Rose's Cantina

Just what Ottawa needs -- another hockey arena. And more shopping. And more concert venues. A car museum? A beer museum? An aquarium to babysit the kids while the guys can go to the beer and car museums while the ladies shop for designer togs? It's like a bunch of guys got together after a midnight pickup hockey game to decide what Ottawa needs more of. One woman on Twitter last night wondered if any women were actually involved in putting together the two proposal to develop LeBreton Flats,  that fetid black hole eyesore that sits in the middle of Bytown. Don't get me wrong, I like the Senators, don't love them, but like them. They do some good in our community it's true by visiting kids in the hospital and building community rinks. But for heaven's sake, do we have to reward them by letting them take up prime downtown land to build yet another shrine to a bunch of millionaires? I don't know about you, but even if the rink was built downtown,...

One of the great things about municipal governments is that, generally, they get things done smoothly and in consultation with the residents who elect them. It's not always the case, but if a decision has to be made it gets made or residents can walk up to the mayor and give him an earful at whatever meeting, ribbon cutting or celebration he is attending. Not so in Ottawa where many of the decisions about the aesthetics of the place are made by people who don't even live here, have never lived here and will never lived here. That's because the National Crapital Commission TM has its ball in nearly every play. Its board of directors is made up of people you and I have never heard of, with the exception of former Mayor Jackie Holzman and Chairman Russ Mills who was dumped as publisher of the Ottawa Citizen a few years back. There are 13 cogs in the NCC wheel who live elsewhere. That's nearly twice as many people on the Board who live in Vancouver or Montreal and co...

Scott and I took the hounds to Conroy Pit, our beloved dog park. What a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the path was nearly dry. And the smell! Looks like the takeover of the National Crapital Commission by Heritage Canada is going smoothly. Or maybe a decision has been made to move the Carp garbage dump to the dog park. Somebody do something!