August is Pride Month in Ottawa and although controversy rained on the Pride Parade the celebration shined through the storm because that's how rainbows are made! In Ottawa, we get to celebrate Pride in June AND in August!! Why is Ottawa Pride Month in August? Here's a little bit of history! The first major Canadian LGBTQIA+ human rights march in Ottawa occurred on August 28, 1971. Approximately 100 people from Ontario- Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto and surrounding areas- protested at Parliament Hill.
It was Canada's first 'Gay Liberation Protest and March.' Protesters submitted a petition to the government that contained a list of ten demands for equal rights and protections for the queer population in Canada. A lot of queer folks in Canada who are out and proud owe their safety and rights to this group of brave human rights advocates.
As many of you know, Hazel loves everyone. She believes that love is love, diversity should be celebrated, and tolerance is the foundation of an equitable society. Sadly, Capital Pride is unjustly being criticized for releasing a statement standing in solidarity with Palestine. Capital Pride was slandered by pro-Israel groups, who falsely claimed the statement was antisemitic, making them feel excluded from the festivities.
LGBTQIA+ issues are human rights issues- and what is happening in Palestine is, at the very least, a huge violation of human rights. It should be no surprise that human rights groups would stand together in solidarity. Denouncing Israel’s violence and genocide against Palestinians is not antisemitic- it is a legitimate stance that is just and moral.
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Hey Ottawa! Hazel wishes you a Happy Capital Pride, despite the controversy! |
As a result of the Capital Pride pro-Palestinian statement, numerous local institutions announced their decision to withdraw from participating in the Ottawa Capital Pride Parade, which took place on Sunday, August 25. This included hospitals, banks, universities and school boards. Many expressed concerns about safety at the event. The reaction to the statement has created a lot of unnecessary controversy around the event and Capital Pride.
Now Capital Pride is at risk of losing funding and support. Please sign this petition to support their statement of solidarity with Palestine. Hazel and I are proud of the folks at Capital Pride for advocating for the people in Palestine. We stand in solidarity with Capital Pride and with the people in Palestine. Sadly, our government does not appear to feel the same way that we do.
According to an Ottawa Citizen news report, "This year’s parade route was abruptly cut in half last week after the Ottawa Police Service reduced the number of available officers. Capital Pride organizers said police and the City of Ottawa informed them of the reduction in staff resources on Tuesday, just five days before the event." Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe also announced he would not participate in this year’s parade.
The City of Ottawa pulled out of the parade and the Liberal Party was noticeably missing, as most political parties have representation at the festivities and officials in attendance. Our government and institutions should be ashamed of their disgusting lack of empathy for the humanitarian crisis in Palestine and their prioritization of political gain over the human lives being lost in a genocide that our country is funding.
Despite all this, thousands of people went downtown to celebrate their pride and liberation on the streets of Ottawa. It is a reminder that communities do the work to make positive change, while the government abandons the people and the cause.
Hazel and I could not attend the parade this year (check out pics from our Capital Pride celebration last year), we were there in spirit, love, and solidarity. I was fortunate to attend the Pride festival in Salem, MA this year Happy Capital Pride! And liberate Palestine, with freedom and reparations!
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Pride Month 2024 in Salem, MA |
I am working with three Palestinian families to fundraise in an attempt to get them out of Gaza safely. Please consider donating to their GoFundMe fundraisers or sharing their stories to raise awareness. CLICK HERE to see the fundraisers in my linktree.
Check out Hazel and I celebrating Capital Pride last year on TikTok! You can follow Capital Pride on Instagram and Facebook, and check out their website CapitalPride.ca for upcoming events.
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Ottawa Capital Pride Month 2023 |
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Frito feet: Why do my dog's paws smell like corn chips? And should I be worried?Frito feet! I know it sounds corny, but if your dog's paws smell like corn chips, then your dog has Frito feet. Full disclosure, Hazel has Frito feet sometimes, and so did Keira. Although TikTok is popularizing the term, this is something that I've heard pet owners mention in veterinary practices. January 29th is the perfect day to talk about why your dog's paws may smell like Fritos. Why is that? To celebrate National Corn Chip Day! Yes, that's a thing, and yes, it's today. Let's bite into what causes Frito feet!
Wild Wednesday: Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre shares what you need to know about bird flu and how they are coping
This year my conversation about conservation with the Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre (OVWBCC) team flew me in a different direction. Wildlife rescue is serious business. It's even more so when navigating a contagious viral infection like H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), more commonly referred to as avian flu or 'bird flu.'
Storm safety prep for you and your pets: What do I do during a tornado?
Ottawa is facing another severe thunderstorm today, Thursday, June 16, 2022, and meteorologists report that the storm will have all the ingredients for a "likely tornado." I want to share some quick storm prep tips for folks in the area- and their pets. It's important to prepare for the thunderstorm and a possible power outage or worst-case scenario- a tornado
Merry Christmas: Ottawa veterinary practices are suffering during the holidays
Hazel and I wish everyone a very Furry Christmas! It's been a busy December for us and it will only get busier if we head into what looks like another inevitable lockdown. We hope we do go into lockdown because we want everyone to be safe. All we want for Christmas is for everyone to get fully vaccinated.
Democracy wins: We bid a not so farewell to Donald Trump as Joe Biden wins the 2020 USA presidential election- Adios Trump!
I've decided 273 is my new favourite number! Followers of my blog are well aware that I'm not a fan of Donald Trump. You may remember I fact-checked Trump on my blog a few years ago when he began attacking science and the Paris Agreement. Canadians care about what happens to our American neighbours because if the USA sneezes, Canada gets a cold. I'd like to give my American neighbours a virtual hug and congratulations because today, November 7, 2020, after a long wait in election purgatory (Groundhog Day much?) Joe Biden has been elected to become the 46th president of the United States of America.
Trump Talk vs Truth: Fact checking Donald Trump's Paris Climate Agreement speech
June 4, 2017- This week was devastating to the environment when President Donald Trump announced that he is pulling the United States out of the Paris Climate Accord. In his speech he gave 'alternative facts' about climate science, economics and the details of the Agreement. If one good thing came out of this, it's that so many leaders, businesses and organizations have come together to support the Paris Agreement with more strength and determination that ever before. It's also inspired the first edition of Trump Talk vs Truth- a new Paws For Reaction series.
How to
prepare pets for a natural disaster: Climate change increases the likelihood
of disasters for the entire family
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How to prepare your pets for natural disaster Photo by BecauseUAreHere Foter
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Most of us don’t think about how to prepare ourselves for a natural disaster,
let alone our pets. After the recent mass flooding event in the Ottawa Valley,
it’s clear that disasters can happen close to home. Instead of having the
mentality that ‘this can’t happen to me,’ most Ontario and Quebec residents
have been faced with the reality that disaster can hit close to home.
People's Climate March: Ottawa joins global climate change protest
April 29, 2017-Today was another proud day for science in Ottawa. A large group gathered at Ottawa City Hall for the People's Climate March, which ended at the US Embassy. The protest was part of a global movement to advance climate change solutions and protect our clean air and drinking water. It coincided with President Trump's 100th day in office. I marched in hopes that the government will start taking climate change seriously and admit that the science is settled. I marched to ask the government to stop investing in pipelines and start investing in clean energy. Climate change is real. The debate among scientists about mankind's impacts on the planet is over. We must act now.
Photos: March for Science in Ottawa on Earth Day 2017
April 22, 2017- Hundreds of scientists and citizens rallied at Parliament Hill on Earth Day for the March for Science, to show their support for the scientific community. The March for Science is part of a global movement, with over 600 events planned worldwide and 20 of those events taking place in Canada. Evidence for Democracy hosted the Ottawa March for Science. The group held a sign making party on April 12 to prepare.