Ottawa is popularly considered, well, boring. I grew up in the pre-suburban residential neighborhood of Alta Vista, and would likely agree ... had I not later on lived a good chunk of my adult life downtown.
Canada's capital can be a vivacious and fascinating place if you know where to look, and is full of great neighborhoods, excellent food, and quirky subcultures.
The city has a lot invested (literally and figuratively) in its image as Canada's capital, and has lovely urban design, excellent bike routes, and many beautiful buildings and tourist attractions as a result. Unfortunately it also tends to police and segregate poverty and social problems, and maintains its squeaky clean image at a decided cost.