Calgary celebrates Canada Day by reflecting, learning history

Thousands in Calgary are celebrating Canada’s 156th birthday by reflecting and learning about the country’s history.

On Saturday morning, some marked a fitting milestone — becoming Canadian.

“We are very happy to be Canadian today. It was a very, very long process, but finally, we are there,” said Mohamed Youssef, who waited nearly six years for this moment.

Francis Morales, another new Canadian citizen, added, “It’s wonderful. It’s like being adopted by a great family.”

Forty eight people from 14 countries took an oath at Heritage Park, marking the final step in their citizenship journey.

“It just warms the soul to see these people become Canadians … It doesn’t get old because of the smiles of the people,” said Irene Pfeiffer, officiating officer.

Over at Fort Calgary, thousands attended the city’s largest Canada Day celebration since the start of the pandemic.

There was everything from live music and food vendors, to cultural performances and turban tying.

“We want people to be aware of what the turban is and what the experience is if they want to get one tied. There is no cost to this and it’s just the experience, the education,” said Sukhvinder Malhotra, who is involved with the turban tying.

There was also an Indigenous showcase and powwow.

It was a meaningful way to observe the day for Laura Grizzlypaws, who performed a special dance, called the grizzly bear, for the crowd.

"The primary message is really understanding that we are still here, that we are not living in the past, that we must be able to start looking at challenging ourselves in regard to deconstructing colonialism within ourselves,” she told CTV News.

Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek says it’s important for people to take the time to reflect and learn.

“If we can take a moment to pause and just be a bit more kind and compassionate to each other, I think we would be developing a much stronger society … We can be proud of where we live while acknowledging that there is work to do,” she said.

Canada Day celebrations will end with a bang.

The fireworks show was initially cancelled by the city due to cultural sensitives around Truth and Reconciliation and the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Exclusion Act. However, it was quickly reinstated following public outcry.

The fireworks will be launched from Stampede Park around 11 p.m., but the grounds are closed to the public, so people are encouraged to watch from Fort Calgary or other spots around town.