Wednesday March 9, 2022
What Ottawa is Talking About – 9 March 2022
▪️Local mom and pop business Shopify has stopped operations in Russia and Belarus. Shopify has ceased working in those two countries in opposition to the invasion of Ukraine. The company is also matching all employee donations to Flexport, which is organizing flights to bring humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Ukrainian businesses that are still operating using Shopify will have their fees waived. [CBC] [Flexport Donations]
▪️The Ontario Human Rights Tribunal says the Ottawa Carleton District School Board failed a bullied student. Six years ago, the bully threatened and assaulted the student and defaced the students’ family car. The Tribunal found that the Board was wrong to allow the bully back into school after a suspension without consulting the student.. [CBC]
▪️Federal government is about to issue a 'request for proposals' for the new high-frequency line between Quebec City and Toronto, through Ottawa. In an announcement in Montréal, the Federal Transport Minister announced the new website for the project and promised that the Federal government will soon be looking for someone to build the line. The project is promoted as high-frequency, ergo more trains, but the actual project is intended to provide faster train service. [Bay Observer]
▪️Gloucester-South Nepean ward councillor Carol Anne Meehan resigns from the Ottawa Library Board after disclosing in-camera information. Meehan was at a meeting of the Barrhaven Business Improvement Area where she mentioned that Barrhaven was in line for a new library branch. This was discussed in an closed session of the Library board but not yet public. Meehan says she said it accidentally and was not asked to resign. Her seat will remain open until after the municipal election in October. <Insert your own do-not-talk-in-the-library joke here> [Ottawa Citizen]
▪️New townhouse in subdivison near the airport sells for $900,000, $150 over asking price. [Globe & Mail]
▪️The third annual International Film Festival of Ottawa opens today, only the second time live. [Apt 613]
