I'm saddened to see one of my favorite towns shaken by tragedy. What happened today in Ottawa is horrible, and among the many thoughts on my mind is the hope that today's horrible news doesn't threaten what makes Ottawa so special.
Ottawa impressed Sherry and I so much during a one-night stay in 2013 we returned for nearly a week in 2014. It's not nearly as large as Washington, D.C., but like an excellent capital it offers a lot of really neat things to see in the way of museums and other attractions. One thing, in particular, I liked was how welcoming it was. One could walk amidst the buildings of government pretty easily. In fact, on one of my mornings there, I ran right up Parliament Hill to Parliament building, and spent a good 20 minutes talking with a Mountie on duty there. It's hard to imagine being able to do that in Washington, D.C.
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| My run on August 6. |
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| A really neat light show. |
The night before that run, we took in an awesome light show on the very lawn of Parliament. Though security was there, it felt more like a police presence than a police state. One didn't see more police at those events than one would at Central Park or in Center City Philadelphia. Heck, security is more oppressive at an NFL event than in that capital.
Now some violent acts will force the Canadians to rethink those measures. They'll have to evaluate their security, just as we did after 9/11. I pray they don't come to the conclusion to lock down their city and turn their capital into a public fortress. Ottawa and the Canadians deserve better.
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