Raising of the Flag

Yesterday saw a ceremony at the riverfront of Windsor where a 30 by 60 foot Maple Leaf flag was raised on a 150 foot flagpole, at the foot of Ouellette Avenue, our main street, so to speak.  Windsorites were responsible for the large flag that travelled over the heads of Québecois during the last referendum, a spirited reminder of the fact of federal biculturalism from our 300 year history of Nouvelle France along the valley of the "Detroit". We believe it swayed the Non vote against separation. This is remembered in the new flag. Also, I like the new flag as it contributes something also large and red to the skyline besides the Caesar's Casino 17 foot high illuminated letters blaring across the river. A photo from the referendum event in 1995 kicks this off.

Commemorating Canada's patriotism, and Canada's 150th and Windsor's 125th birthdays.  As a fed civ serv (federal civil servant, ret.) I wore the red and white and took part.  Here are photos of the event, with a few passing ones en route walking downtown to it with my great pooch, Jordy the poodle.  Sis Anne, a little armchair travelling for you!

Before we sang the national anthem, O Canada, Mary Baruth had us all winging it with singing the Maple Leaf Forever which was almost our national anthem.  I liked the improvised mass attempt.

Comic book characters are big in this town.

Bill, my friend from Emmanuel. Took my photo later.

Clarol the Clown, a local sweet heart.

Two fellows who emigrated from South Sudan.

En route there

Denial at it again, this time at the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) store nearby.

En route, our new Adventure Bay waterworld. 

Mark Lefebvre, our Stilt artist impersonating a mountie.
When they raised the flag, they asked the actors to remove their hats.

Marty Gervais, now Windsor poet laureate, who wrote The Fighting Parson,
the play that gave birth to our Rum Runners Tours.

Dear Nathalie, who I sing with in the Windsor Symphony Chorus contributes flute to the fine selection of trad pop tunes played during the event.

Mayor Dilkins is at the front with an approving civic beam.

True patriot love in all of us command.

The new flag framed by Windsor's half skyscraper on left (west) and my old place of employ in the CIBC building at the International Joint Commission (8th floor).

And the flag is raised to its height for the first time, as planes fly overhead in choreography.

O Canada