Trudeau says that Canadian flag represents the promise of a better life
Key Takeaways:
- In light of a potentially divisive national holiday, PM Justin Trudeau urged more adherence to Canadian values like kindness and hope in his official Canada Day speech.
- A caravan of COVID-19 restriction opponents, many of whom clad in Canadian flags, are planning events in Ottawa on Friday in addition to holiday revellers.
- The governor-general will give an address at official ceremonies on Friday in Ottawa, and the prime minister will be there.
On Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau used his official Canada Day speech to urge more adherence to Canadian values like kindness and hope in the face of a potentially controversial national celebration.
According to the prime minister, the 155th anniversary of Canada's confederacy allows embracing the ideals the Maple Leaf stands for. He added that the flag is more than just a symbol.
It's also a promise; he said, a promise of change, a promise of protection for people running from conflict and bloodshed, a promise of a better life.
For the first in-person Canada Day activities held in Ottawa since the COVID-19 outbreak, Canadians and tourists encountered an unusual level of protection on Friday in the nation's capital.
With cars lining the entrance to the LeBreton Flats Park, where the major festivities would occur, and groups of police officers patrolling the streets, there was a noticeable police presence throughout the downtown area. Before entering, visitors have to pass through metal detectors akin to those at airports and have their bags inspected.
Donna Marzolf, including her 12-year-old daughter Alexis Livingstone, who came from Calgary to participate in the celebration and get front-row tickets to the main stage, were among the first people to arrive. Alexis, carrying a small Canadian flag and dressed in a maple leaf t-shirt, expressed her delight at seeing her twin sister Sophia perform O Canada with the Calgary Children's Choir.
The day was a celebration of "peace, safety, and freedom — albeit that kind of has a horrible connotation right now," according to the mother of the twins.
For her first trip to Ottawa, Karen MacDonald took a plane from Ladner, British Columbia.
Being here in person is very exhilarating for me, she declared. "Many people are sporting red, white, and flags across the city. My pride causes my stomach pain."
Along with holiday revelers, a caravan of COVID-19 restriction opponents, who frequently dress in Canadian flags, are organizing events in Ottawa on Friday. However, the National War Memorial, which had a sizable crowd on Thursday night, was quiet on the morning of Canada Day as a few tourists took pictures.
A peaceful but jubilant crowd meandered through downtown streets restricted to traffic as small lines of people were vetted by metal detectors at the entrances to Parliament Hill.
In his official holiday statement, Trudeau said that the country's roughly 38 million citizens make Canada strong.
He declared that we are all equal citizens of this wonderful country, no matter our religious beliefs, where we were born, the color of our skin, the language we speak, or the people we love. And today, we honor the home that each of us calls.
The prime minister discussed Canada's "historical wrongs," ostensibly about how Indigenous people were treated, especially in residential schools, and said that while we cannot alter the past, we can fight to create a better future.
In her Canada Day speech, Governor-General Mary Simon urged Canadians to cooperate to create an inclusive society.
She advised people to show kindness to one another, share knowledge, and pay attention to Indigenous Peoples because they live on our soil.
On Friday, the prime minister will attend official celebrations in Ottawa, where the governor-general is scheduled to deliver a speech.