Table of contents for Winter 2022-23 in Ottawa Magazine

Growing up, I read a lot of science fiction. Sitting in the front garden, hidden from the street by a crop of bushes, I’d lose myself in the far-off worlds of Larry Niven and Isaac Asimov. The future was about the laws of robotics and space travel near the speed of light. Or so I thought. In reality, the future isn’t some far-off planet, it’s the community that surrounds us. Cheesy as it sounds, the future is in all of us. This issue is our second edition of the Future List, in which we seek out and profile people who are making the city better. These are individuals who have decided better is indeed possible, and have committed to shoulder some of the burden to get there. The catalyst for…

THE SHOW HIGHLIGHTS THE WORK of Frances-Anne Johnston, her husband, Franklin Arbuckle, and her father, Group of Seven member Franz Johnston. It’s largely viewed through the lens of Frances-Anne, an extraordinarily accomplished artist who worked her whole life to be recognized for her skill, rather than just her lineage. Works include many of her domestic scenes, a self-portrait of her life as a mother and as the wife of a successful artist. They are bursting with colour, detail, and knowledge of the international art scene, with allusions to Georges Braque and Henri Matisse. Alongside those paintings, OAG curator Rebecca Basciano has gathered some of the objects that she used in those paintings — vases, jugs, a pochette (miniature violin), and pieces of painted furniture, such as an armoire and sideboard.…

FOR OUR SECOND ANNUAL Future List series, we aim to recognize people who bring depth to our community, people who lead by example in their commitment to their city. We wanted to find new faces, ones that might be familiar within certain circles but not necessarily seen by those who skim headlines. Connecting with cultural associations, community groups, and business organizations yielded interesting gems — we learned about the people they admire, as well as the challenges facing non-profits and retirees, and uncovered exciting visions for the way our city might evolve. New initiatives are at the heart of this year’s list, along with a passion to connect across cultures and communities — to truly build a better future.…

Toni and Sophia Jacob credit their mother, Pamela, for their determination to make a difference in Ottawa’s Black community. “Her energy and spirit pushed us to do our best,” says Toni of their 73-year-old mother. “I was thinking the same thing,” says Sophia. “Mom was like that. She’s a helper. She loves to encourage us. And she’s a go-getter.” Any conversation with the Jacob sisters inevitably returns to the influence their mother still has on them. The two women have used those qualities to wield considerable influence, and know they’ll need those qualities to keep their non-profits afloat. Both can point to singular events in their lives that catapulted them to create their organizations providing services such as counselling, food, and mentorship. “Black and racialized women are already leaders in…

RAE LANDRIAU Rae Landriau’s passion for the natural world began with their childhood in Bells Corners, near a wooded area of the Greenbelt. Now 23, Landriau is gaining recognition as an environmental researcher and educator. “The biggest issue we are facing when it comes to climate change is the fact most people are so removed from the environment. We all live in a city, we don’t necessarily think about the trees being connected to water flowing. Educating people instills a love of the environment, because when you care about something you want to protect it.” As a science student at the University of Ottawa, Landriau led three on-campus associations and had executive positions with seven others. Now pursuing a master’s degree in geography at Carleton University, they also work with…

Bernie Etzinger, the business partner and husband of owner Marlene Haley, had just completed his round of deliveries, stocking the shelves of local sales partners in anticipation of the busy long weekend ahead. But an inspector from Ontario’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) had a different idea. Armed with a compliance inspection report, she said that as of July 28, the Merry Dairy was in contravention of the Milk Act and the business could no longer sell its artisanal ice cream to third-party vendors. For every 24 hours past the inspector’s visit, the company risked fines of up to $2,000. Etzinger set off on a five-hour circuit to remove every pint of ice cream from local freezer shelves. “I felt like a criminal,” recalls Haley, “like we…

OLD HULL IS MAINLY KNOWN for its quaint entertainment quarter and its bleak office towers, but there’s a whole other side to this neighbourhood that’s celebrated by the popular Instagram account What the Hull? With more than 10,000 followers, it often sparks discussion online and off. Aimed at celebrating this unique part of Gatineau, the account focuses on its “weird and wonderful” aspects: a person in a bear head costume on the street, or a knife used to prop up a window. The posts work because, according to Matt, the anonymous account operator, they “show all the facets of Hull, which on the surface seems grimy, but is shown through a loving lens. If all of Hull’s unique properties disappeared, it would be Gatineau.” He started capturing photos when he…

It was 1987 when Claudette Commanda, a 29-year-old mother of four from Kitigan Zibi, Quebec, knocked on the door of an academic advisor she’d been assigned at the University of Ottawa, where she had come to study history and religious studies. His words were anything but encouraging. He told her that as a mature student with young children, she was not likely to make it through the demanding program. He would not have time to advise her and suggested she give up her plans. Stunned, Commanda left the office feeling defeated — but then thought about the loving support she had from her family and community, in particular her grandfather, the late William Commanda, a renowned elder and spokesperson for Indigenous rights. He had singled out Claudette as a leader…

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN IN 1989, MY MOTHER, Penina Coopersmith, decided to get pregnant. Forty years old and chronically single, she’d always wanted a baby but had never had a serious relationship that lasted longer than a few years. She believed her window of opportunity was closing, so she decided to do it on her own. My mom was every inch the independent woman. In her early 20s, she moved from her native New York to study architecture at the University of Toronto; she barely knew a soul in Canada. By the time she was 40, she was living in Ottawa and had a good job as the executive director of a government non-profit. She was tough and self-reliant, and she was confident she could raise a child by herself. My…

Meet the latest from Lexington. The same folks that brought elevated Southern cuisine to Westboro in 2018 are now offering their barbecue-focused menu in the ByWard Market. The Lexington’s downtown location features an impressive bar area complete with ornate millwork and a sleek quartz counter. The address, which previously housed an ice cream parlour (remember Sweet Jesus?) and a shawarma joint, was fully renovated this year by Project One Studio. The vision for a sophisticated and elegant atmosphere was achieved through warm wood finishes, bold moody tones, and gold accents throughout. 97 Clarence Ave.…

Aurelio Quian Lopez is the new chef at Spritz, the restaurant that opened in November 2021 with Canada’s Top Chef winner René Rodriguez at the helm. Many of Rodriguez’s dishes remain on the menu. Some of them are very good. We start with two tartares: steak and salmon. Both are competent and prettily plated with a side of mixed leaves, but they miss the bullseye with seasoning — the balance of acid and salt was off. However, a simple bruschetta was joyful in its simplicity, featuring sweet seasonal tomatoes, a hint of garlic, briny black olives, excellent olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and gratings of fresh parmesan. For our main courses we pass on the wood-fired pizza and Tomahawk steaks for two, which we see arriving at nearby tables on wooden…

You and council are all fairly new at this and there are a number of serious issues needing to be solved. How have you prepared for when things get tough? Well, first of all, there’s lots of experienced people on council who have been reelected. And none of these issues are new or surprising. We’ve been working on them for a while, and I’ve been following them as a resident, as a journalist, and just spent the last four months talking about them pretty intensively as part of the campaign. It’s not like as a mayor or a city councilor you walk into a room and you’re entirely by yourself and you have to come up with all the answers. You work with other people, you gather the best ideas,…

“I learned a lesson early in life that old people have lots to give.” That revelation came to Kevin Ford when he was a young entrepreneur struggling to launch a tech company. He had placed a classified ad looking for help and was soon flooded with applications from retired men who were feeling forgotten. They were thrilled to work a few hours a week at Ford’s small company. He credits them with stabilizing cash flow and propelling the company to success. “They have wisdom, perspective, and connections,” he says. “That, more than anything, saved my first businesses.” He didn’t know it then, but what he learned all those years ago foreshadowed his current enthusiasm for a growing social trend that is taking root in Ottawa: the Men’s Shed movement. Members…

Bibi’s west For lovers of mouth-watering Middle Eastern food, life in Ottawa just got a little bit more interesting. A sister location to the Beechwood Avenue store, Bibi’s Hintonburg is now open on Wellington Street West at Sherbrooke. Look for saj wraps, za’atar French fries and creative bowls that include classics such as fattoush salad, falafel and tabbouleh. Bring on the garlic! 1087 Wellington St. W. Perfect poutine Another new opening, but this time from farther afield. After a successful two years in Wakefield, Zups has opened a ByWard Market location. With gleaming white tile and rustic wood accents, Zups offers a heavenly poutine menu for lovers of this classic Canadian fast food. Add-ons include BBQ smoky pulled pork, shredded duck confit, spicy chili and coconut, mushroom and chickpea curry.…

In May 2020, Joe Thottungal’s restaurant Coconut Lagoon burned to the ground. Much like every restaurant owner, chef, cook, and server at that time, he was already struggling as he navigated an industry decimated by lockdowns. This was a devastating blow. Two years and three months later, Coconut Lagoon has risen from the ashes. From the look of full houses and the hubbub of happy diners, people love the re-incarnation. While previously the restaurant offered a lunchtime buffet and dinner, now it has veered towards fine Indian dining for dinner, by reservation only. This means that Thottungal and his team know how many mouths they are cooking for — a maximum of 120 — and can reduce food waste and the hours they spend on the job. On my first…

SERVING THE PEOPLE OF OTTAWA OVER THE LAST 12 YEARS as mayor was the honour of a lifetime. During my time in office, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting thousands of residents from all walks of life and in all corners of the city. From bake sales to community barbecues, corporate galas to rural fairs, every interaction has been an opportunity for me to learn from those who care about the future of Ottawa — and for that, I’m truly grateful. If I could be so bold as to offer one piece of advice to my successor, it would be this: never assume that everyone knows you just because you’re the mayor of a G7 capital. Two stories stick out to me as both funny and humbling reminders of this…