Canada Day celebrated at Parliament Hill
{{date|July 2, 2006}}
{{Canadian news}}

[[w:Canada Day|Canada Day]] was celebrated at [[w:Parliament Hill|Parliament Hill]]. People came across Canada to [[w:Ottawa|Ottawa]] to celebrate Canada's 139th birthday.

About 25,000 people including Prime Minister [[w:Stephen Harper|Stephen Harper]], his wife and their two children were there. The party got started at about 12:00, noon [[w:North American Eastern Time Zone|ET]]. The ceremony was in English and in French.

[[Image:Stephen Harper (Official Photo).jpg|left|thumb|Prime Minister Stephen Harper]]
[[Image:Canada day06.gif|right|thumb|Google Canada Day logo at Google.ca.]]

Military veterans, medal-winning Olympic athletes and some of Canada's biggest names in music were there. Canadian artists like [[w:Colin James|Colin James]] and [[w:Annie Villeneuve|Annie Villeneuve]] performed in front of the [[w:Peace Tower|Peace Tower]]. Other performers included [[w:Jesse Cook|Jesse Cook]] and the [[w:Samba Squad|Samba Squad]]. Since Canada has two official languages (English and French) some artists were from [[w:Quebec|Quebec]] and sung in French.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper urged Canadians to pay tribute to the soldiers and aid workers in Afghanistan. "Let's show our appreciation, today and every day, to those who do it best for us in Afghanistan and around the world," Harper said. "Our diplomats, our development workers and brave men and women of the Canadian Forces." said the Prime Minister.

Gov. General. [[w:Michaëlle Jean|Michaëlle Jean]] noted Canada's prosperity, including in her remarks a thank you to the people who toil to provide the country with a safe and plentiful food supply. 

"Ours is a country of great wealth from its plains, forests and mountains that nourish us to the crystal clear waters of our abundant lakes and rivers," she said. She was born in [[w:Port-au-Prince|Port-au-Prince]], [[w:Haïti|Haïti]] and is the current [[w:Governor General of Canada|Governor General of Canada]]. Harper and Jean took part in a wreath laying at the [[w:National War Memorial|National War Memorial]] at an event marking the 90th anniversary of the Battles of the Somme and [[w:Beaumont-Hamel|Beaumont-Hamel]] in France.

[[w:Bill Graham|Bill Graham]] released a statement describing Canada as being like no other country, "made up of individuals, representing all ethnicities and all religions, bound together by our shared values of family, community, tolerance and freedom."

Musicians performed in front of the Peace Tower, and fireworks ended the show.

==External links==
*[http://www.pch.gc.ca/progs/cpsc-ccsp/jfa-ha/canada_e.cfm Canada Day Background]
*[http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=fbe5dc19-36c8-4362-af04-a6e373c5f3f2 Statement by the PM]
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_Day Canada Day] at Wikipedia

==Sources==

*{{source|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2006/07/01/canada-day.html
|title=Nation's birthday celebrated from Kandahar to Canada
|author=
|pub=CBC
|date=July 1, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060701.wcanada-day01/BNStory/National/home
|title=Troops, farmers remembered on Canada Day
|author=
|pub=The Globe and Mail
|date=July 1, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=be4f754c-f024-44cf-a972-60b2ed523ced&k=90147
|title=Harper celebrates Canada Day on Parliament Hill
|author=Norma Greenaway
|pub=The Vancouver Sun
|date=July 1, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060701/canada_day_060701/20060701?hub=Canada
|title=Canadians celebrating nation's 139th birthday
|author=CTV.ca News Staff
|pub=CTV
|date=July 1, 2006}}

{{archive}}
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{{Original}}
[[Category:Stephen Harper]]
[[Category:Ottawa, Ontario]]
[[Category:Ontario]]
[[Category:Canada]]
[[Category:Bill Graham]]

[[fr:La Fête du Canada célébrée sur la Colline du Parlement]]
Canada Day was celebrated at Parliament Hill. People came across Canada to Ottawa to celebrate Canada's 139th birthday.

About 25,000 people including Prime Minister Stephen Harper, his wife and their two children were there. The party got started at about 12:00, noon ET. The ceremony was in English and in French.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper
Google Canada Day logo at Google.ca.

Military veterans, medal-winning Olympic athletes and some of Canada's biggest names in music were there. Canadian artists like Colin James and Annie Villeneuve performed in front of the Peace Tower. Other performers included Jesse Cook and the Samba Squad. Since Canada has two official languages (English and French) some artists were from Quebec and sung in French.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper urged Canadians to pay tribute to the soldiers and aid workers in Afghanistan. "Let's show our appreciation, today and every day, to those who do it best for us in Afghanistan and around the world," Harper said. "Our diplomats, our development workers and brave men and women of the Canadian Forces." said the Prime Minister.

Gov. General. Michaëlle Jean noted Canada's prosperity, including in her remarks a thank you to the people who toil to provide the country with a safe and plentiful food supply. 

"Ours is a country of great wealth from its plains, forests and mountains that nourish us to the crystal clear waters of our abundant lakes and rivers," she said. She was born in Port-au-Prince, Haïti and is the current Governor General of Canada. Harper and Jean took part in a wreath laying at the National War Memorial at an event marking the 90th anniversary of the Battles of the Somme and Beaumont-Hamel in France.

Bill Graham released a statement describing Canada as being like no other country, "made up of individuals, representing all ethnicities and all religions, bound together by our shared values of family, community, tolerance and freedom."

Musicians performed in front of the Peace Tower, and fireworks ended the show.
Stephen Harper Ottawa, Ontario Ontario Canada Bill Graham