Committee of Fredericton City Hall creates new terms for city’s poet laureate

A committee at Fredericton City Hall has come up with new terms for what’s expected from the city’s poet laureate.

The role has been in question for some time after some councillors felt poems read by the former poet laureate on such issues as Black Lives Matter movement and abortion rights were too political.

Jenna Lyn Albert’s two-year term as poet laureate ended in January, and a replacement is expected to be chosen in the coming months.

Henri Mallet, chair of the livable communities committee, says he didn’t have an issue with Albert’s approach, because poems can be provocative and make you think.

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He says under the new terms, the poet laureate will be expected to write six original poems and read them at council, to be engaged in the community and to create a legacy project.

Mallet says the new terms still have to be ratified by city council.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 26, 2021.

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