I was in need to replace a health card. Service Ontario…read morewhich is here now is working in a super smart way. You need to come in person before lunch, stay in line and get a ticket and pay for parking. You need to return the same day at your appointment time, again stay in line, pay for parking and be lucky enough to get your appointment done. I was not lucky and did not get a ticket cause they were done at 1pm. System works brilliant: if you are working full time, you need to take the whole day off to be able to get the service here or just to spent lots of time. Government was not able to create the simple online booking system and provide an announcement but was able to close all the doors in the building and provide security who comes out once in 30 minutes to tell you that there is no point to stay in line. Smaaaart

I came here with my boyfriend's family during the summer. His mom and now stepdad were getting…read moremarried. We were a party of 9. Once we all arrived, we were able to take a few pictures in the beautiful scenery before being shown to a waiting area with seats. Everything was extremely organized, but not rushed in any way. The Justice of the Peace came to meet us and led the way into the room for the civil ceremony. The fairly room was small, but it had flowers and was nicely dim lit, so it was quite quaint. The ceremony was short and sweet, and not too serious. Afterward, we exited the doors and walked out to the hallway where we were greeted with the bride's work friends blowing bubbles. It was very sweet of them to let this small group of 4 women 'sneak in' to greet the bride. It was such a great day for the family!

my brother was working on his car. Cop tried to give him a DUI just because he had a beer while…read moreworking on his car that was lifted off the ground and would've been physically unable to drive then they tossEd his glasses into the grass. They also made him go to police station in bare feet. Meanwhile, he explained that all of this is unfair and that he should be able to go get his glasses because he's literally blind without them and they told him that they did not care so he lost his $400 pair of glasses and they also took them to station under inaccurate information that was saying that he breached his parole but that was restriction was no longer active. they also refused to give him a phone call. They're just horrible and every single way I can think of. If you're being attacked, don't even call the cops in Ottawa they're probably gonna arrest you. ACAB

If you need a record check go elsewhere. You could wait hours and hours. Lots of cops just walking…read morearound and only 1 COUNTER OPEN during the lunch rush. Unacceptable wait times and NO SERVICE! Many people including myself left after only 2 ppl were helped in 35 mins (including 10 minutes were no one was helped). It also doesn't help that there were many staff behind the counter and walking around yet only 1 person could open there counter?! Unless it's an emergency, go elsewhere to have service. This place obviously does not value a customer's/citizen's time.

Today is Canada's 150th birthday, thus younger than the state of California. Canada occupies North…read moreAmerica's northern swath and shares a somewhat continuous border with the United States. While I wouldn't call Canada temperate, most of its population lives closer to the border, where the climate is relatively more reasonable compared to its Great White North. It could be larger than the U.S., but holds 5 million less inhabitants than California. For those who have traversed California, they know how much of it is open land, especially in its deserts, in its Central Valley, and in its protected recreational areas. As for Canada's expansive unpopulated areas, these lands are rich in natural resources. Canada is, by its very nature, cultured and sophisticated. Its western side it is a portal to the Pacific Rim. Its eastern side is closer to Europe, from which it has received many immigrants, than is the U.S. With that infusion comes multicultural thinking and, in my opinion, Canada goes about it the right way. While the U.S. advocates a "melting pot" which implies a brand of assimilation that would involve the dilution of cultural roots, Canada prides itself on its "cultural mosaic." Whether native or naturalized, its citizens recognize being Canadian as well as of another ethnicity or culture. I applaud that being considered normative. Canada also has an interesting wrench of sorts thrown into the equation. It's called Quebec. Bounded on both sides by Anglophone provinces, Quebec is officially Francophone. It enjoys a sort of autonomy that allows for this in conducting affairs. The U.S. has similar wrenches, where Pacific territories and Puerto Rico can preserve their native cultures. In reality, these are not wrenches at all as much as they are interesting. I can't picture a Canada without Quebec. At one point in time, the Quebec Referendum was a contentious event in which the province wanted to secede, largely surrounding cultural and linguistic issues. It didn't happen. With cultural cross fertilization, that looks to be further and further in the rear view mirror. Our selective memories allow us to remember some things more than others. In the late 90s, a higher-up in Quebec's government was queried about the language issue. His response was something like, 'We do not need to speak French ... we need French in order to speak.' I nearly bust a gut. While it sounded pompous, I also understood what he meant. The manner in which someone from an Anglophone culture and someone from a culture imbued by Latin European sensibilities processes and communicates is not the same. Whether fact or fiction, it is said that we have French-Canadian explorers to thank for the name of the Grand Tetons. It was probably random association. I'm sure these men didn't decide this by committee while around the campfire. To many in the U.S. and around the world, Canada is synonymous with its big cities and its natural wonders. Some 15% of its population lives in the GTA, the Greater Toronto Area, Canada's economic engine. At one time, the United Nations declared the Toronto area to be the most culturally diverse in the world. Historic Montreal is on the up and up, after languishing some decades ago, and it is the largest French speaking city outside of France. Like Toronto, it has industry and commerce but, in North America, it is considered second only to New York for gastronomy. Scenic Vancouver is Western Canada's port to the Pacific and a city that has boomed, along with its prices. Only slightly more than 2 hours north of Seattle, it's the stuff that postcards are made of. Calgary, Alberta is Canada's western town, with its own lore and close to their Rockies. It's "Canada's Denver," being Canada's energy hub city, while sprawling Edmonton is the province's capital. With regard to capitals, Ottawa is the national capital, with its metro area straddling Ontario and Quebec. It's an interesting city to visit, although Quebec City is clearly in first place among Canadian capitals for being a tourist destination, given its being a UNESCO World Heritage site. Natural wonders include Vancouver Island, the Okanagan, the Canadian Rockies, Niagara Falls, the Laurentians, and the rugged Atlantic coast. Canada is not perfect. However, it is consistently ranked among the top nations in the world for quality of life. It's both progressive and economically diversified. It's a large, beautiful country with much variety. On the other hand, its success has made its more bustling cities expensive and crowded. Canada has no real banana belt; Vancouver is its Miami. Canada, too, has problems with crime, homelessness, unrest, and strains in its social fabric. Regardless, we have more in common with Canada than not. The inscriptions at the Peace Arch crossing in the West read "Children of a Common Mother" and "Brethren Dwelling Together in Unity." That said, happy birthday, northern neighbors!

Beautiful architectural design for a supreme court. No known tours for this place.few mins. Walk…read morefrom house of commons

The tour took us to the Federal Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada courtrooms. All the…read morematerial in areas accessible to the public are foreign and expensive building material while the washrooms and non-publicly accessible areas used Canadian building material. The ceilings of the court are high to express the stature and importance of the Supreme Court of Canada. I have to say, the washrooms were nice too. Security staff were courteous, unlike the Supreme Court of the United States - think that says much about Canada. :) Interestingly, the chairs of the judges of the SCC are all custom made so that all the judges sit all around at the same level. As a lawyer, you only get an hour to make a concise argument for your case so the importance of written factums (written submissions) are very important. Typically cases are heard in 1 day, but there are cases that take 2 days to be heard due to the high number of intervenors. The library, which is not accessible to the public, takes up most of the third floor of the building. For the general public, the library isn't probably somewhere you'd want to see or check out. It's has the legislation of all provinces/territories, secondary sources, and also European/British sources too. You can only borrow books for typically 24 hours.

This has to be the worst government branch. I have been on ODSP for 2-3 years now and nothing but…read moredial tone, no call backs, file always placed on hold, they expect me to do "their" work, When I applied they "stole" the backdated refund policy and refused to return it to me. Nothing but rude workers, incompetence, mistakes, unnecessary stress.. The minister of this crappy ODSP should be fired.. MY WORD !!!! The generality of it, getting a crappy check month to month with no real support, is somewhat acceptable for sick people but being on disability with this branch of the government will likely make you more sick in the end then when you started... Massive amount of trust issues, illegal spying, meddling in personal and business affairs, and workers that just can't seem to get things right. Not a great place nor a great spot to be in life. If you are lucky, you may get a star worker, but that is like one in a million.

Commenting as a tourist, I was able to go there even though it's being renovated (will be complete…read moreby 2032, apparently). You can even go into a legislative session (need to bring a governmental ID and pass a security check) to see parliamentary procedures and democracy in action. Definitely worth checking out!

The place that runs Canada. The parliament building, modeled after the Big Ben in London, has an…read moreamazing site. Currently it's going through some renovations, so two gigantic cranes are towering over the building. Very popular site with tourists. There are huge boards that provide details of the building and the government. Visitors can the building too but we saw a long line. Lots of law enforcement officers in the area to keep everything safe and in order.

Anytime I've called by law for help this year they've been condescending and rude, occasionally…read morerefusing to even look into a complaint re snow dumping on paths and stairs in common areas. After getting a new officer assigned since the first one did nothing the second one tries to shame me and tell me I'm trespassing. They seem to really not like people who live in mobile home parks for some reason....

Make sure you, don't leave your car. On the street,to long…read morenot only. Do u get tickets, but your car will be towed. My license was suspended, August 28th 2021. I tried to find, reasonable prices but no luck. I think the city,feels that all people. Make the same salary.. I am not working, I have to apply for Ontario works. I never should have,moved here im discusted. There is two types, of people in this city. The very poor,and the rich who can afford. Two thousand dollars, a month for a one bedroom. And then people just,over the poverty line. And the government helps,them find places to live. But people like me, who are in the middle. For us there is, no help for us. We're screwed.

I was quite disappointed this Morning Aug 3rd 2021, because I made a special trip into the…read moreCourthouse to speak with and make application, ..a Private Citizen's information application to a Justice of the Peace regarding the Confinement and Physical Assault which I suffered on Feb. 4th 2021 at the hands of two 'twenty-somethings' all for the possession of my camera. (This Morning Aug 3rd had been the 6 month cut-off time limit for which Criminal Charges could be brought against these Two). I'd been badly injured, and the police who'd first dismissed it as a mere disturbance had given me my belongings back, as I lay 'in shock' on the ambulance gurney in the hospital's hallway said to me at that time, "Here Now You have your belongings back, So there's been No Crime Committed.". Since then I'd kept them under constant pressure by myself & finally July 30th they had reopened the investigation in a limited way & made only one charge of Mischief against only one of the two in their Twenties who'd assaulted me so egregiously and caused me great injury and terrible pain for to gain the possession of my camera, which I'd refused to give them. I am in my seventieth Year and substantially disabled even before the attack. This Morning at the onset of my visit to the courthouse, The Justice kindly spoke with me briefly and instructed me to get the proper form, the "Commencing a proceeding form', before speaking any further to her. So I went to Desk # 2 waited a bit to get the form and there I discovered that due to Covid restrictions & policies that the ability to bring this issue up to a J.P. and have the J.P. instruct the Police to bring the proper charges against these two had been suspended due to Covid Policies. I am aghast. the office was kind enough to send me this message in a dated e-mail confirming my presence to attempt to pursue this issue, and were kind enough to document it in that matter. ..."Dear _________, Kindly be advised that this email is a reiteration from the discussion we had regarding Private Prosecution application, as per your request. As discussed at the Criminal Counter, I understand that you came to apply for a Private Prosecution today, on the morning of August 3, 2021, however was unable to proceed with it because at this time the Justice of the Peace Intake court does not hear matters on Private Prosecution. This is a measure that had been imposed during the pandemic. Please check back with our office or through the Ontario Courts website (https://www.ontariocourts.ca/) for update regarding resumption of Private Prosecution applications. As advised earlier, we kindly suggest that you seek assistance from Ottawa Police if any criminal activity has been committed, you feel endangered or threatened." That last recommendation is humorous in this instance! The police have been only moderately helpful but only in a 'Very last minute' manner and with a less than required response re: the culprits. So getting back to 'them' is, it seems to me to be, futile.. Therefore I maintain slender hope that once the Covid restrictions are lifted a backlog of these 6 Month 'time limits' for these charges might be waived in the interest of 'Fairness' & Justice for the victims of such crimes. Name withheld in fear of more Non-Action.

Horrible. The family court counter open very limited hours. I went in before my hospital shift and…read moretook a number. I was waiting about an hour, didn't move a muscle, watching for my number, there were only two people working the counter. Fine, I was prepared to wait. A woman asked me where to get a ticket, in the 10 seconds it took me to show her, two more staff came on, my number came up (no announcement, just came up on the screen, then they moved on immediately to the next number. My number still showed to go to that specific wicket, so I waited until that person was done because I thought that's where I was supposed to go. Other wickets came available but my number still showed on the screen at a specific one so I waited. Once it became free again I went up and said I'm sorry, I missed my number, and they said it was too late, they were already 4 numbers ahead of mine. I was shaking with frustration. Already an incredibly emotional experience needing family court documents, and for me a scary experience because of an abusive husband. There was no reason they couldn't still see me. They said I had to take a new number and go to the back of the line, but they were only open for another 20 minutes. If anything is learned I hope they can remember the horrible experiences the people coming to them are probably going through and try to give a little grace.

This is my usual location for the Ottawa Public Library and have had a great experience here. Love…read morebeing able to put holds on books and have them delivered here for pickup. Relatively small library but with the holds, you can get any book you want. Often wait times can be quite long for books so it can be tough if you want to read something more urgently. High tech checkout self service computers. Staff are super friendly and helpful! So happy to have access to this great place

This is the library I frequent most. True, it's the closest one to me, but it doesn't hurt that it…read morehas a quaint location next to the Rideau Canal with a flower garden along the front. The Sunnyside location is small and I sometimes run into problems with getting available copies of certain books without having to resort to interlibrary loans. However, I've also found some great titles here, including fiction, non-fiction and films. I also enjoy that books can be renewed online if you're having troubles finishing that last book before the deadline. I just have two big beefs with this branch. It seems no one enforces the time limit on the computers. So if you go and all the computers are in use, you may be waiting a long time. I waited until closing one time when my Internet was down at home; needless to say, I didn't get a computer. Second beef: the staff is almost always grumpy. I've gone here many times so I find this track record weird. I've even had some of them pretend they didn't hear me when I was asking for help. Honestly, it's the worst I've ever seen to the point it's funny. But this is still a great spot. Come down and snuggle up with a book in a comfy chair by their big windows that face the canal.