Seeing Ottawa in New Ways

GreenLivingOttawa
Background image in grey tones showing a group of people facing away from the camera, one holding a flag with an icon of a person walking. Blue, red and white graphic frames the text "May 4-5: Jane's Walk Ottawa-Gatineau, JanesWalkOttawa.ca"
Image courtesy Jane’s Walk Ottawa-Gatineau

There are quite a few opportunities this weekend to think about our city, and what it could be, in different ways. (Apologies for the last-minute post—life happens!) Here are some highlights:

Jane’s Walk Ottawa-Gatineau

Jane’s Walk Ottawa-Gatineau is happening Saturday, May 4 and Sunday, May 5, 2024. Jane’s Walk is an annual series of community-led walks through the places and neighbourhoods of the city, in honour of Jane Jacobs, whose ideas influenced how we understand cities and city-building. This year’s walks explore and celebrate local art, architecture, histories, communities, pathways, greenspaces, habitats and biodiversity. For example, you can learn about the unique ecosystem of the Pinhey Sand Dunes; tour green homes, community gardens, or rewilding efforts; see downtown Ottawa from an Indigenous perspective; and much more. Because this year’s theme is “Towards water,” many of the walks explore the significance of waterways as meeting places, habitats and city shapers. That means you can contemplate an Indigenous canoe portage site connecting the Ottawa and Rideau Rivers; the history of the Ottawa River; or the microbes of Mud Lake. There are virtual and self-guided walks, too. Walks are conducted in English and/or French; some require pre-registration. Check the Jane’s Walk Ottawa-Gatineau website for details.

Image of an Indigenous woman (her head and shoulders); she is looking up, and her mouth is covered with red-handprint-shaped paint. Image appears on a black background, between two small red beaded dress images. Text in white and red below the image reads "MMIWG2S need justice; reconciliation demands action"
Image courtesy Families of Sisters in Spirit

Red Dress Day

I’ve posted before about the connections between environmental action and the need to address the ongoing harms of living on unceded Indigenous territory in ways that perpetuate ongoing violence against Indigenous peoples, including Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people. On Sunday, May 5, 2024, Families of Sisters in Spirit (FSIS), in collaboration with Assembly of Seven Generations, the Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women, and Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak, is hosting an event to commemorate Red Dress Day in support of local families affected by the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and Two-Spirit people. They’re welcoming donations of food and other items, as well as financial support. See the event page for details.

Ottawa International Writers Festival

The Ottawa International Writers Festival is bringing several eco-focused authors to the stage on Saturday, May 4, 2024. These include Lydia Millet and Michael E. Mann, who, in different ways, use the power of story to help think through the climate change and environmental crisis. Check the Festival website for details.

+Local Action for Palestine: INSAF and the University of Ottawa Palestinian Students’ Association are asking people to support their efforts, including the “Occupy Tabaret” campaign calling for the University to divest from genocide in Gaza. See their website for more information, and Decolonize Palestine for additional background and why this is relevant to environmental justice globally and locally.

Mark Earth Day 2024 in Ottawa by Supporting an End to Plastic Pollution

GreenLivingOttawa
A small image of a megaphone in orange tones appears above white text "March to End the Plastic Era," both set on a blue circle with orange border. Below the circle are two banners in white, with orange text reading "Ottawa, Canada" and "April 21, 2024." Background is a faded colourful photograph of a crowd of people holding a variety of banners, and a large globe prop. Below the image, on a white gridded background, orange and blue text reads "11:00 AM, Parliament Hill (111 Wellington St)" with the URL Bit.LY/inc4march
Poster courtesy of Fridays for Future Ottawa

The world has a huge plastics problem.

There’s ample evidence that plastics contain toxic chemicals, break down into microplastics that harm our bodies and ecosystems, and contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions—because most plastics are fossil fuel-based, they’re a big part of the climate crisis. Curbing plastics is also a matter of social justice, as the production, use and “disposal” of plastics affects some communities disproportionately.

Dealing with the plastics problem is partly about individual action: individuals can choose plastic-free products and packaging when buying food, clothing, personal care and other items. To effectively tackle the problem, though, we need a systems approach; governments, industries and investors need to take action. The challenge is that many of these benefit from the plastics industry—an industry that is actually growing rapidly.

Here in Ottawa, we have a significant opportunity to help shift the plastics trend. Representatives from governments around the world will be meeting in Ottawa from April 23-29, 2024, in a fourth round of negotiations to develop a comprehensive and legally binding Global Plastics Treaty. Getting governments to come together to address the plastics crisis has been challenging, but an effective global treaty could reduce the amount of plastic being produced, centre the people and communities most affected, and require governments to act.

Environmental groups are organizing a March to End the Plastic Era on Sunday, April 21, 2024, starting at 10:30 a.m. on Parliament Hill. They’re inviting people to join them to call for effective and equitable action. Find out more, and register to participate, here.

In preparation for the March, Fridays for Future Ottawa is also hosting an Art Build and Poster Making event on Saturday, April 20, 2024 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., during the Centretown Community Association’s Earth Day event in Dundonald Park. See the event page for details and registration.

[Edited:] You can also call on the Government of Canada to take action to eliminate plastics and end subsidies to the industry; see the petitions on the Environmental Defence and David Suzuki Foundation websites.

“For far too long, fossil fuel companies have viewed plastics as a Plan B for their dying industry. The entire plastics life cycle comes at the expense of human life and our fundamental rights to health and the environment, and our climate — especially for Black, Brown, Indigenous, frontline, and under-resourced communities.

The Global Plastics Treaty has the potential to stop the plastic pollution crisis at the source — but only if governments truly step up and uphold their responsibility to the people, environment, wildlife, and the climate.”

#BreakFreeFromPlastic website

The March to End the Plastic Era coincides with Earth Day, April 22. This year, the focus of Earth Day is “to end plastics for the sake of human and planetary health.” The Earth Day organization is inviting people to sign a petition for international action to eliminate plastic pollution.

[Edited to include additional events:] Other Earth Day 2024 events happening in neighbourhoods across Ottawa include the Centretown festival in Dundonald Park, a free market at the Ottawa Public Library, Re4M’s eco-market, an Ottawa Tool Library repair cafe at City Hall, a guided walk and nature-themed little library launch in Hampton Park, environment-themed community events in River Ward and elsewhere, a community choir concert in support of Foodsharing Ottawa, tree care with Forêt Capitale Forest, a film screening, a canvass of Old Ottawa South to encourage the City to ban fossil fuel ads, a webinar on the environmental consequences of building a new prison on farmland in Kemptville, neighbourhood and shoreline clean-ups, and more. (Check the links for specific dates, times, and further information.)

Climate Change Learning and Action in Ottawa

GreenLivingOttawa
A poster; on a white background, in the top left corner, is a small icon of a red hand holding turquoise cards, beside text reading "Climate Fresk: Understand Climate Change in 3 Hours" (the i in climate is represented by an exclamation mark). Additional text below, on a green background, reads: "Climate Fresk Workshop: 2 dates, Thur Apr 11 and Tue Apr 23, 5:30-8:30 PM, 411 Dovercourt Ave, www.dovercourt.org/community/events-at-dovercourt/" On the right side of the poster is a large photo of 7 people (white, adults of varying ages, dressed in casual clothes) around a large conference-type table. They are looking at, and holding, postcard-sized cards that appear to have images and text on them; the cards are spread out on white paper that covers the table. Behind the table are large windows, shelves and stacked chairs, suggesting a workshop or community room.

[Update: By popular demand, new dates have been added! The next Climate Fresk workshops are coming up on Thursday, May 9 and Wednesday, May 22, 2024, both from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Register through Dovercourt Recreation Centre.]

In a previous post, guest blogger Don Sproule shared information on an interactive workshop that brings people together to think through the causes and consequences of climate change and identify actions needed.

Two more Climate Fresk workshops will be taking place on Thursday, April 11 and Tuesday, April 23, 2024 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Dovercourt Recreation Centre.

According to workshop organizer Don Sproule:

“The facilitated workshops will be using the very successful Climate Fresk format. While new to Ottawa, over 1.5M world-wide have participated in the workshop. … I can pretty well guarantee coming out of the workshop you’ll be able to say: I learned something, I had a good time and I’m now spurred on for further action related to climate change.”

Find out more and register through Dovercourt. If you have questions, check out the earlier post or contact Don at donald.sproule[at]gmail.com. The Climate Fresk website has more information on how it all works.

Given the urgency of the climate crisis, it’s great to see more local, community-led initiatives for learning about and acting on climate change. Some other upcoming events include:

Fossil Fools Day Ottawa: a solidarity action against RBC-funded pipeline and other projects that are contributing to the climate emergency. Saturday, April 6, 2024, 1-2 p.m., corner of Bank and Queen Streets.

Carleton Climate Commons’ Climate PUBlics on “Food Relations in a Time of Climate Crisis”: conversations on food sustainability in the context of climate change. Wednesday, April 10, 2024, 7 p.m., Irene’s Pub.

Community groups are leading a call for Ottawa City Council to ban fossil fuel advertising and sponsorship in City facilities and activities. Residents can sign a petition in support of the ban.

For more local climate-related events and activities, check out the CAFES Ottawa and Carleton Climate Commons community environment and climate calendars.

On International Women’s Day, Support Local Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQI+ People

GreenLivingOttawa
A stretch of green lawn with a prominent red dress on a white hanger placed lying down on the lawn in the foreground; in the background there are another 6 red dresses scattered across the grass.
Red dresses on Parliament Hill, Ottawa, Search the Landfills International Day of Action, September 18, 2023 – D. Deby photo

[Content Warning: Contains references to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQI+ People. Please seek support if directly affected or needing local mental health supports.]

As I wrote in a previous post, “green living” in Ottawa—unceded Anishinabe Algonquin territory—has to include recognizing Canada’s basis in settler colonialism that continues to separate Indigenous people from their lands. It also entails taking responsibility to listen to, learn from and support local Indigenous-led actions (e.g. protecting the Ottawa River).

One of the ways that Canada has continued to perpetuate harms against Indigenous peoples is through tolerating and enabling violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people, as documented by the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. The Inquiry’s final report confirms what Indigenous people have long asserted: the existence of “race-based genocide of Indigenous Peoples, including First Nations, Inuit, and Métis, which especially targets women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people,” which “has been empowered by colonial structures, evidenced notably by the Indian Act, the Sixties Scoop, residential schools, and breaches of human and Inuit, Métis and First Nations rights.”

Locally, the grassroots group Families of Sisters in Spirit (FSIS) has been working for decades to raise awareness and catalyze action to prevent further disappearances and deaths, support families who have lost loved ones, and call for action. For example, last September 18, FSIS and others organized a moving and powerful Search the Landfills International Day of Action rally—one of many across the country—on Parliament Hill, in solidarity with the families of three Indigenous women whose bodies are thought to be in landfills outside Winnipeg. The Canadian and Manitoba governments have expressed support, but have yet to act.

This Friday, March 8, 2024, FSIS is organizing another International Search the Landfill gathering on Parliament Hill, from 11:30am-1:00pm. Please support the event, which coincides with International Women’s Day 2024, if you can. Find out more about the issues in the National Inquiry’s Final Report and Calls for Justice; and in this 2023 “report card” on the lack of progress in implementing those Calls.

Poster with red background and white text, which reads: International Search the Landfill, March 8th, 2024, 11:30am to 1:00pm, Parliament Hill, Algonquin Anishinabe Territory: Wear red, bring your drums, bring your hearts. Contact: familiesofsistersinspirit@gmail.com. Canada's IWD 2024. Bring Our Sisters Home!" Across the bottom of the poster is an image of two red horizontal lines, and a small red handprint.
Image courtesy of Families of Sisters in Spirit Facebook page

Protect the Kichi Sibi / Ottawa River

GreenLivingOttawa
Colourful Indigenous art depicting aquatic animals (turtle, birds, fish) in black, green, orange, red and blue, on a blue background; the text "Protect our Water" is superimposed on the image.
Image courtesy of Stop Nuclear Waste

A million cubic metres of radioactive waste, to be stored permanently a kilometre from the Ottawa River, upstream from Ottawa-Gatineau, on unceded Algonquin territory: that’s what Canada’s nuclear regulator recently approved.

Despite objections from 10 Algonquin First Nations, more than 140 municipalities, many environmental groups and concerned individuals, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission has authorized Canadian Nuclear Laboratories to build a “near surface disposal facility” on its site at Chalk River. CNL already houses nuclear waste at the site, but says the new “containment mound,” which it intends to start building this year, will replace existing “temporary” storage.

Algonquin First Nations have been actively raising concerns for years about the proposed facility and the risks it poses to the area’s biodiversity, land, waters and peoples. They emphasize that the Kichi Sibi–the Ottawa River–is culturally and spiritually significant, and the source of drinking water for millions of people—including Ottawa residents. The First Nations point out that CNSC made the decision without the required consultation with, or consent from, their communities, contrary to the sovereignty of Indigenous Peoples and Canada’s own Act ratifying the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

A coalition of First Nations, other groups and individuals have set up Stop Nuclear Waste to explain the situation and call for support. Here are some of the ways you can help:

  • Support the First Nations’ legal case: Kebaowek First Nation, with support from Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg and Algonquins of Barriere Lake First Nations, filed a judicial review with the Federal Court of Appeals to challenge the CNSC decision. They’ve set up a Go Fund Me page where people can support the legal case against proceeding with the facility. They describe the case as potentially precedent-setting in terms of its implications for rulings related to Canada’s UNDRIP-related legislation. The Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility and two other citizens’ groups have also launched a court challenge.
  • Learn more:
    • The Stop Nuclear Waste website provides further information and suggested actions.
    • Concerned Citizens of Renfrew County and Area have outlined important considerations and problems with the project. They also share an open letter calling on federal government decision-makers to halt the project, which could serve as a template for people to draw on to write to their MPs.
    • The Ottawa Riverkeeper has also documented concerns with the NSDF project, including its proximity to the watershed, weaknesses in the plans for operation and monitoring, the problems of “legacy waste” at the site, and the failure to adequately consult with Anishinabe Algonquin peoples.

“I want to be very clear: the Algonquin Peoples did not consent to the construction of this radioactive waste dump on our unceded territory. We believe the consultation was inadequate, to say the least, and that our Indigenous rights are threatened by this proposal. We demand the cancellation of the NSDF project. The focus should instead be on a real and successful cleanup of the site to permanently eliminate old radioactive waste.”

Chief Lance Haymond, Kebaowek First Nation

“This nuclear waste facility will damage the water and we all know that.

Conscientious people are rising. We must rise together, we are all in that medicine wheel. No matter our colour, our creed or our title, we are all related in the human family and we must stand together.”

Claudette Commanda, Algonquin Elder
Poster titled "Scrap the NSDF Project Rally #2" beside a small photo of three Indigenous people with traditional drums on Parliament Hill. A larger photo below this shows several people standing with banners and posters in front of the Parliament Building; the banner reads "Scrap the Chalk River NSDF Project Approval StopNuclearWaste.Com." Text below the photos reads: "Who Should Attend: All concerned citizens of the Kichi Sibi - Ottawa River watershed. Where: Outside Westin Hotel, 11 Colonel By Drive. When: Canadian Nuclear Association Conference February 28th through March 1st. Daily demonstrations 9am-5pm. For more information: www.StopNuclearWaste.com. Stronger Together: Protect the Kichi Sibi."
Image courtesy of Stop Nuclear Waste