City’s helping hand

Mayor Jim Watson holds up a promotional poster with members of Ottawa's Somalian community and community development workers.

SEAN MCKIBBON

METRO
Published: August 19, 2011

Ottawa will lend its support to famine victims in East Africa, Mayor Jim Watson said Thursday, becoming the first mayor in Canada to lend a helping hand to relief efforts and pledging to challenge other Canadian mayors to do the same.

“I’m going to be meeting with the Big City Mayors’ Caucus of Ontario and I’m going to be bringing material from this event and challenging them to hold similar events in their communities,” Watson said as he announced he would hold a cocktail fundraising event called Ottawa Cares: An Evening in Support of Famine Relief.

“I’ll also be contacting members of the Big City Mayors’ Caucus from across the country and asking if they would consider doing a similar event.”

Watson made the announcement flanked by members of Ottawa’s Somalian community, who he said have been leading efforts to bring attention to the crisis and rally Ottawa residents to help.

Joining Watson at the announcement were Nicolas Moyer, Executive Director for the Humanitarian Coalition, and Ismail Mohamed an Ottawa social worker and founder of the Somali youth basketball league.

“Our members are on the ground providing support and care to victims throughout the region with food, clean water, health services and much more,” he said adding aid is getting through to those who need it.