2011 Top Ottawa stories: Royal visit, school explosion and stage collapse
Jamie Hubley suicide, Valerie Leblanc slaying and hepatitis, HIV scare also among most viewed
CBC News
Posted: Dec 23, 2011 5:52 AM ET
Last Updated: Dec 23, 2011 12:57 PM ET
2011: Year In Review
- 2011's top stories: Layton, tsunami, Vancouver riots and more
- 2011's top stories from around the world
- Notable world deaths of 2011
- How Canada influenced the world in 2011
- 2011's top stories in Canada: Royal visit, Layton, McGuinty and more
- Notable Canadian deaths in 2011
- Top tech news of 2011: Steve Jobs, UBB, data breaches and more
- Top Community stories of 2011: Arab Spring, long-gun registry, Vancouver riots and more
- Top politics stories of 2011: Layton, Harper, hackers and a page
- Top 10 health stories of 2011: From EEGs to Vicks VapoRub
- 2011's top arts stories: Amy Winehouse, Liz Taylor and Charlie Sheen
- 10 pop culture moments of 2011
- PHOTOS: Notable entertainment deaths of 2011
- The most-read business stories in 2011 at cbc.ca
- 9/11: 10 years later
Here is the list of the top 10 stories according to CBC Ottawa's online readership from January to mid-December 2011:
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on Canada Day. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)1. Will and Kate warmly received in Ottawa
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge made their first international visit as a married couple to Ottawa for Canada Day.
RELATED TOP STORY: William and Kate thrill Canada Day crowds
Ottawa student Eric Leighton. (Facebook)2. Ottawa student dies after explosion at school
Eric Leighton, 18, was killed after a shop-class explosion at Mother Teresa Catholic Secondary School in June.
RELATED TOP STORY: Probe into fatal school blast looks at oil drum
A living room-style recliner as passenger seat. (Ontario Provincial Police)3. Driver stopped had armchair for passenger seat
An OPP roadside seatbelt check in April found a bizarre and potentially dangerous car modification: a recliner chair sitting in as a front passenger seat.
A powerful thunderstorm toppled the main stage at the Ottawa Bluesfest. (Adam Dietrich/Canadian Press)4. Bluesfest stage collapse 'a freak situation'
Classic rock band Cheap Trick barely escaped the Bluesfest main stage when it collapsed on the festival's final day.
RELATED TOP STORY: Storm topples stage at Ottawa Bluesfest
An OC Transpo bus driver berated Matthew Taronno. (CBC)5. Autistic passenger responds to bus driver tirade
An OC Transpo bus driver was fired after releasing his frustrations on an autistic passenger who was reciting a play he had written.
RELATED TOP STORY: Autistic passenger 'saddened' by bus driver firing
Jamie Hubley, who came out in high school, committed suicide in the fall. (Facebook)6. Gay Ottawa teen who killed himself was bullied
Councillor Allan Hubley revealed his son Jamie was bullied about being gay and struggled with depression before he committed suicide.
RELATED TOP STORY: Gay Ottawa teen mourned at packed church
Gatineau police accused a group with tampering the body. (Submitted photo)7. Gatineau student's body may have been tampered with
Police are still looking for suspects in the slaying of student Valérie Leblanc, 18. They said the alleged tampering of the body made it more difficult to investigate.
RELATED TOP STORY: Gatineau student's burned body found behind school
Duncan Dee was the target of an enraged Air Canada employee. (Air Canada)8. Gunman shows up at home of Air Canada executive
Police responded after early reports a man visited the home of Air Canada VP Duncan Dee armed with a gun. The alleged incident, at the height of a tense labour dispute, was later dismissed by police after further investigation.
RELATED TOP STORY: Police close case on gun incident at Air Canada exec's home
Ottawa Public Health found an Ottawa doctor had 'lapses in infection control.' (CBC)9. Ottawa says 6,800 exposed to infection risk
After Ottawa Public Health found internist Dr. Christiane Farazli had not properly cleaned her equipment, the agency sent letters to some 6,800 patients to warn them they may have been exposed to Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV.
RELATED TOP STORY: Ottawa clinic infection scare triggers lawsuit
Jack Tobin arrives at court on Wednesday, August 31, 2011. (Fred Chartrand/Canadian Press)10. Tobin's son gets 3 years for drunk-driving death
Jack Tobin, the son of former Newfoundland and Labrador premier Brian Tobin, was sentenced to three years in prison for driving drunk and killing his friend Alex Zolpis, 23.
RELATED TOP STORY: Ex-premier Tobin's son pleads guilty in friend's death
Share Tools
Latest Ottawa News Headlines
- Kenyan runner sets new Ottawa marathon record
- Kenya's Laban Moiben set a new record Sunday for the Ottawa race weekend marathon with a time of 2:09:12. more »
- Fire causes $2M in damage at banquet centre
- The West Carleton Weddings and Banquets Centre sustained $2 million in damage early Sunday morning following a fire. more »
- Teen struck by lightning in Ottawa dies
- The victim of a Friday lightning strike during a storm in east Ottawa has died, CBC News has learned. more »
- Family, friends honour teen killed in school explosion
- Family and friends paid tribute Saturday to Eric Leighton, the 18-year-old student killed in a shop class explosion one year ago. more »
Top News Headlines
- Canadian Pacific strikers face back-to-work legislation
- Labour Minister Lisa Raitt is prepared to end the Canadian Pacific Railway strike if necessary, after both CP and the union rejected a proposal for voluntary arbitration by the government-appointed negotiator on Sunday. Raitt says she is "extremely disappointed." more »
- Syrian regime denies role in Houla massacre
- The UN Security Council condemned the Syrian regime at an emergency meeting Sunday, holding president Bashar al-Assad's military responsible for the massacre of more than 100 people, dozens of whom were children younger than 10 years old. more »
- Ryder Hesjedal wins prestigious Giro d'Italia
- Victoria native Ryder Hesjedal has become the first Canadian to win one of the cycling world's three Grand Tour events, wrapping up the 2012 Giro d'Italia with an excellent performance in the final stage in Milan. more »
- Neighbour may have helped find missing kids in Mexico
- Two Winnipeg children who had been missing for nearly four years were found in Mexico after a man raised concerns about his neighbour, according to a private investigator. more »
Most Viewed/Commented
- Teen struck by lightning in Ottawa dies
- Kenyan runner sets new Ottawa marathon record
- Para Transpo bus crashes into hydro pole, tree
- Birds attack Ottawa joggers
- Fire causes $2M in damage at banquet centre
- Family, friends honour teen killed in school explosion
- Quebec students, government to resume talks
- 4 arrested during Gatineau protest against Bill 78
- Aylmer triple stabbing leads to first-degree murder charges

