The UC Family sends congratulations to Mr. Roland Pemberton (or is it Sir Pemberton now?) aka Cadence Weapon, who today was announced Edmonton, Alberta’s next Poet Laureate. His Lordship kicks in July 1,2009 and he will reign as Laureate for 2 years. What does this mean you ask? Well, Historically, a Poet Laureate served as the official chronicler of state events and occasions. In ancient times, the Laureate was the central means for recording and communicating history. For the City of Edmonton, the role of a Poet Laureate is to reflect the life of a city through poetry, as an ambassador for the literary arts; the Laureate incorporates poetry into a range of official and informal city activities. The creation of this position confirms the city’s support for the arts in general, and for the literary arts in particular. So, to sum it up, Cadence Weapon is now officially a government agent.

Cadence Weapon on CBC Newsworld with Peter Mansbridge. Watch the full feature here.