouldn’t have needed to enact the Emergencies Act.”

▪️ “The Ottawa Police Chief really dropped the ball.”

▪️ “As someone who lived in the red zone, I don’t know if it was ‘right’, but I do know that no one was taking action.”

▪️ “The whole time the truckers were in Ottawa they treated their ‘strike’ like a joke. They treated us like fools.”

▪️ “When the city police stuck their hands in their pockets and stared at the sky, the OPP didn’t lift a finger, the Premier again forgot Ottawa existed, the Federal government really had no choice.”

▪️ “The province didn’t do its job using towing and insurance powers. Nothing was working. The City of the convoy caused great distress to residents throughout the city. The Emergencies Act was definitely needed.”

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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

THURSDAY

✳️ 🆓 Experience the CU_lture Open Houses at Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre celebrating music, art, and architecture. (Centretown)
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

SATURDAY

NPHL Capital Branch final series game 1! After a thrilling 3-2 OT win in game 4 against the North Dundas Rockets, the Mariners became the NPHL Capital Branch Eastern Conference Champions. The Eastern Conference champion Manotick Mariners take on the Western Conference champion Tweed Oil Kings in game 1 of a best-of-five series for the NPHL Capital Branch Championship! (Manotick)
🆓 Stray Dog Brewing is inviting hypnotist Mai Ego to the taproom from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm.
Despite the current wintery landscape, Friday is the start of Spring. To celebrate, Forest Therapy Ottawa will be rejoicing in the early hours at the Spring! Sunrise Celebration.
Survey says it’s going to be good fun when Family Feud Trivia pops up at the Royal Oak in Barrhaven.
Ottawa Black Film Festival opens with L'Été de Jahlia (Belgium, 2025)
Today’s screenings at International Film Festival of Ottawa: Sneak preview of Ozmanthus (Canada, 2025), Primavera (Italy, 2025) with short film Jazz Infernal (Québec, 2025), Where to Land (USA, 2025) with short film Le’Atelier Martineau (Ottawa, 2025), Forastera (Spain, Italy, Sweden, 2025) with short film In Lieu of Flowers (Ontario, 2025)
Catch tonight’s programming at Youth Infringement Festival: The Fire in Which We Burn, Angsty Puppet Play, and Negative Space (Downtown)
Hot Jupiter rocks the Carleton Tavern.
Hometown boy Jon Dore plays two gigs at Yuk Yuk’s.(Lincoln Heights)
Galerie St-Laurent + Hill presents a new exhibition of Lenni Workman. Vernissage from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. (Lowertown)
Ottawa Mystic Market returns to Next Door today and tomorrow.(Little Italy)
Come and get some new-to-you puzzles and trade your old puzzles! Our puzzlers bring hundreds of high quality puzzles to sell and trade, and you're sure to find one you like. Bring puzzles if you'd like to swap/sell or cash if you'd like to buy. Check out the Facebook event for more details. (Parkdale)
It’s a bibliophile’s spring cleaning dream: bring at least two volumes to the Silent Book Club Spring 2026 Book Swap and bring home something new (to you). The focus is on fiction, but there will be a small table for non-fiction. Don't forget to purchase something from the host venue, Beyond the Pale. (Centretown West)
Pick up unique touches for your wardrobe and your surroundings at 613Flea. (Lansdowne)
Not only will you be supporting a great cause when you shop at Artisan Legion Market, you can also get a delicious weekend breakfast (cash only) when you need a break. Win, win. (Orléans)
It’s the final Winter edition of the Cumberland Farmers Market. (Cumberland)
Lairds of the Locks: The Scots of Bytown is a one-person historical drama that examines the profound Scottish influence on the early development of Bytown, told through the pioneering life and legacy of Thomas McKay—stone mason, canal builder, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founding father. One performance only, Saturday March 21 at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church (Downtown)
The Ottawa Home & Garden Show continues at EY Centre (YOW)

Cinema

ByTowne Cinema: Klassic Kidz: Frozen with Princess meet and greet, Montréal, My Beautiful (Montréal, Ma Belle), International Film Festival of Ottawa: Primavera, Miroirs. No 3
Mayfair Theatre: Hamnet, The Phantom Carriage

Gigs

Dylan Scott. Hard Rock Ottawa
Melwood Cutlery. The Robo Lounge
Comedy. Pour Boy Pub
Prairie Comeau. National Arts Centre
Matt Falvai Duo. Hard Rock Ottawa
Thievery Corporation. Bronson Centre
Desert Stragner, Nick James Beaton, James Leclaire. LIVE on Elgin

JUST ANNOUNCED / NOW BOOKING

The Dress for Success supportHER sale is open to the public. Friday March 27 and Saturday March 28 (Holland Cross, Westboro)
If you were part of the Ottawa Heavy Metal scene circa 1980-1995, you’ll want to be at the Rainbow Bistro on Friday April 24 for the launch of Sean Murphy’s new book From the Page, to the Stage. (Byward Market)
Ramp up your baking skills with the Café Amore Easter Cookie Decorating Workshop. (Orléans)