“This is who we are!”

All photos by Andre Gagne.

“Like so many of you here I’ve been coming to Parliament Hill since I was a little kid for Canada Day,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, beginning an emphatic speech to the 20,000 strong gathered in a sea of red and white on the Hill for Ottawa’s biggest party of the year.

“We can build a better country for all Canadians. We can build a better world for our kids and grandkids because this is who we are. This is what we believe in. This is Canada!”

Whether you were decked out in the flag awaiting the fireworks while dancing to Metric, scrambling for cover as a mid-afternoon rain shower added thunderous accompaniment to the National Arts Centre Orchestra’s TD Ottawa Jazz Festival show in Confederation Park, having a picnic in Major’s Hill Park or celebrating out in the streets of Ottawa with friends and fellow Canucks, Ottawa Life’s photo of the day show that the Capital is still the best place to celebrate a country’s birthday.