Email: TodayInOttawasHistory@gmail.com
Please feel free to contact me if you have comments or suggestions for new articles.
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Email: TodayInOttawasHistory@gmail.com
Please feel free to contact me if you have comments or suggestions for new articles.
Today in Ottawa's History 
hello James,
Arnaud and I were checking out your blog. He says ”keep up the good work…I thought you were retired”.
luv ya ,
Louise
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Hi Louise: Thanks for checking out my blog. I’m glad Arnaud likes it. Writing it keeps me out of trouble. I try to post a new story every Saturday. Love to all, James
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Great blog and great idea, James. Wonderful!
Jamie MacKinnon
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Thanks, Jamie. I appreciate the feedback
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RIBBENTROP had a touch of class and was frequently invited to Rideau Hall for Tennis or Dances… and you omitted the story of how he became a “VON” and how Hitler adopted him and had all the regular Foreign office staff in the UNTER DEN LINDEN office up in arms as they considered him an UPSTART …… Sure and I’m no NAZI sympathizer but Ribbentrop was an OPERATOR “PAR EXCELLENCE”
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In a brief story, I have to leave out a lot. Ribbentrop got his “von” when he was adopted in 1925 by his aunt Gertrud von Ribbentrop. You’re right that members of the German Foreign Service considered him to be an upstart with limited diplomatic ability. Even his Nazi peers considered Ribbentrop a bit of a joke. He was an sycophant with a smarmy charm. I don’t believe he was ever adopted by Hitler.Thanks for the comment.
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I have a movie of the streetcar parade. Wish I had time to upload it to youtube…
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That would be pretty cool to see. I hope you have an opportunity to upload the movie at some point!
Regards,
James Powell
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Hello James,
Ken Ross here from the new Bank of Canada Museum (to open in 2017). I wonder if you could contact me; I have a request.
Cheers,
Ken Ross
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James
I just discovered your blog today (Feb.10th/2017) and wanted to suggest the Village of Fallowfield for a future article. It is beyond Bells Corners but before Fallowfield Rd. I have lived here for 25 years, and have heard this was a vibrant village, with many businesses and travellers stopping here, coming from Bytown on their way to the military fort in Richmond.
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Bill:
Many thanks for the suggestion. I’ll add it to my “to do” list!
Regards,
James
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Question: The Cup was for the ‘champions of hockey of Canada’…..who was the dumb ass who allowed the NHL to have it and award it to any American teams?
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I’m sorry I don’t know the answer to your question.
Regards,
James Powell
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Dear James Powell, I’m sorry to bother you!
As a fan of North American numismatics, I would like to share your wonderful, book (A History of the Canadian Dollar) in Russian translation (made by me) with Russian-speaking readers. How do you look at the possibility of publishing the book into Russian language to popularize Canadian and North American culture overall?
Regards,
Andrey
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Dear Andrey,
Thank you for your email. You would have to contact the Bank of Canada regarding a Russian translation of the book. Best Wishes, James Powell
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Thanks for your reply аnd for a wonderful book! It’s an honor to meet You!
Regards,
Andrey
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Dear James Powell! I would like to get help from you. Could you please provide me to contact to Bank of Canada to receive permission for publishing Russian-language edition of your book “A History of the Canadian Dollar”. I can’t receive a reply to my messages which has been sent 2 times to the bank. Thanks in advance, highly appreciate your help!
Regards,
Andrey
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That’s odd. I suggest you try contacting Jeremy Harrison who is the Managing Director of the Communications Department. I believe his email address is jharrison@bank-banque-canada.ca. Good luck!
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Thanks, James!
Regards,
Andrey
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I just read your article on “The Last Timber Raft” and wanted to send my appreciation…
I did not expect to uncover this unknown aspect of Ottawa’s history, and as a native of this area and it’s waterways, I truly appreciated learning of it.
Thank you
Josh
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Many thanks, Josh, for your comment. I really appreciate it! Regards, James
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Awesome blog! I just spent an hour reading some of your past posts. One question – is there any way to do an index of your articles on the blog?
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Hi Bruce,
Good question! Unfortunately, I don’t know the answer. It’s something I should look into. Thanks for the suggestion. Regards, James
PS: Thanks also for your comment!
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Dear Bruce,
I finally figured out how to do an index. It’s up on the site now. Many thanks again for your very useful suggestion! Best wishes, James
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I love this site! I have a technical question because I’d like to do something similar on WordPress. I am using a plugin called “this day in history” but it is nothing like this! How does it work? Thanks!
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Sorry, Stephanie, but I can’t remember. I started this blog seven years ago with assistance. I don’t recall what plugins were used. Regards, James
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Hello James
I just discovered your blog and, as an avid “student” of history (both as a field of post-secondary study as well as a hobby), I find it absolutely fascinating. While being born and raised in Ottawa, I’ve already learned so much in the last half hour alone that I never knew before.
Keep up the great work and I look forward to many more interesting stories !
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Many thanks for your support. I’ll keep them coming! I publish a new story every two weeks with the next one coming out on March 26th. Most likely, it will be on the Rockcliffe Ski Jump. Stay tuned!
Best wishes, James
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Hi James. Not sure if you remember me from the Bank of Canada. I just came across your local Ottawa history series, and I just wanted to tell you that I’m impressed. A great source of interesting info.
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Hi Lorna,
Of course, I remember you! I’m glad you are enjoying my retirement pastime. It keeps me out of trouble. I hope all is well with you. Cheers, James
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Hi James, I’m another ex-Bank of Canada staffer, although thanks to me feeble memory, I can’t remember whether we ever ran into each other there. Anyways, I left in 2005 to join the IMF in Washington DC where I’ve decided to stay after retiring last year, but I really enjoy your blog. It’s really interesting and well researched and written, plus it keeps me in touch with my Ottawa roots. Keep up the great work!
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Hi kiffmeister! I can’t remember either if we met. I was chief of the International Department when I took early retirement in 2005. Thanks for your feedback. Most appreciated.
Cheers,
James
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Hi James;
My latest effort to keep myself out of trouble is a historical novel, set mostly in 1935 and mostly in Ottawa. I found your article about the Rockcliffe relief camp very helpful. I have examined maps of the era, and descriptions of the camp and they don’t indicate anything specific about its siting. Do you know – were the men barracked near the air station at which many of them worked? I don’t want to put that in a novel and then be told I’m way off.
Thanks again. Local history often provides new flavours for a palette grown tired of the same old meat and potatoes of Canadian history.
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Hi Dave,
I’m fairly certain the answer is yes; the men were housed close to the station. I saw nothing to suggest that the men had to travel any distance to work. Good luck on your book. It sounds great. Regards, James
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Thanks for your very prompt response, James.
There is very little information about relief camps from non-governmental sources, and, not surprisingly, almost nothing from the men themselves. I am very grateful for people like Barry Broadfoot, who tracked down some relief camp strikers and men riding the rods in the 1930s before their stories were gone forever. Those stories and articles like yours contribute a lot to the basis of the fictional world I have built. A factual basis serves to excuse the license I must exercise.
Cheers
Dave
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