I've seen the paper empower a range of voices to speak up and out and have had the pleasure of meeting various editors, photographers, writers and reporters. All believe passionately in telling the story of our city and beyond. Aisha Sherazi, educator Rea
Earlier this year, the capital's oldest continuously operated business marked 175 years. The pandemic delayed our plans to celebrate, but a distinguished group of readers shares some thoughts about the Citizen's voice in the community. Read more on B6.
Religious experts got their day
I have many memories of my relationship with the Ottawa Citizen. Two stand out.
Many years ago, the paper ran a full slate of Ask the Experts columns, on almost any and every topic. I remember once gently bumping into then-editor Russ Mills, and suggested he run an
Ask the Religion Experts column. He thought it was a good idea, and said he would get back to me soon.
Usually, that is a gentle brushoff, but not with Mills. True to his word, he was back within days, and that new column started, for which I wrote from the first to the last, over a span of around 20 years. I was joined by a representative array of religious leaders, including an atheist.
About 15 years ago, I had this crazy idea about starting Kindness Week as a way to counter the explosion of bullying in schools. I approached then-publisher Jim Orban to ask if the Ottawa Citizen would agree to be the sponsor of this event. He agreed, but perceptively thought I needed one more major sponsor. So, I approached Michael Allen, who heads the United Way. Kindness Week in Ottawa was born — and is still going strong. Rabbi Dr. Reuven P. Bulka is also president/ CEO of Kind Canada Genereux
Journalists bolster human rights
I've been an Ottawa Citizen reader throughout the 20 years I have lived in the city. But I haven't only been a reader; through my human rights work I have been interviewed by numerous Citizen reporters over those years and been lucky enough to have opinion pieces appear frequently on the editorial pages. That has all reflected a strong commitment to pursuing stories and covering issues that highlight inequality and injustice, and doing so in ways that build awareness and make the case for change.
Committed Citizen journalists covered the cases of Ottawa residents Maher Arar, Abdullah Almalki, Hassan Diab and Mohamed Harkat and the human rights violations they have endured in the name of so-called “national security.”
The Citizen did not shy away from exposing those terrible wrongs, no matter the sensitivities. Happy Birthday, and may those human rights stories continue to roll.
Not getting older, getting better
Indeed it's an accomplishment to be in business for 175 years!
Being a “paper person,” I start my day with the Ottawa Citizen: the newsmakers, the columnists, the obits and the comics – I read them all.
Your coverage of my political career has both challenged and warmed my heart. The editorial the day after my first election as an alderman in 1982 was headed “Council tilts to the left” as I replaced former mayor and alderman the late Don Reid. Little did you know that it wouldn't be long before you were referring to me as the budget spending slasher!
In 1998, my face appeared on the front page above the fold when my breast cancer diagnosis was announced. It was at a news conference with former publisher Russ Mills. He offered to sponsor my daughter, Ellyn, in the upcoming Ottawa Hospital Run For A Reason. Not only did we raise a lot of money for breast cancer research, but the phone lines at clinics were ringing off the hook from women who realized how important it was to schedule a mammogram.
So Happy Birthday, Ottawa Citizen. Like a fine wine, you don't get older; you get better.
Citizen empowered a range of voices
Operating a newspaper for 175 years is no small feat. The Citizen has not simply reported local events and happenings, or international events. It has been a platform for people to provide their voices, and has added huge value to public discourse.
I've seen the paper empower a range of voices to speak up and out and have had the pleasure of meeting various editors, photographers, writers and reporters. All believe passionately in telling the story of our city and beyond. Although physical papers may fizzle out, online content provides a forum for readers to weigh in on important issues.
Moving forward, what will separate the paper from a cacophony of online voices will be upholding the values of integrity, fact-checking and striving towards an unbiased view by continuing to invite a range of contributors from all walks of life. The future is bright.
A catalyst for community action
Happy 175th birthday year, Ottawa Citizen.
I haven't been a loyal reader for all of that time but during the 25 years of my career at the helm of the Community Foundation of Ottawa, your presence was invaluable. Not only did you cover all the important community events, you often helped make them happen.
Particularly memorable were the years when the publisher of the day, Russ Mills, was the volunteer chair of our board of governors. He led us through a growth spurt that caused our assets to triple in size within a scant six months. The Citizen was with us throughout, ensuring a community-wide celebration.
Thanks Citizen, you've been a good citizen!
Citizen investigations shape public policy
Congratulations Ottawa Citizen. For 175 years, your pages documented the joy, the pain, the success, the regret and the hope. The hope we now need to believe in a better tomorrow. Your journalists have been relentless in tracking down stories and checking facts in the public interest. In particular, your investigations of bus safety and the LRT rollout have been highly informative, and helped shape public policy.
As we experience a global pandemic, Ottawa needs its source of local and independent news more than ever, and needs Ottawa Citizen reporters, journalists and editors to continue to pursue truth and accountability, to help us understand and manage the many unknowns, and to be the champions of common sense. We need you now more than ever. Ahmed Shalaby, professor and Municipal Infrastructure Research Chair, acting associate dean (undergraduate programs), Price Faculty of Engineering, University of Manitoba
The review that changed everything
Anne DesBrisay's 2003 review of Beckta in the Ottawa Citizen – less than three months after we opened – changed everything for us. “Finally, superlative service and food to match.” Debrisay was the definitive restaurant voice in town, and her words carried all the weight.
Her review reaffirmed the decision that I had made to move back to Ottawa from New York City, betting everything on a childhood dream. It also confirmed that our team was onto something special, with our unique style of hospitality and cooking. “This is a thoroughly modern restaurant of eclectic leanings, run by a bunch of youngsters that just get it,” she wrote.
Anne DesBrisay's endorsement added wind to our sails, and gave us the confidence to keep pushing boundaries in the restaurant business for 17 years now. The concepts she chronicled in that article still provide us with the inspiration and high bar that we keep striving for, even today. Without these special words, I don't know if our path would have been the same.
An important venue for national voices
Back in the days when I was a columnist with the Edmonton Journal, I always got a special thrill when one of my columns was picked up and published by the Ottawa Citizen. It didn't happen with great frequency; many of my columns were on local municipal and provincial issues, and not of much interest to Ottawa readers.
But when one of my columns was chosen for the Citizen's oped page, I always felt a thrill that an editor had liked one of my pieces enough to present it to a national audience.
It wasn't just about ego – though goodness knows columnists are nothing without their egos. I was delighted, too, to know that the voices and concerns of Edmonton and Alberta were being heard in the nation's capital.
Now that I'm a senator, I'm a little more ambivalent about seeing my name in the Citizen's pages. But I'm all the more grateful to know that we have a paper in Ottawa that still serves as an important venue for national debate and national voices.