Waterloo Region Record

Canada 150 bash celebrates ‘not what we did … who we are’

- Stephanie Levitz

OTTAWA — Paper Maple Leaf flags soaked by an early morning downpour quickly turned into makeshift fans to ward off sticky afternoon warmth Saturday as thousands of people squelched and squished their way around Parliament Hill to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday.

The crowds for this year’s Canada Day celebratio­n may have been the biggest ever, and due to the especially tight security thousands of people had to wait in lines — often for hours — as they funnelled through security checkpoint­s to get to the party on the Hill.

It prompted plenty of grumbling as would-be revellers took to social media to vent their frustratio­ns.

“I used to think standing quietly in orderly lines was what made this country great. I don’t know what to believe in anymore,” tweeted Benjamin Woo.

Kim D. complained in a tweet that “Disorganiz­ed security lines caused 8 hr.+ backlog,” while some others said the ridiculous­ly long wait had caused them to miss the show they’d come to see.

About 25,000 people — a waterlogge­d rainbow coalition of rain slickers, ponchos and umbrellas — were on hand as the midday show wrapped up, but the downtown core teemed with celebrants throughout the day as the sun came out and crowds amassed anew in anticipati­on of the evening show.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who was to return to host the second instalment, was on hand earlier Saturday alongside his family, as well as Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, for a series of performanc­es that began with Buffy Sainte-Marie’s rousing version of “Carry On.”

A single CF-18 streaked over the Centre Block, drowning out the final notes of O Canada, before the prime minister delivered a rousing, forceful and enthusiast­ic celebratio­n of the unique power and resilience of the Canadian character.

“We don’t aspire to be a melting pot,” Trudeau told the cheering crowd. “We know true strength and resilience flows through Canadian diversity. Ours is a land of original peoples and of newcomers, and our greatest pride is that you can come here from anywhere in the world, build a good life and be part of our community.”

The week’s celebratio­ns have been tinged with the resentment and frustratio­n of indigenous people chafing over the country’s oppressive, colonial past — a sentiment symbolized by the teepee erected not far from the stage, and expressed overtly by protesters in Montreal.

“Our past is far from perfect,” Trudeau said in Ottawa. “For centuries, Indigenous Peoples have been victims of oppression, from the time when the first explorers celebrated their discovery of the new world.”

He urged the crowd to acknowledg­e the country’s history and to confront its reality.

“We must educate ourselves and dedicate our efforts to progress,” he said. “It is a choice we make not because of what we did, or who we were, but because of who we are.”

The speech also included one monumental gaffe: as he recited the names of the provinces and territorie­s, he seemed to overlook Alberta. Twitter and host Sandra Oh were among those who quickly called him out on the mistake.

Realizing the error, Trudeau jumped on the front of the stage, called out, “I love you, Alberta,” and blew a kiss, before sitting down and shaking his head. He apologized again later, citing the excitement of the occasion.

U2 frontman Bono and guitarist the Edge took the stage after Trudeau, acknowledg­ing the country’s reputation for tolerance and consensus-building.

“When others build walls, you open doors,” he said before a stripped-down version of U2’s 1991 hit, “One.”

“Where you lead, others follow, and that’s the real reason the Edge and I are here today.”

The teepee on Parliament Hill had been a source of some tension earlier in the week, and while activists chanted and waved signs during Trudeau’s speech, their encounters with the crowd at large were calm.

At evening Canada Day festivitie­s indigenous protesters booed Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, as they appeared again on stage.

But as the protesters chanted “shame, shame,” they were drowned out by even louder cheers from the crowd.

Regina resident Rhoderic Sia, 40, a red, flag-bedecked colander on his head, acknowledg­ed their cause, as did several of the day’s main speakers.

“Everybody has their own opinion,” said Sia, who hails originally from the Philippine­s.

“I respect it, but we still have to respect what Canada is now. Coming from another country, being here is all about your freedom. You can have everything if you work hard.”

Sia had been planning his trip to Ottawa for two years, but was beaten to the celebrator­y punch Saturday by celebratio­ns in Newfoundla­nd and Labrador, where a boatload of 75 early risers set out on the North Atlantic to be among the first to welcome Canada Day.

Kellie Loder of St. John’s sang O Canada as the vessel pulled in front of Cape Spear. There was a moment of silence afterward to remember those who have fought and died in battle over the past 150 years.

Prince Charles expressed his gratitude for Canada setting an example: “We should be clear and proud that we are celebratin­g a country that others look to as an example — an example of fairness and inclusion, of always striving to be better.

“Around the world, Canada is recognized as a champion of human rights, as a peacekeepe­r, as a responsibl­e steward of the environmen­t and natural resources, and as a consistent example of diversity and the power of inclusion.”

Even Donald Trump got into the spirit, tweeting his congratula­tions on the occasion of Canada’s birthday and acknowledg­ing the prime minister by name, whom he described as his “newfound friend.”

Others marked the day by becoming new-found Canadians at dozens of citizenshi­p ceremonies across the country, including one in Halifax where 53 people from more than 20 different countries celebrated Canada’s 150th birthday by taking the oath of citizenshi­p in Halifax.

Gordon Lightfoot received huge applause when he took the stage, and Trudeau, in his salute to the Canadian music icon, noted that Lightfoot had also performed 50 years earlier at Canada Day festivitie­s in 1967 when the country was 100.

And when the entertaine­rs finally left the stage, it was then time for the main act, as the skies above the Peace Tower exploded in a 20-minute, jaw dropping fireworks display that stamped the official exclamatio­n mark on Canada’s sesquicent­ennial celebratio­n.

 ?? SEAN KILPATRICK, THE CANADIAN PRESS ?? Fireworks light up behind the Peace Tower during the evening ceremonies of Canada’s 150th anniversar­y of Confederat­ion in Ottawa.
SEAN KILPATRICK, THE CANADIAN PRESS Fireworks light up behind the Peace Tower during the evening ceremonies of Canada’s 150th anniversar­y of Confederat­ion in Ottawa.

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