By Andrea Berube
Those fighting to keep Neighborhood Services open may have found an ally in the regional government.
The organization, which runs six thrift stores in the Ottawa area, needs to raise $75,000 by the end of February to keep the stores open.
Author: Centretown Staff
New community market will be alternative and fun
By Andree Lau
Ottawa’s newest co-operative market was launched Feb. 12 the same way it will be run: alternative, community-based and fun.
Belly dancers, world beat drummers and mehndi herbal body decorators entertained the crowd at the tentatively titled Art-Craft and Alternative Resource Market Co-op’s kickoff party.
Misinterpreted Act needs changing
By John Besley
When Queen’s Park next sits, Ottawa Centre MPP Richard Patten is planning to re-introduce a private member’s bill that would allow doctors to force mentally ill patients they think could be dangerous to get treatment.
Supporters hope this will ensure that troubled individuals, such as some paranoid schizophrenics whose sickness may cause them to refuse treatment out of fear, to get the treatment vital to their well-being.
Detractors say human rights could be threatened or that the current Mental Health Act could work if only health officials would interpret it properly.
Branching out: Seniors ‘telephone tree’ fights cuts
By Karen Palmer
Centretown seniors are using a newly created “telephone tree” to fight provincial cuts to home-care funding.
They’ve started a month-long telephone campaign to pressure the province into re-investing $22 million in community-based health care before three Ottawa-area hospitals are closed in the province’s hospital restructuring scheme.