Chief Justice Wagner has just arrived, subbing in for an ailing Gov Gen. He and the Silver Cross mother are escorted to the Cenotaph. PM Carney was already in the assembled group, since he has lesser precedence than the GovGen (or Administrator, the Chief Justice on this event.
Children’s choir sings O Canada.
The bugler plays the Last Post and flags are dipped.
Everything has a light covering of snow.
Right on 11 am Ottawa time.
Two minutes of silence.
The piper plays the “Flowers of the Forest”.
Minute guns.
And then the bugler plays the Rouse.
Act of Remembrance recited by two Legion vets and a Northern Ranger, in English, French and I think Inuktitut
Wreath laying now.
Children’s choir sings “In Flanders Fields” in English.
Pipes and drums. Massed pipe band in full regalia.
Brass band starts. Children sing “In Flanders Fields” in French: “Au Champ d’Honneur”.
Pipers begin.
Address by a rabbi.
RCMP Black Hawk fly by. (CF - 18 fly by cancelled because of overcast.)
Children’s choir sings God Save the King, in English and French.
Vice-regal party departs. CJ Wagner shaking hands with vets and attendees. Some of the older seated vets have red and white blankets with large poppies.
Gov Gen’s husband accompanies CJ Wagner.
Silver Cross mother lost her son in Afghanistan in 2006.
PM Carney shaking hands as well. Wearing his Order of Canada medallion.
One of the vets in attendance is 103.
Piper band begins the walk-off.
CJ Wagner and the Silver Cross mother ascend the reviewing stand for the walk-off of all the vets in attendance.
Crowd applauds the vets.
And people come forward and put their poppies on the Tomb.
I attended a live ceremony today with many of the same things. At least it did not uselessly translate French into the same English that was spoken thirty seconds ago. Why can’t the CBC just leave it as French without interruption? We know it’s the same, ce n’est pas un pavot…