OTTAWA—Canadians from coast to coast took part in a variety of events to celebrate Canada Day on July 1. In Ottawa, despite showers and cloudy skies, a sea of red and white dominated Parliament Hill as thousands turned out to mark the country’s 148th birthday.
The crowd was regaled with an outstanding line-up of performers from all parts of Canada, evoking this year’s theme: Strong. Proud. Free.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper touched on the theme in his speech, praising Canada as “a prosperous and optimistic country.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, the greatness of this country is no accident,” he said. “It is built on an unshakeable foundation of values: freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law, which is what draws people here from around the world.
“And those are the values for which our men and women in uniform put everything on the line, every day, in our defence,” he added, singling out the Canadian Armed Forces.
