Editor
Good morning folks
It sure looks and feels like fall has fallen as temperatures begin their annual slow but steady slide downhill. But hope is on the horizon as we gear up for the upoming federal elections scheduled for Monday 19 October, 2015, barely three weeks from now. In keeping with our tradition, we profile black candidates across the country, culled from the websites of the major parties. Our goal is to motivate our readers to go out and exercise their civic duty by voting for the candidate of their choice. Not voting should not be seen as an option; we are mindful of the adage: If you want to make a difference, get involved! No use complaining about what politicians do or don’t do; election time is the time to bring those you feel will best represent your needs and interests. While Black Ottawa Scene would like to see increased Black representation at all levels of government, our interest is more on good governance than anything else.
The October edition introduces two new and exciting additions to the Black Ottawa Scene editorial family. Associate Editor Annette Ejiofor features her very first In Perspective article titled: My Talk With The Ottawa Police On Carding and Change In Ottawa. We follow it with a “hello and welcome” from our Youth Editor Kika Otiono.
Our Top Story for October features Black civic icon Ewart Walters and his wife Merle, former publishers of Ottawa’s first Black news magazine the Spectrum. Merle and Ewart were joined by family and friends who feted them as they celebrated fifty years of married life. Black Ottawa Scene salutes these two trail-blazers from our community for this singular milestone. Speaking of honours, our own favourite police officer, Isobel Granger, is at it again, this time with an Order of Merit presented to her by Governor-General David Johnstone. The honour roll call continues with Mylcha Kerr-Faucher and Denise Siele being named among the Top 25 people by Ottawa Life magazine. Then there is the report of Montreal Canadiens hockey star P.K. Subban who has pledged $10 million to the local Children’s Hospital, a great role model if ever there was one. Child and youth organisation Jaku Konbit continues to excel with yet another successful summer camp, under the leadership of Ken Campbell. On the social scene, we report on the 25th annual Ottawa Centre Liberal Party BBQ, hosted by our ever hard-working MPP Yasir Naqvi.
Our October interview shines the light on one of Ottawa’s unsung heroes, South Sudanese-born David Majok, a director at Ottawa’s YMCA-YWCA. For the Diaspora News, we present Ugandan journalist Nancy Kacungira winner of the 2015 BBC World News Komla Dumor Award. This special honour was established by the BBC, in honour of its former African news reporter, the very popular Ghana-born Komla Dumour, who passed away suddenly two years ago. Finally we offer super-photographer, Seyi Okuribo-Malcolm’s Fotorama, for your pleasure.
All this and more in the October edition. And don’t forget to take part in our survey, which speaks to Canada’s role in the on-going global migrant and refugee crisis.
Enjoy!
Godwin Ifedi
Editor