I checked things out last week and, believe me, OTTAWA, Canada’s capital, has never looked better.
<PHOTO – Changing of the Guard, 10 am each morning on Parliament Hill.>
<PHOTO ABOVE – Chapel of the former Rideau Street Convent, 1880’s, National Gallery of Canada.>
<PHOTO – Security bollards behind the American embassy provide a nifty protected bike path.>
<PHOTO – the splendid Library of Parliament, oldest building on The Hill>
<House of Commons>
<The Senate>
<PHOTO – The Supreme Court of Canada> Driving from TORONTO to OTTAWA take the eastbound 401 to either picturesque Highway 115 north at KINGSTON; or the much faster 416 north to the 417 into downtown OTTAWA. Exit at Metcalfe Street, and be prepared for bike paths, one-way streets and no parking zones. Advice – check into your hotel, leave the car and walk or take public transit.
Celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday by visiting TORONTO’s ROUGE NATIONAL PARK – this country’s first urban national park.
Mayor JOHN TORY welcomed ROSS, an artificial intelligence company, headquartered in San Francisco to TORONTO. The company uses computers to do research for lawyers by sifting through thousands of legal documents looking for key information. ROSS intelligence co-founder and University of Toronto graduate, ANDREW ARUDA, saysopening a research and development centre here a “no brainer.” calling the city “the hub of artificial intelligence development. TORONTO is where we always knew we had to be.” The Centre will be called ROSS North. <PHOTO – CBC>
TORONTO’s movie, animation & television production business continues to boom – from $1.13-billion in 2011 to $2.01-billion in 2016. The outlook for 2017 is more of the same.
TORONTO Mayor JOHN TORY has no problem with medical marijuana dispensaries, and decriminalizing smokers of small amounts of pot. “That’s something that should have been done years ago.” But he’s not keen on neighbourhood rogue pop-up pot shops. The federal government has said nothing about having some wide network of shops on every street corner to sell marijuana,” he said. “They’re in stable neighbourhoods and cause disruptions to families and to other retailers.”
PETRINA BROMLEY & ROMANO DINILLO, the two Newfoundlanders in the cast of ‘Come From Away’ couldn’t contain themselves when their show won the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical. Director CHRISTOPHER ASHLEY accepted the Tony and dedicated it to the people of Newfoundland. – The Telegram, St. John’s, Nfld. & Labrador
TORONTO artist Janet Romero has unveiled her wood-paneled mural to commemorate those who died in ORLANDO’s Pulse nightclub shooting one year ago. 49 people lost their lives when a gunman opened fire inside the Florida club – the worst mass shooting in US history. The mural features four faces as well as natural motifs like cacti and birds. Romero wanted to simultaneously honour the Hispanic victims of the Pulse massacre as well as other groups within the LGBTQ community targeted in violent hate crimes. Her piece – at the 519 Community Centre – is entitled Still Estmaos Aqui – Spanish for “we are still here”.
Just a couple of regular guys kickin’ back at Joe Beef – Liverpool House in MONTREAL’s Little Burgundy – President Barack Obama & Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, June 13/2017
For more info on the artist and his work go to 
Intact on the second floor, is the deco Trading Floor of the Old Stock Exchange, with its famous clock and spectacular murals by Charles Comfort (1900-1994), who also created the frieze on the building’s facade.
The Design Exchange mounts regular exhibitions in the ground floor galleries. Some are free. PHOTOS – Trading floor in colour, Miles Storey/torontoist; clock and “Gold” mural detail, 
The Comique, from 1908 to 1914 one of TORONTO’s earliest cinemas, stood on the site of the world’s original Hard Rock Cafe. That’s about to change. The Cafe will soon be replaced by yet another Shoppers Drug Mart. Oh woe. Yonge-Dundas Square.
<PHOTO ABOVE – the TORONTO Police Mounted Unit celebrates its 130th anniversary in the Horse Palace at Exhibition Place, April/2016 – Richard Lautens/Toronto Star>
Toronto Savvy 