A realistic sculpture outside historic Sr. Andrew's   Presbyterian Church in Ottawa begs passers-by to show compassion to the poor. The sculpture, entitled, "Whatsoever ... " by Kitchener, Ont., artist Timothy P. Schmalz, was permanently installed last summer. A plaque on the base of the piece states, "Truly, whatever you did to the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. -- Matthew 25:40."  In the "Artist's Journal" of his web site at http://www.sculpturebytps.com/, Schmalz notes that the sculpture is beside the National Bank of Canada, across from the Supreme Court of Canada and a block away  from Parliament Hill. "This sculpture is the only high profile representation of Christ in the Capital City of a nation that was founded by Christianity," he wrote.

Tulips bloom across from Parliament Hill during the Canadian Tulip Festival, which ended May 21. Organizers say the annual cultural event is the largest tulip festival in the world with millions of tulips blooming over the three week event.

John Chapman,  former Dean of Huron University College in London, Ont., thanks his family and friends at Christ Church Cathedral in Ottawa May 17 following his ordination as an Anglican bishop. He is to become the new Bishop of Ottawa, August, 1,  succeeding retiring Bishop Peter Coffin, who is continuing his duties as Anglican Bishop Ordinary to the Canadian Forces.

The schedule of the Canadian Snowbird aerobatics team was put on hold after one of its pilots, Capt.Shawn McCaughey, was killed when his jet crashed at an airbase in Montana May 18. McCaughey, 31, of Candiac, Quebec, was practicing with a group of five planes when his aircraft crashed, killing him instantly. The team was to wait until investigators from Ottawa cleared the rest of the Canadair CT-114 Tutors to fly again.

Mirror, mirror on the mall

The Confederation building in Ottawa, where many members of Parliament have their offices, is reflected in the mirror-windows of an office tower overlooking the Sparks Street Mall.

Unbearably tired

A black bear grabs some shut-eye on a rock at Omega Park, near Gatineau, Que., May 11, after chasing away its two young cubs playfully cavorting nearby.

The Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, Que., looks surreal in this High Dynamic Range Image (HDRI) created by blending several photos taken in rapid succession at different exposure levels.