#108 - Matt LeBlanc (Secular Recovery Ottawa)

On the show this week, we met with Matt LeBlanc, who joined us to discuss his work with Secular Recovery Ottawa. We learn a lot about addiction recovery and hear how Matt turned his life around, and how he is now helping others do the same.

---

Sponsor -
This episode is also brought to you in part by Audible.com. Visit audibletrial.com/ottawhat today and get a free audiobook and free 30-day trial, and feel good in helping support the show.

---

Links:
@SecularRecovery
https://www.facebook.com/secular.recovery.ottawa/

Food:

Black Walnut Bakery - Various Desserts/Pastries

#107 - Jeff Menzies

This week's episode features Jeff Menzies, an urban agriculture and food security expert who has moved from dreams of being a chef, to helping feed people on a much larger scale. We chat about the non-profit work he's doing, as well as the best (super healthy, for the most part) places to eat around Ottawa.

We also answer some burning listener questions about one of Jeff's former employers, Pure Kitchen, and about vegan cooking in general.

---

Sponsor -
This episode is also brought to you in part by Audible.com. Visit audibletrial.com/ottawhat today and get a free audiobook and free 30-day trial, and feel good in helping support the show.

---

Beer:

Flight Delay IPA - Barnstormer Brewing

CBC to Debut New Reality Show "Keeping Up with the Suzukis" This Fall

By: Eric Turmelle

In an effort to keep up with the recent reality show craze in North America, the CBC stunned the Canadian public this morning with the announcement that a new reality show starring David Suzuki’s family will premiere this fall during primetime.

“It’s about time Canadian broadcasting started connecting with the younger generation,” announced Katherine Wolfgang, senior publicist for the CBC.

This is not the CBC’s first attempt to cater to younger viewers. Previous programs targeted at the demographic include “Mr. D” and “Schitt's Creek,” however, ratings for these programs have fallen short of expectations to say the least. This seems to have led to CBC executives to up the ante with reality programming.

When asked why the Suzukis were chosen for this pilot project, Ms. Wolfgang explained: “I mean, the choice was very logical when you sit down and think about it. The Suzukis share many striking similarities to their American counterparts - the Kardashians. Both families feature captivating family members that would provide countless hours of reality entertainment, and both Kim and David are famous for their sex tapes, among many other surprising similarities.” Ms. Wolfgang, of course, is referring to Suzuki’s documentary featuring the effect of global warming on the reproductive cycles of Canadian fauna, filmed in 2009.

Whether or not the show will be a success remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain - some of Canada will be watching this fall.

Ottawa Greekfest Defaults on Loan

By: Keegan On

Ottawa’s annual Greekfest kicks off today, but not everyone is celebrating. At a press conference early this morning, Greekfest President Angelo Stamkos announced that the organization has defaulted on a sizeable loan this year.

“We’ve been having financial difficulties for a while,” says Stamkos. “We’ve done our best to mask these troubles in the past, but they seem to be coming to a head this year.” The costs for Greekfest are impressive, including venue fees, tent rentals, and olives. To complicate matters further, this bad news has caused multiple sponsors to pull their support.

The festival has been a summer staple for years, attracting thousands of participants. The ten day party showcases the best of Greek food, music, and art. While many plan on dancing the Zorba for the next week, others are not as cheerful. The future of the festival is uncertain, but many people are already proposing solutions.

“I think it is only fair that Ottawa Festivals bail us out. We have been a member of the organization for years, and have asked for nothing in return. We can’t all be as successful and well-off as the Germans with Oktoberfest, you know? If Greekfest goes down it could be bad news for other festivals in the area,” says Stamkos.  “Who knows, this could be the start of a global festival meltdown.”

Snowplow Training Exercise to be Held this Summer

By: Keegan On

If you see a snowplow pass by in August, don’t worry; it’s part of the city’s Snowfall Preparedness Initiative. From August 9th-11th, 45 snowplows, 200 city workers, and 2 tonnes of fake snow will be used to simulate a variety of winter emergency scenarios.

“We’ve been caught with our snow pants down before, so to speak,” says City Official Rick Meyer. “These training exercises will undoubtedly improve the our response times for the upcoming winter. The City of Ottawa is dedicated to providing residents with regular, timely snow removal.”

The three-day event will cost the city nearly two million dollars, which will come out of the snowplow budget for the upcoming winter. “It’s an operational cost,” explains Meyers. “It’s an investment. Will we have reduced plowing hours as a result? Yes. Will we only be plowing when there is more than 20 cm of snow? Yes. But will we be more efficient at snow removal than last year? Probably.”

#106 - Anne-Marie Cenaiko

On the show this week, we talk to Anne-Marie Cenaiko, who works in communications for the government and volunteers all over the city. Hear all about the best Ottawa "foodie" hotspots, what you need to get to the Sandbanks on a bike trip, and yet another endorsement for House of Targ.

---

Sponsor -
This episode is also brought to you in part by Audible.com. Visit audibletrial.com/ottawhat today and get a free audiobook and free 30-day trial, and feel good in helping support the show.

---

Links:
@acenaiko on Twitter
Beau's Oktoberfest
Jane's Walk Ottawa
Hidden Harvest
Ottawa Good Food Box

Beer:

Spark House Red Ale - Lake of Bays Brewing Co.