Help pay tuition & hefty fines from Ottawa bylaw

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/longtime-bluesfest-busker-fined-1000-piper-to-defy-and-play-again-sunday-night-to-pay-tuition

Hi, my name is Nico Gravel I am a bagpiper; the pipes are my passion. I'm also student who is taking a degree in Osteopathic Medicine; medicine is my calling.

 

As some of you may know, I've been busking at Ottawa Bluesfest for some years now. This is how I raise money to pay tuition every year in order to hopefully walk out of a 7 year post graduate degree with minimal debt.

 

This year (2022), the city of Ottawa has issued me two tickets, both for the same reason; Encumber/damage highway by (animals, vehicles or other means contrary to City of Ottawa use and care od roads by-law 2003-498 setion 3 (1)(d).

 

The fines are both for a total of 1130$ for a total of 2260$. I was asked to leave the grounds on the second ticket by bylaw.

 

I busk at bluesfest and near parliament to help pay for tuition. All proceeds go to lines of credits that I've had to open in order to continue my education through the pandemic and current tuition costs. The last two years have been brutal for all of us; I've personally had to close my clinic for months on end.

 

I'm doing my best with my talents to come up with clever ways to achieve these goals. Now, the city isn't allowing me to practice my craft, so I must rely on the good people of Ottawa to help with this page. I prefer to work for donations and not rely on people, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

 

The city has temporarily silenced me, but I will be back; I promise you