| Ottawa is the
capital of Canada and the country's fourth largest municipality.
With a metropolitan population estimated at 1,190,982[3]
Ottawa is also the second largest city in the province
of Ontario.[4] It is located in the Ottawa Valley in
the eastern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa
lies on the banks of the Ottawa River, a major waterway
that forms the boundary between Ontario and Quebec.
There is no federal capital district
in Canada. Ottawa is a municipality within the Province
of Ontario. Although it does not constitute a separate
administrative district, Ottawa is part of the federally
designated National Capital Region, which includes the
neighbouring Quebec municipality of Gatineau. As with
other national capitals, the word "Ottawa"
is also used to refer by metonymy to the country's federal
government, especially as opposed to provincial or municipal
authorities. Ottawa is governed by a 24 member City
Council. The members of this council are elected by
the residents of Ottawa. Each councillor represents
one ward (sub region) within Ottawa. The mayor however
represents Ottawa as a whole. City council responsibilities
include the maintenance and efficacy of the following
services: fire department, paramedics, police department,
water, transit, recycling, garbage, and sewage. The
current mayor of Ottawa is Larry O'Brien.
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