Thousands celebrate Canada Day in Victoria style
From natural-born Canadians to immigrants and foreign visitors, Victoria opened its arms to all on Sunday.
Michael Khan celebrated Canada’s 151th birthday in style.
In red-silk tuxedo and top hat, Khan showed his true colours as a Canadian.
The 33-year-old, who came to Canada when he was three years of age, is the son of an Afghan father and Sri Lankan mother.
“I’ve lived in a lot of different places across Canada. I’ve met a lot of different people from diverse backgrounds. And no matter where I’ve gone, I’ve always met people who are kind, considerate, funny, caring and openminded. No matter what our background, no matter what our ethnicity or sexual orientation is, no matter how you can label a human being, people in Canada seem to be so accepting and loving,” Khan said Sunday afternoon in the midst of Victoria’s festivities. “It’s the best place on Earth.” Thousands seemed to agree. Under blustery, windswept skies, they proudly celebrated the true north strong and free. People, dressed in red and white, filled the lawn of the legislature. Canadian flags were everywhere.
Angela Jennings, with her twoyear-old son Maverick in her arms, was excited to be part of the living flag. About 2,500 people took part.
“I’m a proud Canadian and I’m here with my son. It’s our first time doing this and we’re here to honour Canada. This is our day,” Jennings said.
Jason Soo and his visiting Chinese cousin, Guiming, posed for a photograph with a Mountie.
“What is great about Canada is it’s very open,” said Soo. “I’m celebrating the fact that I’ve got this opportunity to show my cousin all the great things that we have to offer in this country and she’s been very impressed.”
Guiming, who had just returned from a trip to Banff, loved the Canadian wilderness, the mountains and the forest, Soo said.
Soo’s wife Anna, who is from Germany, was one of the few not wearing a red or white T-shirt.
“I’m breastfeeding and I looked for a nursing shirt with a maple leaf, but I couldn’t find one,” she said. “But I’m happy I added another one to the Canadian population.”
“We just had our baby three months ago and we’re very thankful we can raise our child in this country with all its benefits,” Soo said.
Jo Aquino, who came to Canada from the Philippines in 1976, joined in the living flag with her sister, son, nephew and niece-inlaw and their daughter Misha, who is “a real Canadian,” Aquino said.
“I’m so happy to be in Canada. I chose Canada as my country,” she said. “It’s a peaceful country. It’s welcoming all the multicultural people … my kids and my family have been happy here. We’ve had no problems since we came.”
And what would a true Canadian celebration be without a peaceful protest?
Before the living flag photo was taken, a small group protesting the government’s stand on fish farms spoke to the crowd.
“We are here to recognize the history of this country, to recognize that this history has been based on the cultural genocide and assimilation of Indigenous people from coast to coast and that we as Canadian citizens, as settlers on these territories, need to begin to show respect to the people who were here since time immemorial,” Bobby Arbess said.
He called on the crowd to support First Nations’ rights to land and clean drinking water and to oppose resource extraction industries that he said lay waste to Indigenous lands and waters.
“We need to stand together with First Nation communities against fish farms … against pipelines, and for true reconciliation we can truly celebrate what this country means.”
Dave Talbot, who was taking part in the living flag photo, said he was glad the protesters were there.
“I’m celebrating certain aspects of Canada but also really nervous about where we are going environmentally,” Talbot said. “So far, I feel we’re talking reconciliation but we’re not showing much action. The Kinder Morgan pipeline is going right through their lands.”
The celebrations also had some mayhem, with Victoria police arresting 17 people.
From 6 p.m. Sunday to 6 a.m. Monday, they received 157 calls for service in Victoria and Esquimalt. Officers had to deal with a large number of intoxicated youth, said a Twitter message from Victoria police.
Many parents were called to come down and pick up their children. Police confiscated and poured out a lot of liquor, the Twitter message said.
Celebrations continued Monday in Sidney with a sidewalk sale and street festival. Rows of red and white flags fluttered over Beacon Avenue from Fifth Street down to the waterfront. There was face painting and chalk drawing for children and lineups for an inflatable obstacle course.
There was jazz on one corner and polka music on the next. Edith Lau, with three-year-old son Colton in her arms, bounced to the toe-tapping music of a Celtic band.
“He’s having fun but it’s almost naptime,” Lau said. “Colton likes to see all the dogs and the bouncy castle is fun.”
People strolled by plein air painters Brenda Milne and William Watt, who had the best view of the water and the islands beyond.
“They got a good day for it, full of people,” said Milne, eyeing the painting in progress on her easel. “Hopefully, by the time I get around to do doing the water, there’ll be a sailboat.”