‘I felt for a moment like Canada’s greatest superhero’
Marc-André LeBlanc — Moncton, N.B.
In November 2008, when I was working as a page at the Canadian Senate, I had the opportunity to take part in a symbolic and defining moment in Canadian democratic life.
On Nov. 19, 2008, the 40th Parliament opened during Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s second term of office, complete with the Speech From the Throne ceremony. Throne speeches are always important occasions in any Canadian parliament or legislative body, and the 2008 speech in Ottawa was no exception. The red carpets, the royal guard, the presence of the diplomatic corps: Ottawa’s political world was abuzz!
On a more personal note, I had been put in charge of a task of the utmost importance: closing the “bar.” The brass bar separates the members of the House of Commons from the members of the Upper Chamber and the Crown, represented by the governor general, who was Her Excellency Michaëlle Jean at the time.
For a political nerd like me, I felt as if I bore the entire weight of Canadian democracy on my shoulders. I was responsible for ensuring that no MPs committed an affront to that great symbolism. I remember it vividly: a horde of MPs coming down the corridor between the two chambers, with the Usher of the Black Rod leading the way. As if in a well-rehearsed dance, I slipped in between the Speaker of the House of Commons and the prime minister. Then, with a movement of questionable grace, I slid the bar behind me.
Once it was in place, I felt for a moment like Canada’s greatest superhero!