Cantata Singers Concert - Nov. 17

Cantata Singers of Ottawa is turning 50! Hard to imagine the choir’s been around for that long, isn’t it? Our first concert of the season will be a special one to celebrate the event. Here’s some information about it for you. Of course I have tickets. So if you’d like one – or more than one – please let me know.

“50^th Anniversary Concert - A Choral Celebration” will feature the Canadian premiere of Bob Chilcott's Salisbury Vespers, with guests Capital Brassworks and the Cantiamo Girls Choir. It’s a very beautiful work with lots of interesting, sometimes jazzy rhythms. Perfect for celebrating!

The concert will be followed by a Gala Reception to reminisce about the past 50 years and raise a glass to the future. (Please note a separate reception ticket is needed and must be purchased in advance.) After seeing the menu, it should be a gala indeed!

Date is Sunday November 17 at 3:00 pm

Location: Dominion Chalmers United Church, 355 Cooper Street at O’Connor

Concert Ticket prices:

tickets from a choir member, CD Warehouse, Compact Music or The Leading Note.

Adults: $30 ($5 advance purchase discount)
Seniors: $25 ($5 advance purchase discount)
Students: $10
Gala Reception: $15 (available in advance only)Adults: $30 ($5 advance purchase discount)

Seniors: $25 ($5 advance purchase discount)

Students: $10

Gala Reception:

$15 (must be purchased in advance)

Really hope to see lots of you there. - Cathy Patton (cathy.patton@rogers.com)

Season tickets also offer incredible value with three concerts for the price of two. Click here for more details: http://cantatasingersottawa.ca/tickets.php

Hope to see you there for an afternoon of celebratory music!

Andrew Griffith's Book Launch

Excerpt:

My intent in writing the book was three-fold:

• First, provoke an informed discussion on the relationship between the government and the public service, and the challenges that both the government and the public service faced in implementing major changes in government policies.
• Secondly, provide some context for the “friends and enemies” language with respect to public servants. The Conservative government came in with a strong conservative ideology, in addition to viewing itself as an “outsider”. Meanwhile, most public servants had a middle of the road, small “l”, liberal ideology, evidenced by the fact that we choose government work because we largely believe that government can be a force for good.
• Thirdly, I hoped to show that there are no heroes or villains here. Both sides are sincere in their belief of the public good and in their desire to build a stronger Canada. But fundamental distrust on both sides, disagreements over what is the public good and a stronger Canada, made us sometimes lose sight of that common interest.

Read the whole thing here.

And have a look at Andrew's blog: here.

John Kneale's Latest Book

Roger Belanger 8:11pm Sep 20 Christian Lapointe a attiré mon attention sur le plus récent livre de John Kneale. Merci Christian. “Volcano Rising: An Ambassador’s Diary” by John Kneale | Books On Beechwood www.booksonbeechwood.ca “Volcano Rising: An Ambassador’s Diary” by John Kneale This is a concise, well-written account of what it was like to be Canadian Ambassador to Ecuador during three of its most turbulent years... http://www.booksonbeechwood.ca/?p=1093

Andrew Griffith's Book

(copied from Roger's post in Facebook) Roger Belanger posted in Ex-TCS/SDC (2012) Roger Belanger 10:34pm Sep 17 Andrew Griffith's new book is now available at Amazon. Official book launch is on Sept 23rd. http://www.amazon.ca/Policy-Arrogance-Innocent-Bias-ebook/dp/B00F2P9JXM/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379471574&sr=1-1&keywords=andrew+griffith Policy Arrogance or Innocent Bias: Resetting Citizenship and Multiculturalism www.amazon.ca Canada is known for its inclusive citizenship and multiculturalism policies that have been largely s...

Strike Updates

Striking diplomats confident they have 'slam dunk' case

Union seeking forced arbitration with government at labour board hearing

- article

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Ken Taylor says Ottawa 'mischievous' in diplomats strike

- article

Diplomatic Appointments

August 23, 2013 - Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today announced the following diplomatic appointments:

Shawn Barber becomes High Commissioner in the Republic of Mozambique.

Perry Calderwood becomes High Commissioner in the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Permanent Observer to the Economic Community of West African States, with concurrent accreditation as Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe and the Republic of Equatorial Guinea.

Marie Gervais-Vidricaire becomes Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany.

Otto Jelinek becomes Ambassador to the Czech Republic.

John R. Kur becomes Ambassador to the Russian Federation, with concurrent accreditation to the Republic of Armenia.

Joanne Lemay becomes Ambassador to Romania, with concurrent accreditation to the Republic of Bulgaria.

Wayne Robson becomes Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City.

http://www.international.gc.ca/media/aff/news-communiques/2013/08/23c.aspx?lang=eng

Diplomatic Appointment

Richard Fernandez in PJmedia.com comments on the appointment of Caroline Kennedy as ambassador to Japan.

Perhaps the saddest headline in the last week belongs to the Wall Street Journal: A Primer on Japan for Caroline Kennedy. “President Obama’s choice as ambassador may find herself dealing with a Beijing-Tokyo military confrontation.” What’s wrong with the picture of an American ambassador to Japan, on her way to one of the hottest troublespots on earth, being offered a tutorial titled “Japan 101″? Why nothing. Nothing at all that the Obama administration will notice. What can be wrong in a world where knowledge is nothing and forgetfulness is everything?