Ottawa’s mayor
shows courage.
He stands up
to the powerful, deep-pocket owners
of the Chateau Laurier,
telling them
their proposed addition
to the landmark hotel
is as ugly as a shipping container.
He then prepares
for the city council’s meeting
where he votes to approve the design.
“That is leadership,”
he tells reporters,
wearing his dark blue suit
and a matching, black-and-blue tie.
(Editor’s note: poet Shai Ben-Shalom, an Israeli-born biologist, examines current events in the Blacklock’s tradition each and every Sunday)
