Thousands of people gathered in Ottawa to celebrate Canada Day and enjoy the many activities planned, but they were not the only ones to mark the national holiday, as the Ukrainian president also spoke about it.
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Canadians turned out in large numbers on Monday to celebrate the 157th anniversary of Canadian Confederation.
“It’s part of our identity, our culture. I’m happy to experience this, I think it’s a great family celebration,” said an individual present at the celebrations.
The traditional noon show was held on LeBreton Flats and not on Parliament Hill as usual, due to work that is still in progress.
In addition to the show co-hosted by Quebec singer Marie-Mai, an air parade was held to mark the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
The celebrations in the federal capital are exceptionally being held without Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who was in Newfoundland to participate in an official morning ceremony for the repatriation of the unknown soldier.
He nevertheless sent a message to Canadians, speaking in particular of the values that unite them.
“A country where everyone has an equal chance, no matter who they are, where they come from, how they pray or who they love,” he said in the video shared on his social media.
The celebrations will continue throughout the day before an evening show featuring Corneille, FouKi and Sara Dufour. The commemorations will end with the traditional fireworks display.
A message from Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also wished the Prime Minister and Canadians a happy Canada Day.
“We greatly appreciate Canada’s leadership in supporting Ukraine, which began in 1991, when Canada was one of the first countries to recognize Ukraine’s independence,” he said in a post on X.
“Today, Canada continues to stand with Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression, as a true friend and ally. Most importantly, this partnership is built on strong people-to-people ties,” he added.
