A celebration of Canada’s 159th was marked by lion dancing, live performances, and a sea of red and white.
For nine-year-old Quinton Ramsay, the best part about Canada is maple syrup.
“Here, there are no tornadoes,” he added, listing the best parts about growing up in Victoria.
His great-grandmother, Val Utman, brought Quinton to the Gorge Canada Day Picnic to celebrate, watch the parade and admire classic cars at the Show and Shine.
Utman wore an “Every Child Matters” T-shirt in support of residential school survivors.
“When I heard more about the Indigenous children going to residential school, I wasn’t quite as proud to be Canadian.”
But Utman said she wouldn’t want to live anywhere else, and while there’s work to be done, she’s happy to call the country home.
Nine-year-old Ava Petley-Jones said the flag is one of her favourite things about Canada. “It’s easy colours to dress up in,” Ava said. “I like the song, too.”
Her mother Jennie said she’s proud to be Canadian because of the values the country represents. “We’re known as being kind people and just accepting of everybody.”
Doris Ilagan brought her family to the Gorge to celebrate the day while spending time together. She and their two children came to Canada from the Philippines eight years ago, while her husband, Michael, arrived six years before them to lay the foundation for the family’s immigration.
“We came here for a better future for our children,” Ilagan said. “For me, it feels like freedom because Canada is a multicultural place where everyone is accepted.”
Lisa Connolly’s parents were visiting Victoria from England and joined in the fun, wearing full red and white outfits.
“We don’t have an ‘English Day,’ ” Connolly said with a laugh.
She was born in England but has since become a Canadian citizen and said the overwhelming feeling on Canada Day for her is pride. “It’s such a beautiful place.”
Hundreds participated in the fun on the legislature lawn to watch the Canada Day Drumming Celebration, organized by a Vancouver-based non-profit that has been drumming for the holiday from coast to coast for 10 years.
Free hand-held rattle drums given to the crowd made for a loud and proud celebration as drummers from the Wong Sheung Kung Fu Club performed.
In the audience was an adult day program from Victoria Community Connections, which joined in the fun.
Participant Sarah Gurney said her favourite part about Canada Day is “getting together with everybody.”
Shanti Davis said the day is special this year, since she just returned from watching a Canadian soccer game at the FIFA World Cup in Vancouver. “I cried the whole time,” she said, adding that watching her team score a goal was a surreal feeling.
Davis said that singing O Canada at the same time as thousands of others is what made her so emotional.
Residents of Lewis Street in James Bay gathered on the quiet dead-end road to sing the anthem in unison, complete with a saxophone accompaniment.
Linda Carlson has lived in Victoria for 47 years and joined in the chorus, noting that Canada Day is about remembering how lucky we are to live here.
“People all over the world would give anything to trade places with us,” she said. “It’s kind of nice to sing O Canada and remember that.”