CanadaColombia
Area-9,984,670km21,141,748km2
Water 8.92 %8.8 %
Population 33,865,00044,928,970
Population Density 3.2/km240/km2
OttawaBogotá
Population 812,1297.304.384
Density 305.4/km211,071/km2 /
Friendship Force of OttawaExchange
to
BogotáColombia
January 21 to January 28 , 2010About Ottawa
O
ttawa is the capital of Canada and the country's fourth largest municipality, as well as the second largest city in the province of Ontario. Ottawa lies junction of three major waterways at the on the banks of the Ottawa River, a major waterway that forms the boundary between Ontario and Quebec.
The Ottawa region was long home to First Nations peoples who were part of the Algonquin. The first European settlement in the region was that of Philemon Wright who started a community on the Quebec side of the river in 1800. Wright discovered that transporting timber by river from the OttawaValley to Montreal was possible, and the area was soon booming based almost exclusively upon the timber trade.
In the years following the War of 1812, in addition to settling some military regiment families, the government began sponsored immigration schemes which brought over Irish Catholics and Protestants to settle the Ottawa area. Along with French Canadians who crossed over from Quebec, these two groups provided the bulk of labourers involved in the Rideau Canal project and the continuing timber trade, both instrumental in putting Ottawa on the map.
The region's population grew significantly when the canal was completed by Colonel John By in 1832. With the 1812 conflict with the U.S.A. being in recent memory, it was intended to provide a secure route between Montreal and Kingston on Lake Ontario, by-passing the stretch of the St. Lawrence River bordering New York State.The canal is now used for recreation and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Today government and high-tech have replaced lumber as the main employer. Ottawa has more engineers, scientists and PhDs per capita than any other city in the country,.
It does get cold in the winter.Our average January temperature is -10.8°C, so we will be ready to enjoy the warmth of your climate and people.
Thank you to our hosts. Muchas Gracias
Frank Mayda and Robert Nichols, ED
Ottawa Ambassadors
In this space include name, biography and
contact information
Dear Colombian Friends,
We, the ambassadors from the Friendship Force of Ottawa, are pleased and excited to have this visit with the Friendship Force of Bogota. Spending time with hosts in Colombia is new to all of us, but not your reputation as a welcoming and sharing community.
Thirty-three Bogota ambassadors visited our Ottawa club in 2008. We look forward to meeting old friends again, to making new friends, and to developing lasting connections between our clubs and countries.
For those of your members who have not visited Ottawa you should know that now in our winter we can experience temperatures of -35˚ C. Snowfall of 250 cm is common and covers the ground from December to March. Our summer is short but hot with temperatures up to + 35˚ C. A truly spectacular time to visit Ottawa is in early October when the maple leaves turn red and other trees turn various shade of yellow.
Since your visit to our Club we have celebrated our 15th anniversary, and we have traveled and hosted extensively throughout the Friendship Force network of clubs. We look forward to spending time in your city and surroundings.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper, left, shakes hands with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe at the Presidential Palace in Bogotá, Colombia July 16, 2007
The Friendship Force Pledge
As members of the Friendship Force
We recognize that we can make a difference
We recognize that we have a mission
That mission is to be Friends to the people of the world
As we embark upon this adventure
We know that through our example
To our fellow citizens and the people of other Nations
The cause of Friendship, Love and Peace can be furthered
We can make a difference
Friendship Force Motto
Changing the Way You See the World