Queen Elizabeth II funeral: Canadians pay tribute to national ceremony for monarch
Canada held a national memorial service for Queen Elizabeth II in Ottawa, after the captivating funeral service in Britain.
A military parade led by members of the armed forces and RCMP officers on horseback marched past the National War Memorial and Parliament Hill to a cathedral on the western edge of downtown.
Small crowds of people lined the route despite rainy, cool weather blanketing the national capital.
A 96-gun salute, one salvo for every year of the queen's life, took about 16 minutes to complete at the National War Museum a few blocks from the church.
Inside Christ Church Cathedral Albert Dumont, Ottawa's English poet laureate and Algonquin spiritual adviser, began the service with a short tribute. Former PM Brian Mulroney, and former Gov. Gen. Adrienne Clarkson shared why the Queen helped build the foundation of Canada.
The pews were filled with a who's-who of Canada's political elite, including Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2022.
Laura Osman, Dylan Robertson and Mia Rabson, The Canadian Press