TEH QUEEN CELEBRATES CANADA DAY

DRESSED IN RED, AND WEARING A DIAMOND MAPLE LEAF BROOCH, THE QUEEN HELPED CANADA CELEBRATE ITS BIRTHDAY, AS THOUSANDS TURNED OUT FOR A TELEVISED PARTY TO MARK THE HISTORIC OCCASION. THE QUEEN TOLD CANADIANS OF THE 'ENORMOUS ADMIRATION' SHE FELT WATCHING THE COMMONWEALTH COUNTRY GROW AND MATURE 'WHILE REMAINING TRUE TO ITS HISTORY, ITS DISTINCTIVE CHARACTER AND ITS VALUES.' SHE AND THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH, ON A NINE DAY TOUR OF THE NORTH AMERICAN NATION, WERE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE CANADA DAY CELEBRATIONS, BOTH FORMAL POMP AND MILITARY PAGEANT AND A RELAXED POP CONCERT. THE IMMENSE CROWDS PACKING PARLIAMENT HILL IN THE CAPITAL, OTTAWA, WERE A SEA OF RED AND WHITE, THE NATIONAL COLOURS, WHICH MANY SUPPORTERS WAVING THE CANADIAN FLAG. MINDFUL OF THE COUNTRY'S COLOURS AND ICONS, THE QUEEN WORE A RED CHIFFON DRESS AND JACKET, SET OFF BY A WHITE STRAW HAT WITH A SCARLET FLOWER, AND A DIAMOND MAPLE LEAF BROOCH ON HER SHOULDER. WHEN SHE STOOD UP TO GIVE A SPEECH, SHE DREW A LARGE CHEER FROM THE CROWDS WHEN SHE TOLD THEM: 'THANK YOU FOR INVITING PRINCE PHILIP AND ME TO JOIN YOU ALL ON THIS SPECIAL DAY.' MUCH OF HER ADDRESS WAS DELIVERED IN FRENCH, AND SHE ADDED: 'DURING MY LIFETIME, I HAVE BEEN A WITNESS TO THIS COUNTRY FOR MORE THAN HALF ITS HISTORY SINCE CONFEDERATION. THIS NATION HAS DEDICATED ITSELF TO BEING A CARING HOME FOR ITS OWN, A SANCTUARY FOR OTHERS AND AN EXAMPLE TO THE WORLD." THE QUEEN AND THE DUKE ARRIVED IN A HORSE-DRAWN LANDAU ESCORTED BY A GROUP OF ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE, THE MOUNTIES. THE ROYAL COUPLE WERE CHEERED AND WAVED AT BY THE CROWDS, SOME OF WHOM HAD WAITED FOR SEVERAL HOURS, QUEUEING BEFORE OFFICIALS ARRIVED TO START ORGANIZING THE DAY. THE QUEEN INSPECTED TWO IMMACULATE ROWS OF THE CANADIAN FORCES' CEREMONIAL GUARD, COMPLETE WITH RED TUNICS AND BEARSKINS, LIKE THEIR BRITISH COUNTERPARTS, THE GUARDS DIVISION, AND THEN TOOK THE ROYAL SALUTE AS THEY MARCHED OFF. SHE AND THE DUKE THEN JOINED PRIME MINISTER STEPHEN HARPER AND HIS WIFE FOR THE SHORT WALK TO THE STAGE WHERE THEY TOOK THEIR SEATS FOR THE HOLIDAY CONCERT. THE ARTISTS WHO PLAYED REFLECTED THE COUNTRY'S DIVERSE MUSIC SCENE FROM ALTERNATIVE COUNTRY AND RAP TO SOUL, GOSPEL AND POP AND SANG IN BOTH FRENCH AND ENGLISH. ON 1.JULY.1867 THE DOMINION OF CANADA WAS BORN WHEN THE BRITISH NORTH AMERICAN ACT UNITED THE BRITISH COLONIES OF NOVA SCOTIA AND NEW BRUNSWICK WITH THE PROVINCE OF CANADA TO FORM A NEW NATION. THE DATE IS CELEBRATED ACROSS THE COUNTRY EVERY YEAR AND IS ALSO A NATIONAL HOLIDAY.