Manitobans flock to legislative grounds for gun salute to Queen Elizabeth II
Ceremonial gunfire rang out on the Manitoba Legislature grounds to honour Queen Elizabeth II on the day of her funeral.
A royal gun salute of 96 rounds took place to honour each year of the late monarch’s life.
Linda Blair joined the crowds on the grounds to take in the ceremony. The Queen has been a fixture throughout her entire life, and she wanted to find a way to honour her.
“All my life, I have seen The Queen in the very different stages of her life, and she’s always been a woman I could look up to and admire, and this is just the final way that I can say goodbye,” she told CTV News Winnipeg after the ceremony.
Ken Kuhn first met Queen Elizabeth as an Air Cadet during a parade in Vancouver for her coronation in the ‘50s.
“My memory is that I fainted on the parade, so I fainted for The Queen,” he recalled, laughing.
He came to the ceremony Monday to pay his respects to Her Royal Highness, who he believes was a pillar of dependability for Canada.
“I think the constitutional monarchy provides some continuity and stability to our country, and certainly Queen Elizabeth II has served the commonwealth and the nation in an exemplary way, so I’m here to honour her,” he said.
The late monarch’s legacy is a complicated one for Velma Anderson. She came to the ceremony wearing an Every Child Matters shirt, to pay tribute to Indigenous children sent to residential schools.
“It’s all about the residential school survivors for me. I’m honouring them today,” she said.
PROVINCE TO LIVE STREAM MEMORIAL SERVICE
The province is also holding an invitation-only memorial service at 7 p.m. Monday at St. John’s Anglican Cathedral in Winnipeg. It can be viewed via live stream on the province’s YouTube page.
The church’s bell will toll 96 times before the service begins.
The province has also flown the flags on all provincial buildings at half-mast, while black ribbon has been placed on The Queen’s portrait in room 200 of the Manitoba Legislative Building.
The Queen’s cipher will also be projected outside the front of the Manitoba Legislative Building under the Golden Boy for the rest of the period of mourning, while the fountain in Memorial Park is lit purple in recognition of The Queen’s colour designation for her Platinum Jubilee.
Additionally, the Centennial Flame on Memorial Boulevard has been lit and will burn until the end of the mourning period.
A book of condolences has also been placed at the base of the grand staircase in the Manitoba Legislative Building, and has been signed by the lieutenant-governor, the premier, the mayor of Winnipeg and more.
The public is also invited to sign books of condolences during the rest of the mourning period, as well. Details on where to sign the books can be found on the province’s website.
Correction
NOTE: This is a corrected story. The original story said a 21-gun salute took place on the Legislature grounds, when the decision was made over the weekend by the 38 Brigade Artillery Tactical Group to not hold one.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.