EvanL
05-25-2005, 07:06 PM
Queen pays respects to Canada's military history at Calgary museum
Judy Monchuk
Canadian Press
May 25, 2005
Queen Elizabeth II receives flowers during her walkabout at Edmonton City Hall. (CP PHOTO/John Ulan)
CALGARY (CP) - She came to celebrate two centennial birthday bashes, but managed along the way to navigate a river of rain, rekindle fond memories of previous visits and forge anew the bond of shared experience among generations.
The Queen and Prince Philip concluded their nine-day tour of Saskatchewan and Alberta on Wednesday with a send-off extravaganza of dance and music at the Calgary Saddledome.
It was her 22nd trip to Canada - her 21st as Queen - but one where the reigning monarch was forced to battle the elements for attention.
Her first full day in Regina forced well-wishers to endure a pounding rainstorm for an hour to hold aloft rain-soaked signs and water-logged bouquets.
The showcase Alberta gala of dance and music at Commonwealth Stadium on Monday was also hit by bad weather. The celebration was cut short when a driving storm made the stage unsafe for dancers. More than 50,000 spectators had tickets, but only half showed up.
Even on Wednesday's final day, the clouds managed to spit down a little rain as the royal couple toured the Museum of the Regiments in Calgary, a building that pays tribute to Canada's military history.
One of the invited guests was 89-year-old Helen Kozicky, who donned her military dress uniform and came in her wheelchair.
With her was a picture of herself presenting the Queen, then a princess, with a petit point in 1951.
"To me this is very important," said Kozicky. "The younger people today don't seem to have much use for anything. Once they get to know the Queen they'll love her. She's delightful."
Also on hand to see the royal couple were 300 students from nearby Masters Academy.
School principal Doreen Grey said she wanted the students to view up close a role model who took on heavy responsibility when she became Queen early in her life.
"She made a commitment as a very young woman and she has stuck with it. We want our students to have the experience of knowing how to honour those who lead us," said Grey.
The royal couple came to Alberta and Saskatchewan to help celebrate each province turning 100 this year.
Their hectic schedule included unveiling a statue in Regina of the Queen on her favourite horse, Burmese, given to her years ago by the RCMP; meeting with the families of four slain RCMP officers; rededicating Alberta's provincial museum and making the first true speech from the throne at the provincial legislature.
The crowds numbered in the hundreds, sometimes thousands.
Those who came to hand out flowers or take pictures or bring Corgis seemed as much taken with the Queen as with what she represented.
That was true for nine-year-old Chantelle Kent from Rocky Mountain House in central Alberta.
She got up at dawn Wednesday to be one of the 6,000 people who joined gymnasts, stilt-walkers, cheerleaders and cowpokes with ponies to send off the Queen in style from the Alberta capital.
"It was exciting, but I couldn't see very well," said Chantelle, who added the Queen looks like her grandmother.
Jessie Makoska, 14, who went to Tuesday's museum rededication, said the woman who has been on the throne half a world away for 50 years brings her closer to her mother.
"My mom says, 'Forty-eight years ago I saw the Queen when I was five years-old.' One day when I'm 53 I'm going to tell my children I saw the Queen," she said.
Longtime royal watcher Ninian Mellamphy said the Queen manages to carry with dignity the splendour and the burden of the Crown.
"I think she's an admirable figure for anyone who's close to her age. She's 79 and seemed tireless during her time here.
"What struck me is that she has a grace, a presence of mind, even though she's been through hell in terms of her extended family over the last few years."
Mellamphy acknowledged the monarch resonates more with older people.
"Predictably, the enthusiasm about her visit came from older people, and the ones most ignorant about the significance of her presence here were the younger generations," said the University of Western Ontario professor.
Throughout the visit, there was quiet speculation among spectators that this could be the Queen's last appearance in Western Canada.
But John Aimers, dominion chair of the Monarchist League of Canada, said he doubts that.
"None of us are immune from the ravages of age, but we shouldn't forget her mother - our late Queen Mother - did engagements until she was 101 and visited Canada in her 90th year," Aimers said.
"I don't see our Queen putting her feet up. She is 19 years past the age she could have taken a pension cheque in Britain, so I think she has a sense of vocation and of duty that is remarkable."
Aimers also suggested the torrents of rain couldn't matched the outpouring of affection for the Queen.
"The rainy weather in one or two locations did nothing to dampen the crowds' enthusiasm for the Queen and the Queen's evident delight about being at home in Canada," he said.
"It's been a marvelous, marvelous homecoming."
© The Canadian Press 2005
Judy Monchuk
Canadian Press
May 25, 2005
Queen Elizabeth II receives flowers during her walkabout at Edmonton City Hall. (CP PHOTO/John Ulan)
CALGARY (CP) - She came to celebrate two centennial birthday bashes, but managed along the way to navigate a river of rain, rekindle fond memories of previous visits and forge anew the bond of shared experience among generations.
The Queen and Prince Philip concluded their nine-day tour of Saskatchewan and Alberta on Wednesday with a send-off extravaganza of dance and music at the Calgary Saddledome.
It was her 22nd trip to Canada - her 21st as Queen - but one where the reigning monarch was forced to battle the elements for attention.
Her first full day in Regina forced well-wishers to endure a pounding rainstorm for an hour to hold aloft rain-soaked signs and water-logged bouquets.
The showcase Alberta gala of dance and music at Commonwealth Stadium on Monday was also hit by bad weather. The celebration was cut short when a driving storm made the stage unsafe for dancers. More than 50,000 spectators had tickets, but only half showed up.
Even on Wednesday's final day, the clouds managed to spit down a little rain as the royal couple toured the Museum of the Regiments in Calgary, a building that pays tribute to Canada's military history.
One of the invited guests was 89-year-old Helen Kozicky, who donned her military dress uniform and came in her wheelchair.
With her was a picture of herself presenting the Queen, then a princess, with a petit point in 1951.
"To me this is very important," said Kozicky. "The younger people today don't seem to have much use for anything. Once they get to know the Queen they'll love her. She's delightful."
Also on hand to see the royal couple were 300 students from nearby Masters Academy.
School principal Doreen Grey said she wanted the students to view up close a role model who took on heavy responsibility when she became Queen early in her life.
"She made a commitment as a very young woman and she has stuck with it. We want our students to have the experience of knowing how to honour those who lead us," said Grey.
The royal couple came to Alberta and Saskatchewan to help celebrate each province turning 100 this year.
Their hectic schedule included unveiling a statue in Regina of the Queen on her favourite horse, Burmese, given to her years ago by the RCMP; meeting with the families of four slain RCMP officers; rededicating Alberta's provincial museum and making the first true speech from the throne at the provincial legislature.
The crowds numbered in the hundreds, sometimes thousands.
Those who came to hand out flowers or take pictures or bring Corgis seemed as much taken with the Queen as with what she represented.
That was true for nine-year-old Chantelle Kent from Rocky Mountain House in central Alberta.
She got up at dawn Wednesday to be one of the 6,000 people who joined gymnasts, stilt-walkers, cheerleaders and cowpokes with ponies to send off the Queen in style from the Alberta capital.
"It was exciting, but I couldn't see very well," said Chantelle, who added the Queen looks like her grandmother.
Jessie Makoska, 14, who went to Tuesday's museum rededication, said the woman who has been on the throne half a world away for 50 years brings her closer to her mother.
"My mom says, 'Forty-eight years ago I saw the Queen when I was five years-old.' One day when I'm 53 I'm going to tell my children I saw the Queen," she said.
Longtime royal watcher Ninian Mellamphy said the Queen manages to carry with dignity the splendour and the burden of the Crown.
"I think she's an admirable figure for anyone who's close to her age. She's 79 and seemed tireless during her time here.
"What struck me is that she has a grace, a presence of mind, even though she's been through hell in terms of her extended family over the last few years."
Mellamphy acknowledged the monarch resonates more with older people.
"Predictably, the enthusiasm about her visit came from older people, and the ones most ignorant about the significance of her presence here were the younger generations," said the University of Western Ontario professor.
Throughout the visit, there was quiet speculation among spectators that this could be the Queen's last appearance in Western Canada.
But John Aimers, dominion chair of the Monarchist League of Canada, said he doubts that.
"None of us are immune from the ravages of age, but we shouldn't forget her mother - our late Queen Mother - did engagements until she was 101 and visited Canada in her 90th year," Aimers said.
"I don't see our Queen putting her feet up. She is 19 years past the age she could have taken a pension cheque in Britain, so I think she has a sense of vocation and of duty that is remarkable."
Aimers also suggested the torrents of rain couldn't matched the outpouring of affection for the Queen.
"The rainy weather in one or two locations did nothing to dampen the crowds' enthusiasm for the Queen and the Queen's evident delight about being at home in Canada," he said.
"It's been a marvelous, marvelous homecoming."
© The Canadian Press 2005