Ontario’s poet laureate will begin putting pen to paper in 2020

Thestar.com
Dec. 23, 2019
Robert Benzie

The words “art” and “literature” are carved in pink sandstone above the main entrance to the Ontario Legislative Assembly.

Behind the legislature, in bucolic Queen’s Park, sits a large bronze statue of the poet Al Purdy.

And, as former New York governor Mario Cuomo famously said, all politicians campaign in poetry then govern in prose.

Still -- even though Canada has a poet laureate and many cities, including Toronto and Mississauga, have poets laureate -- the country’s most populous province did not.

Until now.

Thanks to a private member’s bill championed by New Democratic Party MPP Percy Hatfield (Windsor-Tecumseh) and supported by Progressive Conservative, NDP, Liberal, Independent and Green MPPs, Ontario will soon have a poet laureate.

The role has been created in honour of Gord Downie, the beloved Tragically Hip singer and author who died of brain cancer two years ago. “He was also a published poet, and one of the goals of creating the position of poet laureate of Ontario is to help keep alive the memory of Gord Downie,” said Hatfield.

“Gord Downie viewed Canada through a distinctive Canadian lens, and the songs he wrote reflected that,” he said.

“When asked once about his book of poems, Gord Downie said: ‘I think it would be cool if “Coke Machine Glow” means more people will go into the poetry section of the bookstore, I just want people to buy more poetry. Poetry characterizes a nation.’”

Hatfield said the post is “a non-partisan attempt to promote literacy and to focus attention on Ontario’s amazing poets and the wider arts community in our province.”

“Our poets go into our schools. They bring excitement. They assist with writing workshops and they arrange poetry readings. Our poet laureate would be Ontario’s literary ambassador,” he said.

“They will work with our legislative librarian, as they do in Ottawa, advising on the latest acquisitions and collections to add to the legislative library. They could be called upon by the Speaker to write, attend and read their work here at special celebrations at Queen’s Park.”

George Elliott Clarke, who was Canada’s poet laureate in 2016-17 and Toronto’s poet laureate from 2012 until 2015, was at the legislature for the unanimous passage of Hatfield’s bill.

“In contracts and legislatures, language can look like Latin and sound like gobbledygook,” he said.

“But the importance of the poetry of Gord Downie and of this bill that heralds his name is its reminder that the most meaningful speech is that which connects us, heart to heart, as clear as a slapshot and as civic as a kiss.”

Downie’s family was also in attendance when the legislation passed on Dec. 12, the final act of business before the house rose for the winter break.

“It’s just a great acknowledgment of some of the things Gord did,” his brother, Mike Downie, told The Canadian Press.

“To create this position, and put his name behind it, I think he would have loved it.”

Culture Minister Lisa MacLeod praised her “dear friend Percy” for his initiative.

“This bill is a long time coming,” said MacLeod.

“I do believe it will promote arts and literacy the establishment of this position would further support our cultural sector,” she said.

“Given a sufficient profile, the activities of the poet laureate of Ontario would raise the profile of poetry and spoken word and promote literacy and celebrate the many facets of life here in Ontario.”

Liberal interim leader John Fraser agreed “poetry is something we could use more of in this place.”

 “Words are powerful and they last forever,” said Fraser.

Speaker Ted Arnott said the appointment of Ontario’s inaugural poet laureate should be made by next fall. The poet will be chosen by a legislative panel chaired by Arnott and will serve as an officer of the assembly, reporting to the Speaker, for a two-year term. An honorarium will be paid.

“Literary arts underpin our country’s cultural life,” said the Speaker. “A poet laureate of Ontario will enrich our appreciation of poetry and the importance of the written word.”