The oldest surviving church in Ontario -- St Paul's, Her Majesty's Royal Chapel of the Mohawks -- is getting over $73,000 from the federal government to support structural repairs and reinforcement of the church, located near Brantford Ontario in the Anglican Diocese of Huron.  The anouncement was made July 24. The church was originally built in 1785 to serve the Mohawk community that relocated to the area after supporting the British during the American Revolution. Indian poet E. Pauline Johnson, who was born on the nearby Six Nations Reserve attended services in the Chapel.

   Now showing at a church near you

An elegant stone church built in 1911 continues to serve the town of Carleton Place, near Ottawa, but not as Zion United Church any longer. The building was bought by a local couple and is now the Carleton Place Cinema and Fitness Centre.

Above,   extras on a movie set run for cover on the sidewalk of a main street in Carleton Place, near Ottawa, on July 24 as the cameras, below, roll. The movie, described as a Sci/Fi/Disaster/Action movie, is called Metal Tornado and is to be released in 2011. It is being produced by Pierre David, Tom Berry, and Tony Ginnane and written by Andrew Erin and Jason Bourque. There was no word on who is playing the principle characters in the flick, to be distributed by Imagination Worldwide.

Shawn Atleo, the head of the Assembly of First Nations is calling for a new relationship with the federal government and an end to the Indian Act within five years. He told the assembly's annual meeting in Winnipeg July 20 that federal laws governing aboriginal people have led to high rates of suicide, poverty and health problems, the CBC reported. Atleo said he'd like to see aboriginal people get out "from under" the Indian Act and strike a new relationship with the government on land claims, resource sharing and education.

The Mosaika Sound and Light Show in Ottawa tells the story of Canada by projecting constantly evolving scenes onto the outside walls of the Parliament Buildings. The free show runs nightly from July 8 to Sept. 12 and lasts for 30 minutes.

The arts and achievements of Canada’s First Nations Peoples is depicted in the Mosaika Sound and Light Show in Ottawa each evening until Sept. 12,  The show tells the story of Canada by projecting constantly evolving scenes  onto the outside walls of the Parliament Building as it explores Canada’s physical, historical and cultural landscapes.

The Mosaika Sound and Light Show in Ottawa tells the story of Canada by projecting constantly evolving scenes onto the outside walls of the Parliament Buildings. The free show runs nightly from July 8 to Sept. 12 and lasts for 30 minutes.

This summer's hot weather in the  National Capital Region  doesn't seem to have affected animals such as this Arctic Wolf at Parc Omega in Western Quebec who live in large enclosures resembling their natural habitat where they can avoid humans or simply sit and watch them. 

A young coyote assumes the submissive position after being rebuked by it's mother at Parc Omega in Western Quebec.

Two adult bears at Parc Omega in Western Quebec rough it up on a hot day in July.

Bear cub looks for treats at Parc Omega in Western Quebec

A hawk zeroes in on it's prey during a performance at Parc Omega.

The inspiration for bungee jumping?

The attempted ordination of women will fall into the same category of sins as the priestly sex abuse of minors if revised Vatican norms are updated as planned. Catholic News Service reported July 9 that the Vatican is preparing to update the 2001 norms, which will include   the "attempted ordination of women" among the list of most serious crimes against church law, or "delicta graviora."

(Photo- Four North American women were ordained to the priesthood on chartered tour boat on the St. Lawrence River  in 2005 but the church said the ordinations were invalid.)

The authentic replica of the full-masted tall ship HMS Bounty leaves Toronto harbour July 4 en route to Cleveland on a leg of the Great Lakes United TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® 2010 race series. The ship appeared in the film Mutiny on the Bounty and also in one of the Pirates of the Caribbean films. More than a dozen tall ships from around the world are racing through the five Great Lakes, the world’s largest source of fresh water, bringing a message of conservation and protection.

The  tall ship Pride of Baltimore leaves Toronto harbour July 4 en route to Cleveland on a leg of the Great Lakes United TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® 2010 race series.More than a dozen tall ships from around the world are racing through the five Great Lakes, the world’s largest source of fresh water, bringing a message of conservation and protection.

Before Queen Elizabeth II  and Prince Philip  wrapped up their nine-day tour of Canada July 6, the prince raised the profile of the HMCS Haida, seen here at its moooring in Hamilton, ON, July 3. He presented the World Ship Trust Certificate honoring the support and recognition of historic vessels. Haida a national historic site that is the only remaining example of the 27 Tribal Class destroyers buily for the Canadian, British and Australian navies in World War II.

                         A royal paint job

HMCS Sackville was given a fresh coat of paint in time for the visit June 29 from Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. The queen presented a placque commemorating the destroyer escort, the last remaining Corvette from the Second World War.

A young girl cools her feet below a waterfall in an Ottawa park. The temperature reached 33.7 degrees Celsius in the nation's capital July 5, the hottest July 5 on record for the region. The hot weather was expected to continue for a few days.