r e g i o n a l n e w s
NCPR News Staff: Lucy Martin
Ottawa Correspondent
Lucy Martin covers regional news and events from her home in rural Ottawa. Her radio roots go back to the early years of Hawaii Public Radio, where she had many roles, including news anchor and station announcer. A family move traded ordinary Honolulu for exotic Canada in 1999. Lucy enjoys village life with her husband, Craig Miller. When not editing sound or text on her laptop, she likes to garden, read, travel and play outdoors. E-mail Stories filed by Lucy Martin
Back-to-work legislation ends Canada Post labor dispute
Ottawa, ON, Jun 27, 2011 — Mail service is expected to resume across Canada Tuesday, after back-to-work legislation affecting approximately 48,000 Canada Post employees was passed over the weekend.
Unionized workers began one-day revolving work stoppages in different Canadian cities on June 3. Management responded by locking workers out on June 14.
The ruling Conservatives said intervention was necessary to restore service and protect the Canadian economy. With a solid majority in the House and Senate, Prime Minister Stephen Harper had more than enough votes to pass back-to-work legislation. But Parliamentary debate included an unsuccessful filibuster from the New Democratic Party, and signaled further disagreement ahead.
Lucy Martin has more. Go to full article
Unionized workers began one-day revolving work stoppages in different Canadian cities on June 3. Management responded by locking workers out on June 14.
The ruling Conservatives said intervention was necessary to restore service and protect the Canadian economy. With a solid majority in the House and Senate, Prime Minister Stephen Harper had more than enough votes to pass back-to-work legislation. But Parliamentary debate included an unsuccessful filibuster from the New Democratic Party, and signaled further disagreement ahead.
Lucy Martin has more. Go to full article
Organ grinder Mike Grebler in action at the farmer's market in Metcalfe, Ontario. Photo by Lucy Martin.
Crank organ brightens market days
Embrun, ON, May 20, 2011 — After a long cool Spring, it's a good feeling when things warm up and the farmer's markets re-open.
Patrons come for local produce, crafts and baked goods. Lucky Ottawa area shoppers often get a unique bonus: jaunty music with a European flair.
Mike Grebler lives in Carlsbad Springs Ontario and takes his crank organ to various local farmer's markets, collecting tips for various charities. He also encourages the young - or the young at heart - to take a turn cranking out the tunes.
Lucy Martin tried it herself at the Metcalfe markert last year, and has this audio postcard. (Lucy spoke with Grebler again recently and learned he and his music will be back - by popular demand - this season.) Go to full article
Patrons come for local produce, crafts and baked goods. Lucky Ottawa area shoppers often get a unique bonus: jaunty music with a European flair.
Mike Grebler lives in Carlsbad Springs Ontario and takes his crank organ to various local farmer's markets, collecting tips for various charities. He also encourages the young - or the young at heart - to take a turn cranking out the tunes.
Lucy Martin tried it herself at the Metcalfe markert last year, and has this audio postcard. (Lucy spoke with Grebler again recently and learned he and his music will be back - by popular demand - this season.) Go to full article
Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Photo: Office of PM website.
Harper wins majority, at last
Ottawa, ON, May 03, 2011 — When Canada's election was called in late March, there was a good deal of grumbling. Some welcomed the chance for voters to weigh in. Others predicted an expensive exercise that would produce very little change.
The big question was always about Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper - could he finally win a parliamentary majority? The answer was a resounding yes. Buoyed by strong support from Alberta to Ontario, Harper's party won big and the next election can now wait until 2015.
Lucy Martin has this summary. Go to full article
The big question was always about Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper - could he finally win a parliamentary majority? The answer was a resounding yes. Buoyed by strong support from Alberta to Ontario, Harper's party won big and the next election can now wait until 2015.
Lucy Martin has this summary. Go to full article
Canadians watching the royals too
Apr 28, 2011 — Friday morning at 6:00 am Eastern time, Prince William will marry his commoner bride, Catherine Middleton in historic Westminster Abbey.
Media coverage is reaching a frenzy, with almost no story angle or detail left unexamined.
The biggest fuss is over the pond, in England. But Canada is a constitutional monarchy, which means William is in line to head the country one day, just as his grandmother, Elizabeth the second, is Canada's current Queen.
Lucy Martin strolled her own rural village of Kars, Ontario, to gauge interest in the big event. She talked with Judy Seabrook, Perry Adams of Kars, salon owner Gabriele Walker, customer Don Stoodley from Ottawa and customers at Kelly's Hair Place, Hilda Arnold and Ann, both from Manotick, Ontario. She started with her next-door neighbor. Go to full article
Media coverage is reaching a frenzy, with almost no story angle or detail left unexamined.
The biggest fuss is over the pond, in England. But Canada is a constitutional monarchy, which means William is in line to head the country one day, just as his grandmother, Elizabeth the second, is Canada's current Queen.
Lucy Martin strolled her own rural village of Kars, Ontario, to gauge interest in the big event. She talked with Judy Seabrook, Perry Adams of Kars, salon owner Gabriele Walker, customer Don Stoodley from Ottawa and customers at Kelly's Hair Place, Hilda Arnold and Ann, both from Manotick, Ontario. She started with her next-door neighbor. Go to full article
John Ferrier offers tips on safety and sharpening. Photo: Lucy Martin.
Safety first with chainsaws
Kemptville, ON, Apr 27, 2011 — There are plenty of reasons to have a chainsaw, from getting ready for winter to cleaning up after a storm.
Useful as it may be, a chainsaw can slice through flesh and bone in the blink of an eye. That's why experts recommend paying close attention to safety - whatever your level of experience.
A number of organizations offer chainsaw safety courses, including one conducted in Kemptville, Ontario this April by the Lower Ottawa Valley Chapter of the Ontario Woodlot Association.
Lucy Martin sat in to learn more. Go to full article
Useful as it may be, a chainsaw can slice through flesh and bone in the blink of an eye. That's why experts recommend paying close attention to safety - whatever your level of experience.
A number of organizations offer chainsaw safety courses, including one conducted in Kemptville, Ontario this April by the Lower Ottawa Valley Chapter of the Ontario Woodlot Association.
Lucy Martin sat in to learn more. Go to full article
Photos: Wikipedia
Canadians prep for debate tonight
Ottawa, ON, Apr 12, 2011 — Candidates have been campaigning across Canada since a Parliamentary election was called on March 26. The main party leaders will be in Ottawa tonight for a four-way debate in English.
The French language debate was hastily moved from Thursday to tomorrow so it won't conflict with a hockey play off game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Boston Bruins.
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May was not invited to the event and lost her court challenge disputing the exclusion.
According to opinion polls, the economy and health care are foremost on voter's minds. But as Lucy Martin reports, questions of leadership, policy and plain old "likeability" are part of the mix too. Go to full article
The French language debate was hastily moved from Thursday to tomorrow so it won't conflict with a hockey play off game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Boston Bruins.
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May was not invited to the event and lost her court challenge disputing the exclusion.
According to opinion polls, the economy and health care are foremost on voter's minds. But as Lucy Martin reports, questions of leadership, policy and plain old "likeability" are part of the mix too. Go to full article
Peter Milliken (Wikipedia)
Kingston's Peter Milliken steps down amid wide acclaim
Kingston, ON, Mar 28, 2011 — Canada's three opposition parties defeated the minority government headed by Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Friday afternoon.
Saturday morning Harper called upon Governor General David Johnston to formally dissolve Parliament in advance of a federal election now set for May 2nd.
No-confidence votes are nothing new. But that one was completely unprecedented: the government was found in contempt of Parliament for failing to provide accurate costs on several measures up for consideration.
A key player all along has been a Liberal MP from Kingston, Ontario.
Peter Milliken is stepping down as his native city's longest serving MP and Canada's longest serving Speaker of the House - a history-maker who earned near-universal respect.
Lucy Martin has more. Go to full article
Saturday morning Harper called upon Governor General David Johnston to formally dissolve Parliament in advance of a federal election now set for May 2nd.
No-confidence votes are nothing new. But that one was completely unprecedented: the government was found in contempt of Parliament for failing to provide accurate costs on several measures up for consideration.
A key player all along has been a Liberal MP from Kingston, Ontario.
Peter Milliken is stepping down as his native city's longest serving MP and Canada's longest serving Speaker of the House - a history-maker who earned near-universal respect.
Lucy Martin has more. Go to full article
Possible Spring Election in Canada as opposition rejects federal budget
Ottawa, ON, Mar 23, 2011 — Canada's Finance Minister Jim Flaherty presented the Conservative Government's proposed budget to Parliament Tuesday afternoon. All three opposition parties immediately announced they will not support it - which could force a federal election this Spring. Should a no-confidence measure pass, Members of Parliament will head back to the polls, in a short election cycle of about 6 weeks duration. Lucy Martin has more. Go to full article
A rail fence and sap buckets near Kars, Ontario.
The long history of log fences
Mar 16, 2011 — Take a drive on rural roads hereabouts, and sooner or later the view will include an old rail fence. They run through woods and fields in a variety of patterns - reflecting a time when necessity demanded building with what was at hand.
Eugene Fytche is a retired electrical engineer in Almonte, Ontario who also spent 20 years farming sheep. There were five types of old fences on Fytche's land - and he had trouble finding practical information about them. That prompted extensive research and led to a book entitled "400 Years of Log Fences". The small, practical guide details fences developed in colonial America that eventually continued in Ontario with the arrival of Loyalist settlers.
(Fytche will be speaking about log and rail fences at the monthly meeting of the Rideau Township Historical Society tonight, 7:30, at the North Gower Archives.) Go to full article
Eugene Fytche is a retired electrical engineer in Almonte, Ontario who also spent 20 years farming sheep. There were five types of old fences on Fytche's land - and he had trouble finding practical information about them. That prompted extensive research and led to a book entitled "400 Years of Log Fences". The small, practical guide details fences developed in colonial America that eventually continued in Ontario with the arrival of Loyalist settlers.
(Fytche will be speaking about log and rail fences at the monthly meeting of the Rideau Township Historical Society tonight, 7:30, at the North Gower Archives.) Go to full article
Opening still: Inuit Knowledge & Climate Change
"Poles Apart" Winterlude's look at the Arctic and Antarctica
Ottawa, ON, Feb 08, 2011 — Winterlude, Ottawa's big winter festival, kicked off last Friday and runs through February 21st.
While the best-know activities center around outdoor fun, there are indoor events too - including a focus on the Arctic and Antarctica.
Margret Brady is the Programs & Communications Manager for The British Council, in Ottawa. Working with a number of co-sponsors, she's helped gather material that explains more about polar regions and why what happens there matters to us all. She spoke by phone with Lucy Martin. Go to full article
While the best-know activities center around outdoor fun, there are indoor events too - including a focus on the Arctic and Antarctica.
Margret Brady is the Programs & Communications Manager for The British Council, in Ottawa. Working with a number of co-sponsors, she's helped gather material that explains more about polar regions and why what happens there matters to us all. She spoke by phone with Lucy Martin. Go to full article
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St. Lawrence University, Canton,
New York 13617 • phone: 1-877-388-6277 • email
radio@ncpr.orgNCPR is a proud affiliate of:
NPR • American Public Media • Public Radio International
