James Powell, Allison Margot Smith and Lynn Gehl will be our guest speakers as we mark the 200th anniversary of the start of the Rideau Canal and Bytown – and also explore the impact both had on the Algonquin people, for whom the Ottawa Valley has been home for millennia.

Wednesday, February 11, 2026 @ 7 p.m.
Algonquin Anishinaabeg of the Ottawa River Valley: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow
Guest Speaker: Dr. Lynn Gehl
(Via Zoom)

Saturday, March 28, 2026 @ 1:30 p.m.
The Rideau Canal
Guest Speaker: Allison Margot Smith
Ottawa Public Library Main Branch Auditorium

Saturday, April 25, 2026 @ 1:30 p.m
The Era of Bytown
Guest Speaker: James Powell
Ottawa Public Library Main Branch Auditorium