There’s no place quite like home, so it felt fitting to bring our last Canadians Connected event of 2024 to CIRA’s hometown, Ottawa. And if the line out the door to enjoy the fun was any indication… Ottawa was happy to welcome us home!
The evening’s lineup had something for everyone; a welcome from CIRA, an empowering speech from a past Net Good grant recipient and CIRA partner, our largest .CA pop up marketplace yet and the opportunity to mingle with CIRA’s leadership and fellow internet lovers alike.
Kicking off the evening, CIRA President & CEO, Byron Holland welcomed attendees and emphasized the importance of multistakeholder governance in charting the path forward for the internet. He then welcomed National Capital FreeNet (NCF) executive director, Shelley Robinson, to the stage to share her experience working with CIRA to help bring reliable internet to our community.
Towards the end of the evening, the spotlight turned to our .CA businesses as two featured entrepreneurs took the stage. Ian Boyd from Compact Music and Cole Davidson from The Spaniel’s Tale Bookstore shared the positive impact the .CA domain has had on their respective businesses and how having an online presence positively impacts their stores.
Pop-up shopping powered by .CA
Ottawa-based .CA businesses Blush & Bloom Handcrafted, Compact Music, Gees Bees, The Heart of the Willow, Milk Shop, National Capital FreeNet, Paste n’ Paper and The Spaniel’s Tale Bookstore formed a .CA marketplace, where attendees could shop to their heart’s content while connecting with local business owners.
Blush & Bloom Handcrafted: self-care enthusiasts should look no further than Blush & Bloom for locally-made bath and body products, tote bags and more.
Compact Music: these two music-loving brothers have been slinging vinyls for over 40 years—and with 22,000 new and used albums in their store, they have something for everyone.
Gees Bees: this husband-and-wife duo offers one of the purest, honest-to-goodness honey experiences around! Gees Bees’ honey is flavoured by the wildflowers that their bees pollinate.
The Heart of the Willow: this heart-centred farm produces high-quality alpaca products like clothing, blankets and accessories all made sustainably and with love.
Milk Shop: sister-act Mais and Inaas offer trendy and affordable clothing, jewelry and accessories for the hippest of shoppers.
National Capital FreeNet: this not-for-profit has a commitment to advance digital equity and believes everyone has a right to affordable, high-quality internet. Learn more about our partnership.
Paste n’ Paper: made using traditional techniques, this Ottawa business offers custom hand bound journals, art pieces and handmade stationary that can be treasured, saved and used for generations.
The Spaniel’s Tale: this queer-owned independent bookstore offers a curated selection of contemporary fiction, non-fiction and children’s books along with greeting cards and other gifts sure to bring delight.
.CA swag sweepstakes
New connections and insights weren’t the only things guests took home from the night. All attendees received raffle tickets, giving them the exciting opportunity to snag prizes up to $150 from each of the .CA businesses.
Entertainment
In addition to tasty treats and themed cocktails, attendees were invited to participate in CIRA’s very own scavenger hunt to learn more about CIRA’s offerings including cybersecurity, membership and our give-back program, Net Good. And all while hunting down their own collection of Morty the Moose stickers!
And what’s better than a sticker of Morty the Moose? The myth, the legend, the magnificent moose himself! Morty wasn’t willing to miss a party in his own hometown and brought his party-boy energy to Canadians Connected: Ottawa.
Folks were also given the opportunity to take home their very own caricature from Darius at Ottawa Caricatures. Darius created personalized sketches that brought laughter to everyone.
Several other .CA businesses played a part in making Canadians Connected: Ottawa a success, including:
- Go Booth (gobooth.ca)
- Amanda Thirkill (amandathirkill.ca)
- Motion by Mike (motionbymike.ca)
- Canadian Ice Carvers Society (icecarvers.ca)
- Woodgrain Ottawa (woodgrainottawa.ca)
Captured moments
Swipe for a look at some of the evening’s fun, captured by talented .CA photographer and partner, Amanda Thirkill.
Watch the recap video
Relive all the highlights from Canadians Connected: Ottawa courtesy of our friend, Motion by Mike.
Keep an eye out for the next Canadians Connected event!
A friendly reminder before we close the books on 2024: everyone and anyone is welcome to attend our Canadians Connected networking series. Be sure to watch our CIRA social channels for updates on where and when the next event is happening—both IRL and virtually!
