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As good stewards in the Ottawa Valley we see the great Ottawa River, one of the 100 longest in the world, as requiring our attention. This single most dominant natural feature of our region calls out to us to take better care of it because we have been entrusted, by the Creator, with the protection and responsible development of our natural world.
Friends of the Ottawa, once a year, will mobilize, along both banks, groups large and small to clean up the shore line of man-made garbage. To honour & protect this fluid soul of the Ottawa Valley, June 10, 2007, Canada River Day, will be a day of respect for & solidarity with the Ottawa (or as it was called, Kitchissippi) River, an impressive conveyor of commerce, recreation and natural beauty as well as the host of a significant eco-system.
On that day, the NCPC, in cooperation with the Algonquin peoples and other interested groups and municipalities will clean up the banks of the Ottawa River. With our work gloves and garbage bags each group would take responsibility for a pre-determined stretch of the shore line.
At the end of the day we encourage participants to gather and celebrate their love and respect for the Ottawa. We hope groups will converge on Victoria Island, in Ottawa, to celebrate the event and plant a butternut and arrowwood tree to mark our efforts.
For centuries the butternut and arrowwood have been planted along the shores of this place to aid the First Nations. Prayer offerings will be made by representatives of various faiths. The event will conclude with a community meal with all our participants contributing.
This initiative was inspired by Grand Chief William Commanda’s call, carried to the NCPC by Romola Trebilcock, to protect and care for the river, while nurturing his vision of a Circle of All Nations.
We encourage everyone to join us. Please contact project facilitator Dr. Peter Stockdale: 613-83-4527 or peterstockdale@rogers.com. To let us know what part of the great Ottawa you want to care for that day.