Canada Day on Parliament Hill 2018: Hot Hot Hot!

The temperature on Sunday was forecast to hit a high of 36C and by early afternoon the humidex reached 47C matching an all-time high set in Ottawa. That didn’t stop many proud Canadians from braving the heat to join in the celebrations on the Hill.

The celebrations were very well orchestrated this year after confusion and some amount of chaos during last year’s 150th birthday celebrations. The smaller crowds no doubt helped keep things under control, but downtown definitely seemed calmer this year. Maybe everyone was too hot to get overly excited about anything.

The noon hour show got things rolling with what seemed like a day celebrating women in particular. Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau, whose husband was not in attendance this year, Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly, and Governor General Julie Payette presided over the celebrations which included a tribute to Canadian women and the #metoo movement. Other notable female entertainers included  Lights, Iskwé, Rose Cousins, and Brigitte Boisjoli. Even the national anthem was sung by Martina Ortiz-Luis. It was a treat to watch these powerful women make such bold statements in such a grand venue. The boys were not to be missed, however, including strong performances by Jean-Marc Couture, Boogat, DJ Shub, Dead South, and of course headliners the Arkells.

After most fans found shelter in air conditioned spaces for a few hours and the snow birds thrilled the crowds gathered below with a few fly-bys, the evening show got underway beginning with Olympians and Paralympians and an opening inspirational number by Jamie Fine and Elijah Wood. Lights was first up to perform her hit We Were Here. If you have never seen Lights in concert you should know that it can be hard to take your eyes off of her. This performance was made all the more dramatic with a backdrop featuring beautiful images from her new graphic novel Skin & Earth.

Juno-award winner Iskwé, was up next and her performance was bone chilling. The Winnipeg-bred Hamilton-based singer-songwriter weaves her cultures in a sound that combines jazz, trip-hop and R&B. The Cree/Dene and Irish IsKwé aims to shine a light on the violence against Indigenous women in Canada and her distinct identity and look, combined with amazing vocal talent is making waves throughout the country as well as on the international scene.

It seems as though every year, New-Brunswickers are featured during the Canada day celebrations. Maybe it’s the bilingual thing, or maybe they’re just likable (selfish plug). Last year Lisa LeBlanc had the wet crowd hopping and this year Jean-Marc Couture followed in her footsteps. He was joined by a cast of dancers and proved why he took home the Star Académie top prize in 2012 with his hoarse bluesy rock vocals.

Brigitte Boisjoli, another Star Académie graduate, put on a breathtakingly choreographed performance. Flanked by dancers and a really wicked light show, she proved that she is a diva from Drummondville to be reckoned with.

Finally the Arkells took to the stage for an upbeat performance that included lights, fire, and the upbeat tempos that the Hamilton natives are known for. They finished off the night with a televised introduction from Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir before all the performers from the evening joined them on stage for the grand finale.

If you are a Canadian and you have never been to Parliament Hill on July 1st, you should add it to your bucket list. There’s just nothing like it anywhere in the country.

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