A bum rap

Generation Whatever is getting a bad rap. From reports of Ace Crew gang violence to the question of letting 16-year-olds vote, each week brings a new tale portraying bleached-blonde-body-pierced-baggy-clothed 14- to 19-year-olds as clueless and ignorant. read more

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Mary Tanguay: Tales from Erin

By Kerry Kelly

Mary Tanguay’s pale blue eyes widen as she brushes back a lock of hair that still holds traces of vivid reddish-gold color. With animated gestures she begins to paint her picture of Nicholas Sparks, the namesake of Ottawa’s Sparks Street:

“Nicholas Sparks was an entrepreneur from Wexford. When he had saved 92 pounds, he bought the whole city of Ottawa, the whole centre of Ottawa for 92 pounds sterling, can you imagine? And he cried the day he bought it because it was a dreadful place full of swamp and trees, a savage country.” read more

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Fund-raiser to offset possible funding cuts

By Ginette Barton-Sinkia

The organizers of the Ottawa International Jazz Festival are holding a fund-raiser April 2 to raise money for this summer’s festival, which they say could be hurt by local government’s funding cuts.

“There is not a big local outlet for jazz ensembles to perform,” says local musician Bill Jupp, leader of Bill Jupp Big Band. “Without the Jazz Festival there wouldn’t be much.” read more

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