Ottawa

The sewer system in Canada’s capital city of Ottawa is insufficient to meet all of the needs. Whenever there is an unusual amount of rain, and that happens on a much too frequent basis, something seems to happen which causes an overflow into the Ottawa River. The water pollution forces the temporary closure of beaches and with a certain amount of resignation residents accept the fact that it will happen again. It is shameful to think that the beauty and health of the Ottawa River (photo below) is being routinely spoiled when the existing sewer system fails. Notwithstanding the costs associated with system upgrades ... Read Full Story

As a result of the amalgamation of area cities and townships, the present City of Ottawa was established on January 1, 2001. The marketing strategy behind the forced amalgamation was that one city would be more cost effective, efficient and all that other good stuff. Our provincial leaders in Queen’s Park thought they knew better. As far as area taxpayers were concerned, they were duped into thinking that, with the elimination of redundancies, there would be savings. And, we know there’s no snow in Ottawa during the winter. In the beginning, everyone was told to be patient and that it would take time to ... Read Full Story

This is a good-news bad-news follow-up to my blog entry of Feb. 26th. Yesterday, councillors for the City of Ottawa decided to allow the atheist ads on OC Transpo buses. That’s the good-news for those that support freedom of speech. I should add that the city’s solicitor advised council that should they refuse the ads, and if their decision was challenged in court, they would likely lose. You could say that the good news may have been diluted by the reality that they did not have sufficient cause to refuse the request. The bad news is that this issue passed through council only by ... Read Full Story

The City of Ottawa bylaw that forces people to pay for the removal of graffiti is a type of double jeopardy. At first, a person’s property is defaced by vandals. The city then forces the owner to absorb the cost of the repair. If the repair is not completed within a certain period of time, the city will complete the repair and bill the owner. In the meantime, the vandals roam the city and continue to deface the property of others. Luc Lapointe, an Ottawa business owner, is now taking the city to court in the hope that the bylaw will be quashed. In ... Read Full Story

The following updated article was written five years ago. Some things are constantly changing, particularly when it involves computers and other electronic equipment. When it comes to a successful business, many will say that if you do not change with the times, you will be left in the dust. There are however some exceptions, such as those who prosper providing the same kind of service, often for generations of families. If the delivery of a reasonably priced good service and customer satisfaction are the ingredients for a successful business, then Joe Valente has the right recipe. Joe Valente, or to his many clients, “Joe”, ... Read Full Story