OTTAWA – Thousands of revelers flocking to the nation’s capital for Canada Day celebrations heard an impassioned call for unity Friday as the prime minister urged them to reclaim the Maple Leaf as a national symbol.
The exhortation from Justin Trudeau and other officials came on another potentially divisive day in Ottawa, as those intended to mark the first Canada Day celebrations since the COVID-19 pandemic marked the occasion alongside protesters opposing the orders for public health and in the current Liberal government.  Canadian flags became a prominent symbol for like-minded protesters in January and February, when they staged a weeks-long demonstration in the downtown core that brought much of the city to a standstill.
At an early afternoon ceremony honoring the 155th anniversary of Canadian confederation, Trudeau urged residents to remember the values ​​the Maple Leaf stands for, including compassion, hope and justice.
“It represents our achievements and our desire to improve,” Trudeau said of the national emblem.  “Let’s remember that while we are 38 million people living in six time zones from coast to coast to coast, we only have one country to share, protect and love.”
Trudeau was joined by Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez, who told the red-and-white-clad crowd he was proud to see the Maple Leaf in widespread use.
The official ceremony was held off Parliament Hill for the first time in 50 years, according to Heritage Canada, citing ongoing construction in the Center Block.  Instead, celebrations were held at nearby LeBreton Flats Park as well as another location across the river in Gatineau, Que.  Among those who traveled across the country to celebrate Canada Day in Ottawa were Donna Marzolf and her 12-year-old daughter Alexis Livingstone, who came from Calgary to take part in the celebration and secure front-row seats on the main stage .
Alexis, wearing a Maple Leaf T-shirt and holding a small Canadian flag, said she was especially excited to see her twin sister Sophia perform O Canada at the festivities as part of the Calgary Children’s Choir.
The mother of twins said the day was a celebration of “peace, security and freedom – although that kind of has a bad connotation at the moment”.
A heightened level of security met locals and visitors in the nation’s capital Friday for the first in-person Canada Day events in Ottawa since 2019.
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Police maintained a visible presence throughout the downtown core, with teams of officers walking the streets and patrol cars lining the entrance to LeBreton Flats Park.
Guests had to go through airport-style metal detectors and have their bags searched before entering.
Despite high security, the atmosphere was relaxed, and Trudeau took time to meet and greet members of the crowd before heading to the stage for his speech.
Trudeau praised Canadians for working hard to improve the lives of others.  He specifically mentioned Terry Fox, who ran across much of Canada to raise money for cancer before his death in 1981.
Trudeau’s comments could be seen as a dig at James Topp, a Canadian soldier who has been accused of speaking out against COVID-19 vaccine demands.  Top walked from B.C.  in Ottawa in defiance of the COVID-19 vaccine mandates and arrived in the capital on Thursday.
The prime minister told the crowd “Canada is for people who are constantly fighting for something instead of against.”
Similar sentiments were echoed in Trudeau’s official Canada Day message, released earlier Friday, in which he said the national flag was more than just a symbol.
“It is also a promise – a promise of opportunity, a promise of safety for those fleeing violence and war, and a promise of a better life,” he said.
Trudeau told the Ottawa crowd on Friday that there had been “serious errors in our history” and the discovery of unmarked graves had caused pain and disappointment.
In his official message, the prime minister spoke of Canada’s “historic mistakes,” saying that while we can’t change history, we can work to build a better future.
Musicians were also present at the official ceremony, including New Brunswick trash-folk singer Lisa LeBlanc, country singer Tenille Townes and Juno-winning DJ Shub, a Mohawk DJ known as the godfather of the powwow.
Brenda Noseworthy, who came to Ottawa from Newfoundland for the official celebration, described the atmosphere at LeBreton Flats as “low-key.”
But he believed people were slightly more nervous than usual, citing the pandemic and protests as possible factors, adding that he supported the plan to move the celebrations out of Parliament.
Karen MacDonald flew in from Ladner, BC, and attended her first Canada Day celebrations in Ottawa.
“It’s very exciting for me to be here personally,” he said.  “So many different people in the city wear red and white, with flags.  It makes my belly ache with pride.”
The prime minister, Governor General Mary Simon and Rodriguez participated in an Indigenous remembrance ceremony on the banks of the Ottawa River before attending the main Canada Day event.
Stephanie Peltier of Ontario’s Wikwemikong First Nation blessed water with a sacred bundle containing tobacco, sage, sweet grass and cedar.  He sang an honor song as members of a circle, including the prime minister’s family, shook hands.
Simon, who also spoke at the official ceremony, praised Canadians for their hard work and perseverance during the pandemic, especially frontline workers.
But he said “the spirit of celebration does not extend to everyone.”
“This day can also be a reminder of what we have lost,” he said, including indigenous people who “still mourn lost culture, languages ​​and lives.”
Many Canada Day celebrations are scheduled to take place across the country throughout the rest of the day.
A series of events were planned in Montreal’s Old Port, including an outdoor concert, face painting, a giant cake and fireworks.  There will be no parade in the city for the third consecutive year.
In Quebec City, activities include musical performances, a formal ceremony with the Royal Canadian Army 22nd Regiment and fireworks on the Plains of Abraham.
After two years of canceled or virtual celebrations, Canada Day festivities are also back in Metro Vancouver.
The largest planned celebration was planned with the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations and was renamed Canada Together.  It highlighted a theme of reconciliation and presented opportunities to learn more about Indigenous and other cultures that make up Canadian society, organizers said.
The festivities were to include live music, exhibits, family-friendly activities and food trucks, but the annual evening fireworks show over Burrard Inlet was canceled this year due to safety costs.
Officials in Toronto, meanwhile, were forced to try to reschedule some planned fireworks displays after a contracted vendor pulled out at the last minute.
The city said that while a high-profile performance will take place on Friday as planned, events at two local parks have been postponed or canceled permanently as a result of the issue.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on July 1, 2022.
– With reporting by Jacob Serebrin in Montreal, Brieanna Charlebois in Vancouver and Jordan Omstead in Toronto.