Oxonians and friends of Oxford University in Canada's National Capital Region
The weather gods smiled on us on 6 September, as Piers Hutchinson and Eva Schacherl again opened their home and garden to OUS Ottawa and friends for our annual Croquet match. A warm and convivial event ensued, with many old friendships renewed and new connections made. The Bayne Shield celebrating croquet prowess was retained by the Dark Blue once again (we believe).
Two idyllic evenings in quick succession at the British High Commissioner’s residence. The first was a reception on 21 August to mark current and former Chevening Scholarship recipients. The crowd was a mix of older alumni and impressive young people, and it was great to meet the new High Commissioner, Rob Tinline. The second event hosted by High Commissioner Tinline was a UK University Alumni reception on 17 September – a balmy and very pleasant evening to mark the lasting linkages of Canadian alumni with UK tertiary education institutions.
Thanks to the time and effort of colleagues at LSE as well as Harvard alumni societies, OUS Ottawa was well represented at the “Tavern at the Gallery” event on the evening of 5 June 2025. The rain held off while those who had signed up were shown around the National Gallery of Canada for a tour of the permanent Canadian collection; this was followed by a very well-attended social event that reflected keen interest in both the Arts and Aperitifs. Stay tuned for more events coming up!
Despite poor results for both the men’s and women’s Dark Blue crews once again, alumni from both Cambridge and Oxford Universities met on the morning of Saturday, 13 April to cheer on their respective eights. In OUS Ottawa’s case, bunting and flags arrived from Wellington Square in time for the event, so although outnumbered by Cambridge alum, our presence was loud and noted. As far as the races themselves go, there’s always next time.
On Weds, 20 January 2025, OUS Ottawa was delighted to welcome Members and Guests to our annual black tie dinner. Hosted at the Our Guest of Honour was the Honourable Anita Anand MP, PC, who at the time served as Minister of Transport and Internal Trade.
Again hosted at the Senior NCO Mess on Queen Elizabeth Drive in Ottawa, Minister Anand spoke reflectively and movingly of her time as Minister, noting what a privilege it was to serve in that capacity, and the support that she had received from family, constituents, and colleagues. Guests commented on Minister Anand’s warmth and honesty, including in the Q&A session that followed her remarks, when she circulated freely amongst all participants.
Anita Anand, Canada’s Minister of Transport and Internal Trade, will speak at our 2025 annual dinner.
We are delighted to announce that Anita Anand (Wadham College) will be our guest speaker at our Annual Dinner, on Wednesday 29 January 2025. She is Canada’s Minister of Transport and Internal Trade.
Anita previously held a variety of cabinet positions, including President of the Treasury Board, Minister of Defence, and Minister of Public Services and Procurement.
Before her career in politics, she worked as a scholar, a researcher, and an academic. She was a Professor of Law at the University of Toronto, a member of the Governing Board of Massey College, and Director of Policy and Research at the Capital Markets Institute.
She was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1994, and has taught law at Queen’s University, Western University, and Yale University.
Date: Wednesday, 29 January 2025
Time: 18h00 for 18h30
Place: Senior NCO Mess, 4 Queen Elizabeth Driveway, Ottawa
Directions: Google Maps; Bing Maps
Cost: $95 for members; $115 for non-members
Payment: Interac, via ous.ottawa@gmail.com
Registration: Online, via Google Forms
Our annual dinner is a lovely opportunity for recent graduates, long-time members, and friends of Oxford to meet, to break bread together, and to celebrate our shared bond through our affection for the University. Traditionally, most of our attendees have worn black tie, but this is optional.
The cost of the dinner is $95 per person for current OUS Ottawa members, and $115 per person for non-members (including past members who have not renewed). Payment of the dinner fee and any membership dues may be submitted by Interac online payment, via ous.ottawa@gmail.com.
To reserve dinner places, please complete the online registration form. Your reservation must reach us no later than 22 January 2025, but please note that the annual dinner is traditionally our most popular event, and all places may be spoken for well before the registration deadline.
We very much hope to see you there.
A full house and sunny skies for our annual croquet tournament
A full house of Oxonians and friends of Oxford turned out for our 2024 croquet tournament and garden party, under gloriously sunny skies.
We generally showed more enthusiasm than skill with the mallet, but enjoyed it all the more for that.
We are immensely grateful to Piers Hutchinson and Eva Schacherl for acting as our hosts, and inviting us all to invade their home.
Our annual croquet tournament is back!
Our annual croquet tournament and garden party is back! It is a relaxed gathering, with little fuss and less croqueting skill. Guests and all friends of Oxford are welcome.
Date: Saturday, 21 September 2024 (rain or shine)
Time: 14h00 to 16h30 (croquet begins at 14h45)
We thank Piers Hutchinson and Eva Schacherl for kindly opening their home as the venue for our event.
We will provide sandwiches and light refreshments.
The cost of the event is $15.00 per person. Cheques should be made payable to “Oxford Society, Ottawa” and brought to the event. Alternatively, e-transfers can be sent in advance to our Secretary Ali Pasha via ous.ottawa@gmail.com.
The 41st Oxford-Cambridge Alumni Cricket Match
Our colleagues in Toronto will host the forty-first Oxford vs Cambridge Alumni Cricket Match on Sunday 17 September 2023.
Last year, Oxford took home the Mitchener-Bredin Trophy; this year, Cambridge will be hoping to even the tally. The Match will return to its traditional home on pitches of Lords Grounds at Upper Canada College.
The match will be a traditional red ball game, played in white clothing. The tea break between innings will include sandwiches, drinks, and cake, for both players and spectators alike.
Date: Sunday, 17 September 2023
Time: From 12h30 EDT
Place: Upper Canada College, 200 Lonsdale Rd, Toronto
RSVP: Martin Sykes, e-mail or telephone before 31 August
The Match welcomes players and spectators of all levels and ages. The organisers are charging a modest $30 fee per player to help defray event costs, and no fee for spectators.
If you know alumni who would like to be part of the Match, please do share this post with them.
“There is no room for fear: only faith, and light, and dreams of a better tomorrow.”
Our Secretary, Ali Arsalan Pasha, delivered a thoughtful and emotional TEDx Talk, about his journey from Turkey, to the United Kingdom, and now on to Canada.
He describes living through the 2016 attempted coup d’état in Turkey, waiting in fear for the next explosion, as government and insurrectionist forces battled in the streets.
He discusses his decision to give up the life he had built in Turkey, to seek safety in the United Kingdom.
He gives an account of overcoming fear to apply to Oxford, and afterwards, to emigrate to Canada at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
The common thread of his talk is the imperative to live a life without fear.
“There is no room for fear: only faith, and light, and dreams of a better tomorrow.”
TEDx Talks are local events, organised by independent groups, following the model of global TED Talks. Ali’s talk was hosted by TEDxHECMontreal.
Oxford University Society in Ottawa 