Vigil planned to remember Ottawa femicide victim

The Hunt Club community is mourning the loss of 36-year-old Brkti Berhe who was killed at a community park while playing with her children on Thursday.

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Good morning! 

I am sorry to have to start with this news, but it snowed in Ottawa yesterday. Have no fear, though, the weather should warm up later this week. I had a great time hosting my first Halloween party this weekend, but I’m still recovering from my candy coma. I guess I’ll need to hit the gym later this week to work off those five pounds I gained. Rain is currently in the forecast for Halloween on Thursday, though the temperature high will be around 23 degrees. It’s Ottawa though, so the weather can change in an instant. 

The Hunt Club community is mourning the passing of 36-year-old Brkti Berhe, who was killed at Uplands Park on Thursday. We have the details about a vigil being held on Tuesday and why police are categorizing it as a “femicide.”

I’m working on a story about the sprung structures planned for the Capital to house refugees. Barrhaven residents are pushing back after it was announced two locations in that community are being looked at as possible solutions. What are your thoughts? Let me know and I’ll include them in a future newsletter. 

Let’s get to the news of the day! 

— Charlie Senack, [email protected]

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WEATHER

Monday: 7 🌡️ -2 | 🌤️

Tuesday: 12 🌡️ 9 | 🌧️

Wednesday: 22 🌡️ 14 | ☁️

NEWS

Vigil planned to remember Ottawa femicide victim

Flowers and stuffed animals sit on a rock at Paul Landry Park near Hunt Club and Uplands on Oct. 25, 2024. Photo by Charlie Senack.

A senseless attack: A community in Ottawa’s South end is mourning the loss of a woman who was killed in a daytime stabbing on Thursday. 

Ottawa Police announced the victim as 36-year-old Brkti Berhe. The wife, and mother of four, was at Paul Landry Park on Uplands Dr. near Hunt Club with her eight-month and three-year-old child when she was attacked.

  • “Tragically, she succumbed to her injuries that morning in front of two of her children,” said Ottawa Police Deputy Chief Trish Ferguson on Friday. “Witnesses on scene quickly came to Brkti’s aid helping to protect the children and provide detailed description of the suspect who fled by car.”

Police said the attack was carried out by 36-year-old Fsha Tekhle. Witnesses said he stabbed Berhe multiple times before slitting her throat. He quickly drove off but several men chased and photographed the vehicle, which police said helped them track the accused down on Highway 417 near Casselman. 

The attack was a femicide: A day after the incident unfolded, Ottawa Police said Tekhle was charged with first-degree murder. He was in a domestic relationship with a family member of the victim and is believed to have been driving back to Montreal — where he lives — when stopped by police. 

What is a femicide? The term “femicide” is not common in Ottawa, and first received attention this summer after 47-year-old Jennifer Zabarylo was killed by her husband Michael on Aug. 26, reported CTV. According to Wikipedia, a femicide is the killing of a woman or girl — particularly by a man — strictly because of her gender

  • “It really is about stereotypical gender roles, decimation towards women, and these homicides are women who are killed by men because they are women,” Ferguson told reporters. “Traditionally we would all jump straight to the conclusion that they must be in an intimate relationship but that’s not always the case, and this is one of those matters where that’s the situation.”

36-year-old Brkti Berhe was killed at Paul Landry Park on Thursday. GoFundMe photo.

GoFundMe started: A fundraiser has been launched to raise money for Berhe’s family and help with the funeral expenses. So far, over $3,000 of the $50,000 goal has been raised. 

  • “She brought joy, laughter, and warmth into the lives of everyone she encountered. Her kindness and compassion was unmatched, and her unique ability to make those around her feel loved and comforted,” part of the GoFundMe page read

The Hunt Club Community Association is also raising donations to help the family. Group president Audrey Bélanger said it’s not the wealthiest of communities and each act of kindness will go a long way. At a nearby elementary school where two of the children attend, parents gathered in the playground to talk about the difficult emotions everyone is facing, reported the Ottawa Citizen.   

Memorial planned: On Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. the community is invited to gather at Paul Landry Park to remember Berhe. Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and Police Chief Eric Stubbs are both expected to be in attendance. 

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OTTAWA BY THE NUMBERS

🛣️ 85: The number of roundabouts in Ottawa, the second highest rate for a Canadian City. [CBC]

🚗 17: The number of vehicles taken out of service during a safety blitz last week. [CTV] 

♿️ 7: The number of tickets issued for drivers misusing accessible parking permits in an Orleans parking lot last Tuesday. [CTV]

👮🏼‍♀️ 188 km/h: The speed a teenager was caught driving on Highway 417 Saturday evening. [CTV]

HOME OF THE DAY

Want to have a home that looks like it’s meant to be on Canada’s east coast? Then this waterfront bungalow near Kanata North is for you! It has five bedrooms, five bathrooms, and a sprawling open-concept living and dining room with a chef’s kitchen with waterfront views. Outside there is an expansive front deck to enjoy your outdoor oasis.

House of The Week is a home selected by the Lookout team and is not a paid advertisement. All ads are labeled as such. If you’re a realtor who wishes to feature your home in our newsletter, please contact our sales team.

NEW JOBS
  1. Councillor’s assistant at City of Ottawa

  2. Associate at Royal Bank of Canada 

  3. Staff accountant at Welch LLP 

  4. Breakfast monitor at OCDSB

  5. Coordinator of payroll at Deloitte 

Local jobs are selected by the Lookout team and are not paid ads, unless specifically noted.

THE AGENDA

There were hundreds of OC Transpo bus cancellations in Ottawa last week. Why? The transit organization said maintenance and increased congestion were to blame.  OC Transpo cancelled 348 trips last Monday, 297 trips on Tuesday and 270 trips on Wednesday. In total, it operates 8,210 planned trips every weekday as part of the fall schedule. [CTV]

⛪️ Father Stephen Amesse of St. Patrick Basilica is heading to tax court after the CRA rejected tax receipts for his church, leading to $5,700 being owed. The Priest said he donates thousands of dollars from his salary to the church every year, and noted the CRA has never rejected his claims before. [CBC] 

🎼 The ByWard Market is hoping to be a bustling place next year when a Live Nation Canada music venue opens in the former Rideau Centre Chapters location. The two-level facility will have room for 2,000 arts-loving guests. Speaking at the Mayor's Breakfast Series recently, Erik Hoffman, president of Live Nation Canada, said he feels like it will be the perfect investment. [Ottawa Citizen]

🏡 It's an important announcement for women fleeing abuse or violence — Ottawa's Carty House unveiled its second shelter to be built in Vanier on Friday. The new facility will house 15 residents for up to two years at a time, bringing the shelter's capacity to 27 residents. [CBC]

⚖️ The Coroner's office has set Nov. 18 as the date for an inquest into the death of Abdirahman Abdi. The 37-year-old was killed after a confrontation with Ottawa Police in the summer of 2016. The inquest is expected to last 21 days and to hear from approximately 25 witnesses. [Ottawa Citizen]

In your neighbourhood

🚌 After an almost two month delay, school buses are running in Renfrew County again. Over 10,000 students were left without yellow bus service at the start of the school year after school bus companies and the Renfrew County Joint Transportation Consortium (RCJTC) were unable to reach an agreement on a new contract. [CTV]

👮🏼‍♀️ Police have charged an unidentified 16-year-old girl with second-degree murder following the death of 15-year-old Reese Stanzel in Perth Friday. Mayor Judy Brown, who represents the town, said the incident was “shocking.” [CBC]

👮‍♂️ A teen from Nova Scotia has been charged after making threats to the Kemptville High School, which was forced to close on multiple occasions after receiving threats five times. The unidentified 14-year-old has been charged with uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, indecent communications, mischief, public mischief, and unauthorized use of a computer. He is set to appear by video conferencing before the Ontario Court of Justice in Brockville on Tuesday. [Ottawa Citizen]

ARCHIVE

Outgoing CHEO CEO Alex Munter reflects on 13-year legacy

Alex Munter CHEO CEO waiting by sign

Alex Munter is leaving his role as CEO of CHEO after 13 years. Photo supplied by CHEO.

This story was originally published on Oct. 9

A fitting goodbye: When Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario CEO Alex Munter made headlines, it was always for the right reasons. 

But after being at CHEO for 13 years, the former journalist and municipal politician decided it was time to take on a new challenge. Munter is set to jump into the role of CEO of the Canadian Medical Association. The search for his replacement is underway, but the equally competent Dr. Lindy Sampson will take over in the interim. 

Speaking to the Ottawa Lookout about his decision to leave, Munter said he has mixed emotions. 

  • ”I’ve done this role more than I’ve done any job in my life. I was a city councillor for 12 years, and I’ve been CEO of CHEO for 13. At this point in my life I doubt I’ll do another job for that long. In some ways, it feels like I started here 13 minutes ago, and in other ways, it feels like I’ve lived a few lifetimes. It’s full of memories,” he said. 

EVENTS

Acres of Terror | Cannamore Orchard, 1480 County Road 32 | Until Oct. 30 | A terrifying Halloween attraction with four main parts: The Spooky Wagon Ride, House of Terror, Fog Maze and Spooky Village. | Ticket prices vary

Pumpkins After Dark | 401 Corkstown Rd | Until Oct. 31 | Pumpkins After Dark is an outdoor Halloween celebration featuring over 10,000 hand carved pumpkins, food trucks, roaming entertainment, and live pumpkin carving. | Ticket prices vary 

Pumpkinferno | Upper Canada Village, 13740 County Road 2, in Morrisburg | Until Oct. 31 | Take a nighttime stroll through a spellbinding outdoor exhibit of more than 7,000 handcrafted pumpkins lit up along a kilometre-long path with a picturesque historic backdrop. | Ticket prices vary

PumpkinFest and FrightFest | Saunders Farm, 7893 Bleeks Rd | Until Oct. 31 | PumpkinFest offers family-friendly autumn fun — find the perfect pumpkin, get lost in the hedge mazes, hop on a hayride and enjoy kid-friendly haunted attractions. Plus, there’s delicious food, play structures and a Farm Shop to explore. | Ticket prices vary

Women's Day in Manotick | Nov. 2 | Pick up your Women’s Day postcard at participating shops, get it stamped as you explore and enjoy unique promotions along the way. | Free

Day of the Dead Festival | 55 ByWard Market Square | Nov. 1-3 | A cultural celebration that honours the Mexican tradition of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). The festival commemorates loved ones who have passed away through art, music, dance, and other artistic expressions. | Free 

Metcalfe Farmers' Christmas Market | Greely Community Centre, 1448 Meadow Dr | Nov. 9 | Come and join Metcalfe Farmers' Christmas Market! All of the vendors are local, and make, create, bake or grow all of their products. | Free 

The Unknown Soldier | St. Matthew's Church, 130 Glebe Ave, 4 p.m. | Nov. 10 | Featuring music by Ottawa composers Andrew Ager, Matthew Larkin, as well as Bach and Mozart. This concert will include baritone soloist Gary Dahl, harpist Lucile Hildesheim and string quartet. | Free

Kanata Art Club Christmas $200 and Under Sale | March Central Community Centre, 630 Cameron Harvey Dr | Nov. 9-10 | The art work for this sale represents many genres, styles and subjects. It includes only original works in watercolour, oil, acrylic, mixed media, coloured pencil and graphite and beyond. Free

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Taylor Swift tickets are being auctioned off to help fund an Ottawa boy with a rare disease. [CTV]

  • Halloween has arrived early in Downtown Brockville. [CTV]

  • Former CTV broadcaster Leanne Cusack has launched her first gallery exhibition. [CTV]

  • The Pumpkin Derby rocked Lansdowne for Halloween this weekend. [Ottawa Citizen]

  • Take a look at the Parliament Hill gargoyles getting facelifts as part of the Centre Block restoration project. [CBC]

GOOD NEWS MONDAY

Marjolaine Hudon’s time in Ottawa is coming to an end, but the women of the local business community saw fit to send her off with one final honour Thursday night. 

The former RBC regional president for Ontario North and East is moving on to another senior position in Quebec. Last week she received the 2024 lifetime achievement award at the Businesswoman of the Year Awards Gala, hosted by the Women’s Business Network of Ottawa at the Infinity Convention Centre. [Ottawa Business Journal]

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Andre Martin shared this photo he took in Westboro of the fall foliage captured with a drone. Thanks for sending in, Andre!

LATEST LOOKOUT STORIES
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