Days Like Any Other

Monday and Tuesday last week were days like any other.

On Monday morning, while my sister was hiking in England, I drove forty minutes from my home in Quebec’s Gatineau Hills to water the plants at her place in Ottawa. As I was leaving, I wondered if my trip would be slowed down by the arrival of King Charles III and Queen Camilla in Canada’s capital that very day.

On my way towards Ottawa, I saw the sun’s rays dance on the rapids of the river flowing along the road. Then, as I crossed the Ottawa River from Quebec into Ontario, I admired the Maple Leaf flag floating on the Peace Tower of the Parliament Buildings. There was no slowdown on the bridge as I had anticipated.

Opting for the more scenic route along the Ottawa River, I drove past the Governor General’s residence, expecting a traffic delay as the King and Queen were scheduled to plant a tree there in a few hours.

To my surprise, there was zero evidence of added security. No barriers and no police. No traffic jam. Just families dressed in white and red, heading for a picnic on the grounds of the Governor General’s residence, hoping to catch a glimpse of the royals later that day. Would it have been the same in any other world capital, I wondered?

The rest of my trip to my sister’s place reminded me why I love Canada so much for its Canadianness.

From the Governor General’s residence, I drove along the Sir George Etienne Cartier Parkway (George Etienne Cartier being one of our Fathers of Confederation) along the beautiful Ottawa River dotted with sailboats. The seductive spring scent from the hundreds of blooming lilac trees lining the road filled the open windows of the car.

I noticed the much-loved Musical Ride horses that often grazed in the fields by the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) stables were missing. Being groomed no doubt to accompany the King and Queen on their ride via open landau to the Senate on Tuesday for the reading of the Speech to the Throne.

Proceeding along my route, I saw an older Afghan man walking along in his native garb—someone right out of a Steve McCurry photograph. He looked right at home in Canada.

A young woman crossed my path as I waited to turn at an intersection. She smiled at me and mouthed merci even though she had the right of way.

I watched as two seniors zipped along the road in motorized wheelchairs with Canadian flags floating behind them. Further along, a young couple enjoyed a stroll with their baby, taking advantage, perhaps, of paid parental leave.

While there was pomp and circumstance surrounding the royals, during my two hours in Ottawa, I saw no municipal or Ontario Provincial Police, no RCMP, no army. For most people in our capital, it was a day like any other.

Upon my return home, I watched CBC’s coverage of the royals’ arrival. They were greeted by the Governor General, Prime Minister Carney and traditional Algonquin drummers from Kitigan Zibi.

They visited the farmer’s market at Lansdowne Park near the Rideau Canal. Under a beautiful sunny sky, the crowd cheered King Charles and Queen Camilla as they shook hands with smiling Canadians, and the King dropped the puck for a street hockey game—no royal visit to Canada complete, of course, without the requisite hockey reminder.

After a horticulture tour and falafel demonstration, the royal couple stopped by a maple syrup stand—an iconic symbol of Canadiana. Security people hovered unobtrusively. While bullet-proof glass enclosures might be obligatory in many other countries, there were none in sight.

Off next to the Governor General’s for that tree planting ceremony, the royal couple continued to be surrounded by a typically diverse crowd of cheering Canadians.

On television the following day, I watched King Charles III making his way in the open landau to the Senate where he read the new government’s Speech from the Throne, receiving a standing ovation, when he said Canada is “strong and free”.

In a final ceremony, before leaving for the airport, the King and Queen visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Making their way to the War Memorial, they shook hands with Canadians who expressed their pride and appreciation by spontaneously singing both God Save the King and O Canada.

The royal visit was memorable for all the traditional pomp and circumstance. But most of all, it didn’t disrupt Canadian life—it had simply become part of it. While special, Monday and Tuesday had been, in every sense that matters, days like any other.

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Sylvie Lamoureux is one of the founders of Postcards from Canada.