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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.

Shocking details of the US Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA) secret detention, rendition, and interrogation program, following September 11, 2001, has been revealed in a new publication. The 214 page report, published in February, shows evidence that 54 countries cooperated in the kidnapping, torture, and detention program of hundreds of terrorist suspects that commenced under the President George W Bush Administration.

After Muslim Link's 10 anniversary celebration, I made a decision; I was going to have a spoken word event. At the mosque.

Yes, you heard me right. I asked Sarah Musa, a fellow spoken word artist, to embark on this task with me. I then wrote an event proposal and emailed to a contact from the mosque. Within a few days, I had the approval.

The Multifaith Housing Initiative's Annual Tulipathon raised $32,000 to support the building of more affordable housing in Ottawa. Several Muslim organizations participated in the fundraiser including the Ottawa Muslim Women's Organization (OMWO), the South Nepean Muslim Community (SNMC), Masjid Bilal, Cordova Academy, and the Ottawa Muslim Association (OMA).

Residents of a West-end neighbourhood gathered in late May to discuss the impact of the recent murder of 24-year-old Malik Adjokatcher, an alleged gang member, in the Britannia Woods neighbourhood.

The community forum was held at the Michele Heights Community Centre on May 27 and hosted by Bay Ward City Councillor Mark Taylor who moderated a panel consisting of representatives from the Ottawa Police Service, Crime Prevention Ottawa, Ottawa Community Housing (OCH), Pinecrest-Queensway Community Health Centre, and a tenant of the Michele Heights neighbourhood.

On Friday, May 10th, members of the Carleton University  Afghan Students' Association (ASA) organized a Mother's Day celebration to recognize the efforts of Afghan Canadian female educators who are actively involved within Ottawa's schools, from language school teachers to daycare workers. They also raised over $1000 in proceeds for Mirman Baheer, an Afghan organization that supports women writers and poets.

Over 200 participants turned up for the 36th Montreal Muslim Ball Hockey (MMBH) tournament on May 11 at John Abbott College campus in Montreal.  For the first time since it was founded 21 years ago, the bi-annual tournament featured two tiers, with five elite teams playing in Tier I and the remaining thirteen teams competing in Tier II.

Tier I finals featured perennial favourites Green Army, who were an all-Montreal team save for Ottawa star goaltender Aneel Anwar Nauth, emerging victorious over a team consisting of mainly Toronto-area players.  The first period had Green Army with a slight 2-1 advantage, which they later opened up further and routed their opponents by a score of 7-1.  Green Army captain Sophian Mian, well established as one of the top players in Montreal, incurred an injury during the finals but returned to score a goal in leading his team to their sixth ever championship. 

“Does anyone know why the eagle is so important in Aboriginal culture?” Jason Mullins, dressed in full Cherokee regalia, asked a riveted audience of mostly Muslim community members at Knox Presbyterian Church on April 13.

Mullins, an American-born First Nations cultural interpreter who works with the Ottawa organization Aboriginal Experiences, was one of many Aboriginal artists to offer his time and talent to support the Islam Care Centre's fundraising efforts.

It was an evening of firsts as the Ottawa Main Mosque welcomed US Ambassador David Jacobson on his first official visit on April 8.

Almost 100 people attended the event titled “Strengthening Bridges & Working Together for a Better Future”.  Security was discreet and the question period was uncensored which was unusual for a high-profile guest like the ambassador. But a unique set of circumstances had created the space for this gathering.  As Ambassador Jacobson explained at the beginning of his speech:

Over a hundred spiritual health care workers gathered in an Ottawa hotel last month to explore their role in creating ”˜sacred' and responsive spaces.

Far removed from sterile hospital corridors, bustling with professionals going about methodically with their day to day tasks, members of the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care (CASC) attended workshops and speeches about their special roles in environments often fixated solely on physical pain and physical healing.