|
 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau kicked off
celebrations amid heavy security and some 25,000 people
assembled at a large outdoor celebration in front of the
national Parliament in Ottawa, where Irish singer Bono and other
members of rock band U2 enthralled the audience.
"When others build walls, you open doors; when others divide,
your arms are open wide; where you lead, others follow," Bono
said. But the bad weather meant a fly-past featuring Canadian
warplanes was canceled and later on, an evening concert was
delayed by an hour to allow the rain storms to pass.
The long-anticipated Canada Day festivities, which included
other features such as acrobats, and special citizenship
ceremonies across large cities, concluded with fireworks.
Trudeau, accompanied by Britain's Prince Charles, shook hands
with some of the thousands of revelers who converged on Canada's
capital Ottawa.
"Canada is a country made strong not in spite of our differences
but because of them," Trudeau told the gathering. "We don't
aspire to be a melting pot – indeed, we know true strength and
resilience flows through Canadian diversity."
Still, in the run-up to the celebrations, some controversy was
stirred at home, particularly among First Nations who noted
Canada's history of mistreatment of indigenous people. Activists
erected a teepee on Parliament Hill on Thursday in protest.
On Saturday, about 100 indigenous protesters marched through
Toronto, carrying red flags and with some holding the Canadian
national flag upside down.
RUBBER DUCK
Some cities celebrated in more unusual ways. Toronto, Canada's
largest city, featured a giant rubber duck floating in its
harbor, while Calgary planned a "living flag" composed of people
wearing red and white. The yellow duck, which cost C$200,000
($154,273) including the rent, according to the Globe and Mail,
drew criticism from some who described it as a waste of taxpayer
money.
Security was already ramped up in the days ahead of the
celebration and partygoers contended with road closures and
concrete barriers across entrances into Parliament Hill, located
in downtown Ottawa.
Heavy downpours prompted Ottawa firefighters to pump water off
the grounds on Parliament Hill and the Ottawa Fire Service urged
citizens to follow safety instructions.
National and local police were also out in force, with security
top of mind for many Canadians in the wake of fatal attacks in
London, Paris and Germany.
Saturday marks the 150th anniversary of the day Canada
officially became a country. Britain had ruled it before 1867.
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"Canada 150 years ago was a project, it was an idea to bring
together four colonies with very different historical backgrounds,"
said Pierre Anctil, history professor at the University of Ottawa.
"We should celebrate but we should not be complacent. It's not a
finished project," he added.
TELEGENIC PM
The nationwide party comes as Canada is enjoying an unusual amount
of interest from the rest of the world, largely due to the election
of charismatic and selfie-prone leader Trudeau.
"As a society, we must acknowledge and apologize for past wrongs,
and chart a path forward for the next 150 years," Trudeau said in a
statement ahead of the official kickoff.
Indigenous rights group Idle No More has called for a national day
of action on Saturday, telling supporters to hold rallies and take
to social media.
Events and installations celebrating the sesquicentennial milestone
have already been held across the country this year, with the total
cost to the federal government reported to be half a billion
dollars.
Along with fireworks, free museums and outdoor concerts nationwide
on Saturday, more than 50 special ceremonies to swear in new
citizens were planned across the country.
Twitter users were sharing their favorite Canadian songs and food,
along with photos of the preparations under the hashtag Canada150.
Prince Charles and his wife Camilla arrived for an official visit on
Thursday. The royals began a three-day tour with a trip to the
northern territory of Nunavut, home to a large number of First
Nations and Inuit people.
The bash in Ottawa culminated with a musical fireworks show that is
billed as largest-ever such display for Canada Day. It lasted 20
minutes and 17 seconds to commemorate 2017.
"One hundred fifty years? Nah. Look at us: Canada is being born
today," Trudeau told the crowd soaked in rains.
A full list of events is at (https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/canada-day.html)
(Additional reporting by David Ljunggren and Andrea Hopkins; Writing
by Denny Thomas; Editing by Matthew Lewis and Nick Macfie)
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