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“The media has a way of negatively representing Islam and coming here today really showed me that the Islamic community is far from that,” says Dhanuddara Mohottalage, a young high school graduate of Buddhist faith.

Ms. Mohottalage joined many other non-Muslims to celebrate and learn more about the month of Ramadhan at the 5th Annual Harmony Iftar dinner held at Sala San Marco Banquet Hall on Friday, July 26. The fast-breaking dinner is an annual event that invites Muslims to build a stronger relationship with their friends and neighbours of other faiths by introducing them to the holy month of Ramadhan and correcting any misconceptions they may have about Islam in a friendly relaxed and environment.

With about roughly 300 guests, the hall was a mosaic of Ottawa's diversity.

Politicians and community leaders cut the cake at a Canada Day community celebration held at Strathcona Park on July 1, 2013.

Sadaqa Food Bank held its annual Food Festival in McCarthy Park on Saturday, July 6th.

For the first time, Muslim Link ran a photo contest for its Eid Issue. We hope to continue running themed photo contests in future issues. We were struck by the diversity of approaches people took to their photos.

The Izzah Learning Center's mission is to support women in the study of Tilawatul (Recitation) and Hifdhul (Memorization) of the Qur'an.

The center was founded by Fatima Abdi, who is finishing up a Master's of Education at the University of Ottawa with a specialization in teaching, learning and evaluation along with Aqbal Ahmed, an experienced Arabic teacher.

In an effort to help students make the most of Ramadan this year, a team of Carleton University Muslim Students' Association (MSA) members created a YouTube series called ”˜Jewels of Ramadan'. The series is made up of 12 episodes, released every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday before iftar during Ramadan.

Muslim Link checked out one of the weekly iftars organized by the University of Ottawa's Muslim Students' Association (MSA) on Wednesday, July 24th. Hundreds of people, mainly University of Ottawa students, attended theiftar where food was mainly provided by students and their families.

Where can you make the yummiest treats, go on the most amazing field trips, make creative crafts, listen to exciting Islamic lessons, prepare for the most entertaining talent show and meet the coolest friends?

The correct answer is Assunnah Muslim Association's Summer Day Camp. The AMA's first ever day camp took place from July 1-5 at the AMA Mosque on Hunt Club Road. The camp provided a place for kids aged 6-12 to have fun, prepare for Ramadan, and share in exciting adventures with Muslim friends in an Islamic environment. The theme of the camp was “Pray and Play at AMA” so the campers participated in sports and activities, arts and  crafts and learned a lot about prayer and its importance in Islam throughout the week. Campers began each day with supplications and Quran recitation, played games together, attended their daily Islamic lesson and made crafts. They also played outdoor sports, learned about gardening by planting flowers, made fruit kebabs and “dirt cup” snacks and enjoyed presentations from different community members.

Young campers and staff had fun welcoming Ramadan at the 2013 Muslim Association of Canada's Ottawa Summer Camp.

Three hijabis and a niqabi, were among 60+ vendors who set up tables at the Library and Archives Building in Downtown Ottawa on July 13. This was not an Eid Festival event, nor was it part of fundraising function or a picnic organized by a Muslim organization.

These Muslim women -- owners of three different businesses: Maham's Boutique, Rana Art, and Sobia Halal Cakes ”“ set up their stands at the Artisans@the Archives craft show organized by the Ottawa Valley Crafts and Collectibles (OVCC).

John Fraser has been newly elected as  the Liberal Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for Ottawa-South on August 1st 2013.

Muslim Link's Chelby Marie Daigle had an opportunity to interview John during his campaign by phone on July 19th. For a biography of John visit his website.

Muslim Link: Muslim Canadians own many small businesses in Ottawa- South, particularly restaurants, and are facing difficulties with their rising hydro costs. How do you plan to control rising hydro rates?

Here's the perspective we need on the hydro situation, about 10 years ago this time of year we had a black out in Ontario. It's a black out we had because our electricity system hadn't been invested in by the previous government and governments previous to that. So we found ourselves in a situation where families, small businesses and large businesses couldn't count on the stability of hydroelectricity and we ended up having diesel generators outside of office buildings. So, over the last ten years, I think we have invested about $13 million and we invested in renewing our nuclear and hydro systems, replacing transmission lines, replacing telephone polls because they don't last forever. And we have invested in Green Energy. So where we are in 2013 is we have a stable and reliable supply of energy, electricity, which is something that families can rely on but it is also something in the larger context of the global economy something that every state is striving for. So, the reality is we are paying the true cost of energy. And we have to work with our partners in business and families so that we can do our best to conserve.

We did introduce the Ontario Clean Energy Benefit, which is 10% off hydro bills. So that's something that is happening right now.  There's also the Ontario Property and Energy Tax Credit which is something that is targeted to low and middle income families. So those are two ways that we have tried to mitigate those costs to those people where it may be disproportionately harder.

Matt Young is the Progressive Conservative (PC) provincial candidate running in Ottawa-South. Muslim Link's Chelby Marie Daigle had an opportunity to interview Matt in his campaign office on July 19th. For a biography of Matt visit his website.

Muslim Link: Muslim Canadians own many small businesses in Ottawa- South, particularly restaurants, and are facing difficulties with their rising hydro costs. How do you plan to control rising hydro rates?

Matt Young: The first thing we do is we end installations of subsidized windmills and solar panels. We are all for windmills and solar panels; they have to stand on their own two feet and compete with other sources of energy. What people don't know about Ontario Hydro is that last year we had about three hundred dollars' worth of energy unused at our dams-so that's Niagara Falls or the Madawaska River System where they actually shut off the dams because they didn't need the power. And yet we are spending hundreds of millions every year to generate wind and solar power. So if we could just eliminate any new wind and solar installations, we can't get rid of the ones we have because we've signed contracts, but we can stop the bleeding and stop the growth. So that will at least flat line hydro prices whereas if we continue on the path we are on they are going to double over the next ten years.

Election Day polling stations will be open from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm on Thursday, August 1st but voters can vote in advance on a Special Ballot Request by visiting the Ottawa South Returning Office located at 1800 Bank Street, Unit 8 (Bank St. & Walkley Road) from 12 pm to 5pm Sunday, July 28th, 10 am to 8pm Monday July 29th to Tuesday July 30th and 10 am to 6pm Wednesday, July 31st.

Photo Identification with the voter's name and signature (Driver's License, Health Card, Old Age Security Card, Student ID, etc) must be provided.

Please note that the Special Ballot Request is a write-in ballot so you must know the name of the candidate you are voting for.

Feel free to call the Returning Office (613) 737-4303 if you have any questions.

On Thursday, August 1st, residents of the provincial riding of Ottawa-South will be going to the polls. The riding has been held by former Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty since 1990. Ottawa-South is known for its deeply-rooted Liberal patriotism but since the resignation of Dalton McGuinty; there is speculation that the riding could be changing its colour from Liberal Red to Progressive Conservative Blue.

Considering that Ottawa-South has the highest concentration of Muslims in the city, Muslim Link decided to interview candidates Bronwyn Funiciello with the New Democratic Party (NDP), Matt Young with the Progressive Conservative Party (PC), and John Fraser with the Liberal Party to see how they plan to address issues which Muslims in the riding we interviewed identified as priorities.

Bronwyn Funiciello is the New Democratic Party (NDP) provincial candidate running in Ottawa-South. Muslim Link's Suzanne Kanso had an opportunity to interview Bronwyn in her campaign office on Thursday, July 18th.

Muslim Link: Muslim Canadians own many small businesses in Ottawa- South, particularly restaurants, and are facing difficulties with their rising hydro costs. How do you plan to control rising hydro rates?

Abraar School held its annual BBQ & Family Fun Day on June 8th, 2013. Parents got a chance to spend quality time with their kids and actively participated in the Olympiad games (potato sack race, three legged race etc.) and the scavenger hunt.

In an effort to prevent racial profiling, the Ottawa police have begun a controversial two-year project that records the race of drivers during traffic stops.

The Traffic Stop Race Data Collection Project is designed to find out how much race influences the decisions of police officers. As of June 27, officers are required to mark down the perceived racial identity of motorists who are stopped.

Zahide Alaca recently graduated from Carleton University's Bachelor of Social Work Program with a perfect Grade Point Average (GPA). She also won the Governor General's Medal, awarded to students at the head of their graduating class, and the University Medal in Social Work, awarded to students with the highest academic standing in their program. In September, she will start her Master's in Social Work at Carleton.

Muslim Link asked Ms. Alaca to share the secret to her academic success.

Moved by the unending stories of death and destruction in Syria, a group of local high school students were inspired to take action. On June 5th, the Bell Islamic Students Association (BISA) organized a well-attended fundraiser to raise money to support Syrian refugees.

“After seeing the horrifying scenes on TV, the mass murder of innocents, the cruelty of the rapes and destruction, as a young activist, it moved me deep down to help the innocents of Syria in any way,” says Nour El-Nader, former Head Girl of the Bell Islamic Students Association (BISA). “That was my motive that kept me going until the dinner reached its success by funding $500.”

Members of the Somali community, and many supporters, came out to raise money for deserving community projects in late May.

The Somali Youth Support Project (SYSP), a community driven initiative operating out of Pinecrest-Queensway Community Health Centre, held its 8th Annual Fundraiser to raise money for a project of their choosing.

This year, funds were raised for the Somali-Canadian Youth Mentorship Program and a youth-led project in one of the West-End Ottawa Community Housing neighbourhoods.