(OTTAWA) Canada Day celebrations resumed with a vengeance in Ottawa and across the country on Saturday, but the weather got in the way. Bad weather interrupted the festivities in the federal capital, while other activities had to be adapted or canceled due to poor air quality.
Activities began Saturday morning around Parliament Hill, but the main event is taking place at LeBreton Flats, just west of downtown Ottawa.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was there Saturday morning. He went to meet the people on the spot, alongside his Minister of Canadian Heritage, Pablo Rodriguez.
PHOTO JUSTIN TANG, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Justin Trudeau went to greet people gathered on LeBreton Flats in Ottawa.
At the end of a citizenship ceremony, Mr. Trudeau delivered a fiery message to the crowd gathered in front of the stage, extolling Canada’s strengths.
“A country where differences and diversity are celebrated. A country where you are free to be who you want and to love who you love. A country where everyone has a real and equal chance to succeed. A country where we recognize the mistakes of the past and where we work tirelessly to build a better future for everyone,” he said.
The first leg of the show on LeBreton Flats then featured artists such as Pierre Kwenders, Delhi 2 Dublin, Tyler Shaw, Josiane and Marie-Josée Dandeneau, who took turns on stage during the afternoon .
However, the festivities were interrupted around 3 p.m. due to the arrival of a storm front in Ottawa.
In a speech to Canadians broadcast before the event, Mr. Trudeau mentioned that Canada Day is an opportunity to celebrate Canada and the people with whom we share it.
“After all, Canada is the envy of the world. People fleeing violence and persecution dream of a life here. Businesses are setting up shop and opening factories in our cities and towns. Leaders around the world are counting on our leadership in times of crisis,” said the Prime Minister.
“Wherever it flies, our flag is recognized as a symbol of democracy, freedom and hope,” he added.
In her own message to Canadians, Governor General Mary Simon said Canada Day is an opportunity to reflect on what the country has achieved, but also to think about what more can be done.
“A country where people move together on the path of reconciliation; a country where people act against climate change to heal the planet; a country where people take care of their mental health as they do their physical health. A country where people actively seek to make room for equality, equity, justice and inclusion. Each person can contribute to it in different ways,” she wrote.
Festivities in Ottawa, disruptions elsewhere
Also in the federal capital, the evening show on LeBreton Flats is expected to feature Jann Arden, Roxane Bruneau and Aysanabee, among others, weather permitting.
On the other side of the Ottawa River, in Gatineau, there will be shows, in addition to a professional wrestling match, in Old Hull. Canada’s national museums, including the National Gallery of Canada, will be open free of charge.
Ottawa’s big fireworks show is set to take place at 10 p.m., despite air quality concerns, but that won’t be the case in all major cities across the country.
After the cancellation of the fireworks for Quebec’s National Day last weekend, those for Canada Day suffered the same fate in Montreal and Quebec.
The Vancouver Port Authority meanwhile cited rising costs as the reason for canceling its fireworks display last year and confirmed that the move is now permanent.
Victoria, Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, Saskatoon, Winnipeg and Toronto are all planning to go ahead with their shows.
Fireworks will also take place in the Atlantic provinces, including Halifax for the first time since 2019.
Return of the parade to Montreal
Despite the cancellation of the fireworks, Montreal still celebrated Canada Day with the return of the parade to downtown, which had not taken place since 2019.
So people gathered on either side of the street along the parade route, despite the rainy weather, to observe participants representing more than a dozen cultural communities, including large Iranian and Chinese contingents.
PHOTO GRAHAM HUGHES, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Montreal celebrated Canada Day with the return of the parade to downtown, which had not taken place since 2019.
The event organizer, Nick Cowen, was very happy to have been able to bring back the parade.
“I’ve been in the parade since I was 13,” he said in an interview with The Canadian Press before the march began. It’s a little smaller, but that’s okay. Look at all these people here, they all live together and they all live in harmony. »
For Adriana Shervan, who watched the parade with her mother, it was a time to celebrate Canada’s freedoms and diversity.
“My parents are Iranian, but I was born here. I love that this place is culturally diverse and appreciates all cultures. That’s what makes this nation so beautiful,” she said.
With information from Jacob Serebrin in Montreal