Hijab-wearing teacher removed from Chelsea classroom and Watson won't seek re-election: Top five stories this week

Green ribbons have been tied to a fence at Chelsea Elementary School in support of a teacher removed from the classroom because of Bill 21.

Jim Watson will not seek a fourth term as mayor, a hijab-wearing teacher removed from a Chelsea, Que. classroom and a sheet of ice crashes through a driver's windshield on Hwy. 417.

CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at the top five stories in Ottawa, eastern Ontario and western Quebec this week.

Jim Watson announces he will not seek re-election as Mayor of Ottawa in 2022

Ottawa's longest serving mayor will not be seeking a fourth term at City Hall.

Jim Watson announced Friday that he would not put his name on the ballot for the October 2022 municipal election.

"The decision was both easy and tough. On the one hand, I loved almost every hour of every day and it was a true privilege and honour to serve as our city’s Mayor," said Watson, adding he decided in 2018 that it would be his last term as mayor.

In an interview with CTV News at Six, Watson said he decided it was a good time to announce his plans to leave City Hall.

"I wanted to leave those people who may want to run for mayor enough time and enough runaway to put together a campaign," said Watson in an interview with CTV News Ottawa anchor Graham Richardson.

Coun. Diane Deans and Catherine McKenney, along with former Ottawa Mayor Bob Chiarelli have already announced they will be running for mayor.

Teacher removed from a Chelsea, Que. elementary classroom for wearing a hijab

A Grade 3 teacher at Chelsea Elementary School in Chelsea, Que. has been removed from the classroom for wearing a hijab.

"This is not about my article of clothing. This is a bigger issue," said Fatemeh Anvari in an interview with CTV News Ottawa.

"This is something that is about humans. I don't want this to be a personal thing because that won't do any good to anyone. I want this to be something in which we all think about how big decisions affect other lives."

Anvari says she was shocked when told she couldn't continue teaching at the school, adding she has been overwhelmed by the support from the school and the community.

Quebec's Bill 21 bans the wearing of religious symbols by certain government employees deemed to be in positions of authority while at work.

Premier Francois Legault said Friday that the Western Quebec School Board should not have hired Anvari.

Teacher removed from Chelsea, Que. school for wearing a hijab

Homicide victim identified as 16-year-old boy

A 16-year-old boy was killed in a fatal shooting in Ottawa's west end.

Ottawa police responded to a call for a shooting at a home on Elmiria Drive, between Iris Street and the Queensway, early Monday morning.

The victim has been identified as John Ndayishimiye. A second 16-year-old was also found at the scene with non-life-threatening injuries. 

Insp. Marc-Andre Sheehy told CTV News Ottawa that police believe it was a targeted attack.

There have been no arrests in the case.

John Ndayishimiye, 16, was shot to death on Dec. 6, 2021 at a home on Elmira Drive in Nepean. (Supplied photo)

Walmart eliminating single-use plastic bags at all Canadian stores

Attention shoppers: Walmart will soon be eliminating single-use plastic bags.

The retailer announced this week that it would eliminate single-use plastic bags in all Canadian stores, preventing almost three-quarters-of-a-billion plastic bags from entering circulation each year.

Walmart says the change will be fully rolled out by Earth Day 2022, which is April 22. It plans to launch an education campaign to help customers transition to a plastic-bag-free experience.

Signage at a Walmart store is seen on Tuesday, May 3, 2016. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz)

Sheet of ice crashes through Ottawa driver’s windshield on Highway 417

A driver on Highway 417 suffered serious head injuries when a sheet of ice flew off another vehicle and crashed through her windshield.

Emergency crews responded to the incident near the Kent Street exit on the eastbound highway around 1:40 p.m. Thursday.

Paramedics say a woman in her 40s was hurt when the sheet of ice struck her vehicle.

On Friday, Ontario Provincial Police appealed for witnesses or the driver of a white truck that was travelling westbound on Hwy. 417 at the time of the incident to come forward.

"Were you travelling on Hwy 417 e/b or w/b near Kent/Bronson on Dec. 9 btw 1:30 and 1:40 p.m. and observed ice fly off a w/b white 5 tonne truck of if you were the driver of the truck, please call 1-888-310-1122," said the OPP on Twitter.