Video with audio description - National commemorative ceremony in honour of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
The dialogue alternates between English and French throughout the video. For a translation when the dialogue switches languages, select the cc (closed captioning) button on the video player.
Transcript of Video with audio description - National commemorative ceremony in honour of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
Audio Description: Title, National commemorative ceremony. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the second. In a large cathedral, the sun shines through stained glass windows.
[indistinct chatter]
[solemn organ music plays]
Audio Description: The attendees stand as three altar servers lead a procession wearing white vestments. Two of them hold long processional candlesticks with lit candles above their heads. The server in front holds a processional cross.
[chatter ends]
Audio Description: A choir follows the servers and walks down the aisle towards the altar. They walk past a framed photo of Queen Elizabeth the second. Underneath her image reads, "In memoriam." The three servers stop at the altar underneath a tall and intricate stained glass window. Outside, officers of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police ride on dark horses. They hold up lances adorned with red and white pennons. The Mounties wait in a line on horseback. In the church, the choir continues to fill the pews in the chancel. The three servers remain standing and facing the altar, then part ways and exit.
♪ [faint music by the Canadian Armed Forces Central Band plays] ♪
Audio Description: Outside, the Mounties lead the memorial parade on the road. They hold their lances high. Behind them, men and women follow behind wearing formal military uniforms: the navy, army, air force and special forces members.
[music by the Canadian Armed Forces Central Band continues]
Audio Description: Hundreds of military officers march behind the Mounties, wearing blue, black, and green uniforms.
[organ music fades out]
[crowd murmuring]
Audio Description: The men and women of the Mounted Police lead the parade with solemn faces.
[crowd chattering]
Audio Description: Crowds watch the parade from behind a gate. The procession walks past rows of provincial and territorial flags. Following the military officers, the Canadian Armed Forces Central Band plays their instruments.
[hooves clopping]
[boots stomping]
♪ [drums beating] ♪
Audio Description: In the military lines, each officer holds the hilt of their sword in front of them, and the blade near the small of their back. The Mounties continue to lead, keeping their horses at a slow trot.
[crowd murmuring]
[boots thudding]
Audio Description: Each officer stares ahead mournfully. The band plays behind them. Behind the band rides another detachment of the RCMP. Christ Church Cathedral, Ottawa, Ontario. Mourners sit in pews underneath large pillars and archways.
[beating drums continue]
Audio Description: Outside, a member of the guard of honour carries Her Majesty's Personal Canadian Flag, folded in a square and wrapped in plastic. On it, a crown sits over a golden letter E surrounded by blue. Surrounding the guard are representatives from each of the sixteen military regiments of Her Majesty.
[somber piano & string music plays, drumming ends]
Audio Description: In the church, the Appleby College String Ensemble ready their instruments. They play “Amazing Grace”.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪
Audio Description: Violin Solo, Evan Pyne. First violin, Emma Li. Viola, Juna Oklany. Second violin, Sterling Wu. Piano, Deren Ji. Cello, Antonia Cambre.
[song ends]
[crowd murmuring]
[faint somber piano & string music plays]
Audio Description: Outside the church, the flag bearer, the Eagle Staff bearers and the honorary pallbearers line up in twos at the church door. Some wear traditional green uniforms, some wear kilts, and some have the red jackets and tall hats of the Queen's guard. One man wears the gold helmet and blue uniform of the household cavalry. They stand in attention at the door. On the road, the band stands with their instruments. In front, a man wears a feather bonnet, and two gold medals hang from his sash: a Canadian Forces Decoration, and a Campaign Star, South-West Asia. Outside the church, they wait at the open doors.
[ceremonial bagpipe music plays]
Audio Description: The guard bearing Her Majesty's personal Canadian flag leads them into the church, followed by two Eagle Staff bearers. The others follow. Pipe Major Alan B. Clark plays "To Thy Rest."
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪
Audio Description: They enter the church and slowly walk down the aisle. The attendees stand.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪
Audio Description: The Eagle Staff bearers carry staffs adorned with feathers and animal horns. One Eagle Staff contains all the provincial and territorial flags in it. The other displays RCMP division flags. The royal guard member carefully places Her Majesty's personal Canadian flag next to her portrait. The uniformed officers walk along the chancel and find their seats.
[music ends]
Audio Description: The Pipe Major leaves. The attendees turn to the choir as they sing "And God Shall Wipe Away All Tears." Altar servers lead the celebrants’ procession with candles and a crucifix.
Choir: ♪ I heard a voice ♪
♪ Out of heaven ♪
♪ Saying ♪
♪ Behold, the dwelling of God ♪
♪ Is with all people ♪
♪ And God shall dwell with them ♪
♪ And they shall be God's people ♪
♪ God shall be with them ♪
♪ And the voice of weeping ♪
♪ Shall no more be heard ♪
♪ And God shall wipe away ♪
♪ All tears from their eyes ♪
♪ And there shall be no more death ♪
♪ And there shall be no more death ♪
♪ Neither sorrow ♪
♪ Nor crying ♪
♪ Neither shall there be any more pain ♪
♪ For the former things ♪
♪ Are passed ♪
♪ Away ♪
Audio Description: Three trumpet players join the choir as they perform "All People That On Earth Do Dwell."
[up-tempo organ and trumpet music plays]
Choir: ♪ All people that on earth do dwell ♪
♪ Sing to the Lord ♪
♪ With cheerful voice ♪
♪ Him serve with mirth ♪
♪ His praise forth tell ♪
♪ Come ye before him ♪
♪ And rejoice ♪
[Translated from French]
♪ Know that the Lord is God indeed ♪
♪ Without our aid he did make us ♪
♪ We are his folk, he doth us feed ♪
♪ And for his sheep he doth us take ♪
♪ O enter then his gates with praise ♪
♪ Approach with joy his courts unto ♪
♪ Praise, laud, and bless his name always ♪
♪ For it is seemly so to do ♪
Choir: ♪ To Father, Son ♪
♪ And Holy Ghost ♪
♪ The God whom heaven ♪
♪ And earth adore ♪
♪ From us and from the Angel-host ♪
♪ Be praise and glory evermore ♪
♪
♪ Amen ♪
[The Very Reverend Elizabeth J. Bretzlaff, Dean of Christ Church Cathedral Ottawa]. [Translated from Algonquin] Welcome.
The Very Reverend Elizabeth J. Bretzlaff: Welcome.
Interpreter [translated from French]: Welcome to this place of worship on the unceded territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation.
Reverend Elizabeth J. Bretzlaff: As we gather to celebrate the life of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, may God hold us with grace and bless us with peace.
Audio Description: She turns and the attendees sit. Albert Dumont, Algonquin Spiritual Advisor and English Poet Laureate of Ottawa, stands at the lectern behind the Queen's flag and portrait.
[Albert Dumont, Algonquin Spiritual Advisor and English poet Laureate of Ottawa].
Albert Dumont: From the deathbed, a young and vibrant queen rose to mount the magnificent Burmese, who carried her to the side of a horseman, waiting to go with her to the oaks of Loch Lomond to reflect upon the years of her reign. In the spiritual world, where the old are young again, the Queen and Duke rejoin to continue the unconditional love and support they nurtured for one another while bringing culture and identity to the British people.
Physical death, the soul leaves it in the past and the amazing heart of the spirit begins its eternal life. A new world begins, where the fair-minded and good-hearted among us will hear an honour song being sung for them after the transformation from the physical life to the spiritual one comes to pass. The Queen is dead! In the land of the Red Maple Leaf, the sorrow of many citizens fills the skies. The tears, the prayers of her admirers, take flight like the geese of spring and autumn, making their way to the Queen Mother who waits to hold her daughter close to her bosom once again. To the mourners, the Queen was as the grandest tree in a boreal forest. A tree, whose spirit and grace, spread pride and comforting smiles to all around it. A tree, a “Mother to All”, whose commitment to duty brought emotional wellness to those standing in its shadow. In this broken world, where the eagle records on behalf of Creator, the wrongs human beings commit in bringing suffering and death to “All Our Relations”, we accept that all of us will someday account for the negative actions we are guilty of while living on this beautiful planet. The horrors committed against Indigenous Peoples of British colonized lands by past monarchs will be spoken about around the council fire of the Spirit Land. The Queen will, at that time, renounce the brutality of the past. Her good heart, the teachings of the Spawning Moon into which she was born, the Whitefish Moon into which her last heartbeat was captured, will direct her to do so.
The Queen, her gentleness, her ability to emotionally connect with the common people, her desire to make the world cleaner and safer, are truths she carries with her now into the Great Land of Souls. She was a light to British subjects while she walked on this earth. She was... To the people who love her, she continues to be a fire, now offering in its circle a role model for the future generations of her bloodline to follow. May she rest in peace.
Audio Description: He leaves the lectern, walks past the Dean, and returns to his seat in the chancel. Dean Elizabeth Bretzlaff stands.
Interpreter [translated from French]: Let us pray.
Audio Description: She opens her hands.
The Very Reverend Elizabeth J. Bretzlaff: God of all consolation, in your unending love and mercy you turn the darkness of death into the dawn of new life. Lift us from the darkness of grief to the light and peace of your presence. Grant us grace to entrust Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to your never-failing love, which sustained her in this life. Receive her into the arms of your mercy and remember her according to the favour you bear for your people; for to you all honour and blessing are due, now and forever. Amen.
Audio Description: She sits. A man makes his way to the lectern. Donald Booth, Canadian Secretary to the King.
[Donald Booth, Canadian Secretary to the King.]
Donald Booth: A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Philippians: Rejoice in the Lord always; And again, I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Interpreter [translated from French]: Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you. The word of the Lord.
Crowd [translated from French]: Thanks be to God.
Audio Description: He returns to his seat. The choir stands.
[Choir sings “Psalm 23”]
Choir:
♪ The Lord is my shepherd ♪
♪ I shall not be in want ♪
♪ You make me lie down ♪
♪ In green pastures ♪
♪ And lead me beside still waters ♪
♪ You revive my soul ♪
♪ And guide me along right pathways ♪
♪ For your name's sake ♪
♪ Though I walk through ♪
♪ The valley of the shadow of death ♪
♪ I shall fear no evil ♪
♪ For you are with me ♪
♪ Your rod and your staff ♪
♪ They comfort me ♪
♪ You spread a table before me ♪
♪ In the presence of those who trouble me ♪
♪ You have anointed my head with oil ♪
♪ And my cup is running over ♪
♪ Surely goodness and mercy ♪
♪ Shall follow me all the days of my life ♪
♪ And I will dwell ♪
♪ In the house of the Lord forever ♪
♪ Glory be to the Father ♪
♪ And to the Son ♪
♪ And to the Holy Ghost ♪
♪ As it was in the beginning ♪
♪ Is now, and ever shall be ♪
♪ World without end ♪
♪ Amen ♪
Audio Description: Brigadier-General Guy Bélisle, Chaplain General of the Canadian Armed Forces stands at the lectern.
Guy Bélisle: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, always emphasized religious diversity and interfaith harmony with her public messages to the Commonwealth. May we take this moment of reflection together.
Interpreter [translated from French]: We offer thanks, O God, for your faithful servant, Elizabeth II, who dedicated her life to service and to the well-being of all people. We entrust to your care, His Majesty the King, who mourns the loss of his mother and all members of the Royal Family in their mourning. We pray for the leaders of the world. May they continue to work towards the vision of Elizabeth II, devoting their lives also to the common good. Remembering Elizabeth II's service, and her dedication to the cause of peace.
We pray for a spirit of respect and reconciliation among nations and peoples. We pray for all members of the King's uniformed services: protect them, that they may perform their duties with courage and perseverance, respecting the dignity of every human being.
Guy Bélisle: Loving God, may her enduring commitment be echoed by our commitment to live in peace with one another. Amen.
He leaves the lectern. The choir stands.
[The choir sings “The Lord’s Prayer”.]
[Translated from French]
♪ Our Father ♪
♪ Who art in Heaven ♪
♪ Hallowed by thy name ♪
♪ Thy kingdom come ♪
♪ Thy will be done ♪
♪ On earth as it is in heaven ♪
♪ Give us this day ♪
♪ Our daily bread ♪
♪ And forgive us our trespasses ♪
♪ as we forgive those ♪
♪ Who trespass against us ♪
♪ And lead us not into temptation ♪
♪ But deliver us from evil ♪
[singing ends]
Audio Description: The choir sits. Violinist David Baik walks to the front of the chancel and faces the attendees. He raises his violin to his chin and plays "Nimrod," from Edward Elgar's “Enigma Variations”.
[somber violin music plays]
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪
[music ends]
Audio Description: He returns to the back of the chancel. In the large cathedral, a man in an air force uniform escorts a grey-haired woman to the lectern. The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, 26th Governor General of Canada, addresses the congregation.
[The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, 26th Governor General of Canada]
Adrienne Clarkson: I am so happy to be in this cathedral, which was my family's parish church when we first arrived in Canada 80 years ago. One day in 1952, when I was in grade nine at Lisgar Collegiate here in Ottawa, I went to assembly and the principal told us that the Governor General of Canada, Vincent Massey, was going to address us. The Governor General came out on stage and told us, in gentle, but solemn tones, that the King had died, and that we now had a Queen.
Shakily, and for the first time, we sang "God save the Queen." He then explained that Canada acknowledged the Queen as sovereign and that the Crown in Canada was the basis of our constitutional democracy.
Interpreter [translated from French]: I had no idea then, having arrived nine years before at the age of three, a Chinese refugee from a defeated part of the British Empire called Hong Kong, that 48 years later I would occupy the office held then by Mr. Massey. But Canada is a remarkable place, an astonishing place. Things happen here, not just to me but to the millions of refugees and immigrants who come here. For 70 years, the Queen, as the embodiment of the Crown, has been the symbol of democratic legitimacy. Those of us who revere the Westminster model of parliamentary democracy know how central the evolution of our democracy has been to our growth as the people of Canada.
Adrienne Clarkson: In the library of Windsor Castle, after a dinner with fellow Governors General, celebrating her Golden Jubilee in 2002, the Queen joined me as I stood alone looking down at an antique white linen shirt with brown stains in a glass case. The label read, "Shirt worn by Charles I at his beheading." In a neutral and level voice, the Queen said, "He was my ancestor," and then walked away to join the rest of the party. Several days ago, we saw the Queen's coffin taken to Westminster Hall, where Charles I was tried and sentenced to death. Where Oliver Cromwell's disinterred head hung for 20 years.
Interpreter [translated from French]: It is mysterious, the journey of democracy, consensus, and justice. And all through the history of our country, we lunged and lurched, sprinted and sauntered through a forest of ignorance, hatred and bigotry and yet, hacked out for ourselves a path towards a clearing, a lighted place which - make no mistake – can only remain a clearing if we maintain it, if we agree to enlarge it, if we promise ourselves and pledge to each other that it is worth our efforts.
If we fail in this, that forest will take over, and the darkness will come and envelop us. During the 70 years of this Elizabethan era, we, as Canadians, have been weaving a new tapestry through the solid threads of our inheritance of the Magna Carta. Magna Carta, the Great Charter of Freedoms of 1215, when the common people like you and me, were promised concrete protection from injustice by King John.
Adrienne Clarkson: In 1982, Queen Elizabeth II came and signed the patriation of our Constitution, for which Canadians had worked for decades. We gained our Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Canadians will always remember the Queen for coming to sign over to us what is rightfully ours. Our human rights, our human freedom. It preserves that clearing in the encroaching forest. It provides the light that exposes ignorance and bigotry.
On the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 2002, the light shone when she came for several days to Rideau Hall, and we had a luncheon featuring 50 guests, each a Canadian who had excelled in an endeavour during each year of her reign. John Polanyi, Nobel Prize winner, 1998; Norman Jewison, Oscar winner; Jean Béliveau; Paul Henderson; Stompin' Tom Connors; Douglas Cardinal; Zacharias Kunuk. We lit up the dining room at Rideau Hall for Queen Elizabeth II, with luminaries that our country, Canada, had produced in her first 50 years as Queen. It was an exciting moment for us as Canadians to celebrate.
In one of my last visits with her, at Sandringham, beloved by her because she raised her horses there and Prince Philip enjoyed training for his carriage racing, we were speaking quietly after dinner. Suddenly, focusing very directly on me with her sharp blue eyes, she said, "I shall never abdicate." I was rather taken aback and replied, "I wouldn't have expected that you would." And she said, "It is not in our tradition, although I suppose if I became completely gaga, one would have to do something."
[crowd laughing]
But she held the course to the end – focused, dutiful, calm. The essence of equanimity. Like her remarkable mother and her heroic father, her life was guided by intention.
Interpreter [translated from French]: Now, 20 years later, she has suddenly left us. We did not expect this. We expected that she would live as long as her mother, who lived to be over 100 years. She gave us that remarkable platinum framework, which helps us to see how much we changed and evolved over more than 70 years. Each of us remembers important things in our own lives against the backdrop of these 70 years.
Adrienne Clarkson: My most significant memory, as Governor General, is giving Royal Assent to the Nisga'a Treaty, on April 13th, 2000, as Chief Joe Gosnell observed from the gallery of the Senate – a millennial landmark, helping to lead us towards acknowledgement of all the past injustices to Indigenous Peoples. In the new century, it was a step towards bringing to pass healing and reconciliation. And as a Canadian, I am so proud that Mary Simon, our Governor General, is an Inuk. The life and reign of Elizabeth II has been witness to our struggle, our efforts as Canadians, to become what we are meant to be: the true, the North, the free.
[solemn music]
Audio Description: Title, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second. In Memoriam. A Historic Reign. Canada Pays Tribute.
[ceremonial instrumental music plays]
♪♪♪
Audio Description: Black and white footage shows the queen and prince Philip visiting Canadian cities. Nineteen fifty-one, she walks in a banquet hall in Winnipeg, Manitoba. From a convertible, she waves at crowds in Toronto, Ontario. A large crowd cheers in Calgary, Alberta. She meets with indigenous leaders. In Ottawa, she meets a man with crutches and a beret. In Sydney, Nova Scotia, she stands on the deck of a steam ship and waves at a large crowd on the pier. Off the coast of Victoria, British Colombia, she laughs with the captain of the ship.
In nineteen fifty-seven, she and Philip enter the Senate for the reading of the Speech from the Throne. In fifty-nine, she greets military veterans in St. John's, Newfoundland. In Whitehorse, she receives flowers from a young girl. She makes a speech in St-Lambert, Quebec. In sixty-four, she waves from the Province House balcony in Charlottetown, P.E.I. In fifty-seven, in Ottawa, she rides a horse drawn carriage with Prince Philip. In sixty-seven, she stands with him in a convertible as people cheer. Large crowds greet her in Montreal, Quebec. In Ottawa, she walks a red carpet and waves at the people. She cuts a giant cake that is several meters tall. Red and white balloons float in the air over parliament. In Montreal, they visit Expo sixty-seven.
In seventy, smiling children await her in Frobisher Bay, now Iqaluit. In seventy-three, she watches a horse show in Calgary. In eighty-two, she smiles at crowds as she walks with Pierre Trudeau in Ottawa. He watches her sign the proclamation of the Constitution Act. After, she smiles and talks to Canadians.
In eighty-four, she meets with children in Fredericton, New Brunswick. In ninety-two, Mounties ride down the road on horseback. Elizabeth rides in a carriage and waves. Her royal guard escorts her. In ninety-four, Victoria, BC. In a stadium, people form the name Victoria, a Commonwealth games ribbon, and the year. The Queen meets with adults and children waving flags. In ninety-seven, a crowd gathers around a tall ship in Bonavista, Newfoundland. The Queen meets with men in historical costumes.
In two thousand two, she visits the people of Iqaluit, Nunavut. Jean Chrétien stands behind her. In Vancouver, she and Wayne Gretzky walk out onto a red carpet, on a rink. She drops the puck at the face off. In oh-five, she unveils a statue of herself in Regina, Saskatchewan.
In twenty-ten, she unveils a statue of Oscar Peterson in Ottawa. On Parliament Hill, she walks with Steven Harper. In Halifax, she visits the Membertou cultural village. In Ottawa, Elizabeth II talks to veterans. She walks past a line of royal guards and boards a plane with Prince Philip.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪
[jet engines roar]
Audio Description: In the sky, jets fly in the missing man formation. Title, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second. In Memoriam. Images courtesy of CBC/Radio-Canada. Music, Regina Requiescit, composed by Master Bombardier Julien Simard. Recorded by the Royal Canadian Artillery Band. At the cathedral, Tomson Highway plays piano, "The Thank You Song."
[soft, jazzy piano music plays]
♪ When day begins ♪
♪ To sigh ♪
♪ And the Earth turns ♪
♪ To ask her why ♪
♪ Then man will lift up ♪
♪ A hand ♪
♪ To send out ♪
♪ The sound of the cry ♪
♪ Oh, the cry of the lone ♪
♪ Oh, the cry of the lost ♪
♪ To the sun in the sky ♪
♪ Who will hear him not ♪
[Translated from French]
♪ When the night falls upon us ♪
♪ And on the Earth ♪
♪ And the stars pierce ♪
♪ The heart of the sky ♪
[singing in Cree]
Patricia Cano:
♪ You were the one ♪
♪ Who had answers ♪
♪ For questions ♪
♪ That we, in our need ♪
♪ Would have ♪
♪ And for all of this ♪
♪ We would like to say ♪
♪ Thank you for the love ♪
♪ You gave ♪
[saxophone]
♪ When love ♪
♪ Ceases to exist ♪
♪ And breath soft ♪
♪ Begins to die ♪
♪ Then man will lift up ♪
♪ A hand ♪
♪ To send out the sound ♪
♪ Of his cry ♪
♪ Oh, the cry of the lonely ♪
♪ Oh, the cry of the lost ♪
♪ To the earth and the sky ♪
♪ Who will hear him roar ♪
♪ You were the one ♪
♪ Who had answers ♪
♪ For questions that we ♪
♪ In our need, would have ♪
♪ And for all of this ♪
♪ We would like to say ♪
♪ Thank you for the love ♪
♪ You gave ♪
♪ You were the one ♪
♪ Who had answers for ♪
♪ Questions that we, in our need ♪
♪ Would have ♪
♪ And for all of this ♪
♪ We would like to say ♪
♪ Thank you for the love ♪
♪ You gave ♪
♪ Thank you for the love ♪
♪ You gave ♪
♪ Thank you ♪
♪ For the love ♪
♪ You ♪
♪ Gave ♪
♪ Mm-hmm ♪
[song ends]
Audio Description: Pianist, Tomson Highway. Vocalist, Patricia Cano. Saxophonist, Marcus Ali.
[footsteps receding]
Audio Description: The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney, eighteenth Prime Minister of Canada, stands at the lectern.
[The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney, 18th Prime Minister of Canada]
Brian Mulroney: For almost nine years, I had the privilege of serving as the Queen's Canadian Prime Minister. As you might expect that time afforded me a rarefied window into Her Majesty's role as our Head of State in an up-close, informal sense. We had many interactions on a wide variety of matters, and I'd like to think that perhaps, perhaps the Queen and I developed a relationship beyond that of Head of State and Head of Government. There were many issues in which we were keenly aligned, especially in relation to Canadian unity and the Commonwealth.
In the years when Canada was in the forefront of the battle for the liberation of Nelson Mandela and the destruction of the evil system of apartheid in South Africa. I'm pleased to note that former Prime Minister Clark is with us today, and he was with me throughout those years, in fighting for that objective that Nelson Mandela called his greatest triumph. But that triumph, as Joe can confirm, would never have taken place in the Commonwealth had it not been for Her Majesty's discrete, brilliant, and generous guidance and unerring instinct for the victory we all sought.
Interpreter [translated from French]: I was often astonished by the interest and care she demonstrated for Canada and its people, which went well beyond the simple fact that she was Head of State. She was our Queen, and the Queen of other countries, and she harboured a deep love for Canada, for its diversity, its geography and its history. She showed an undeniable and steady enthusiasm for the future and for the youthful vigour of the largest country in her realm.
Brian Mulroney: Even during her very first visit in 1951, she noted, "From the moment when I set foot at first on Canadian soil, the feeling of strangeness went, for I knew myself to be not only amongst friends, but amongst fellow countrymen."
To President Reagan, in 1983, who asked as she prepared to leave California for British Columbia following a State visit to the United States-- President Reagan asked where she was going next. And she replied, "Mr. President, I'm going home, to Canada."
Interpreter [translated from French]: The respect the Queen held for the history of bilingualism in Canada was made apparent time and again: her fluency in French, which she spoke perfectly; her desire to promote the development and the vitality of the French language; her boundless respect for the singular role played by French Canadians in the advancement of modern Quebec and the remarkable country we call Canada; as well as her profound commitment to Canadian unity, which she saw as a promise of equity, equality, and opening possibilities for all.
Brian Mulroney: As one who had the privilege of a significant relationship with Her Majesty for many years, I can simply say this. She was extremely intelligent. A woman of impeccable judgment. Resolute, selfless, witty-- very witty-- and kind. Events around the world tell us regularly of violence and political coups and instability. Ordinary people in sorrow and distress, as their countries descend into war, devastation and ruin.
Compare that with Canada, now 155 years old: strong, proud, prosperous, united and serene. With setbacks and challenges, of course. This is not a perfect country. We have our challenges. But we are largely unaffected by the major spasms of social and political discontent that have destroyed so many other countries around the world. The success of Canada, so deeply admired everywhere as a model of stability, fairness, equality, and achievement-- this didn't happen by accident. The system of government chosen by our founders had much to do with it. The British parliamentary system led incomparably by the Monarchy.
Today, our system might appear anachronistic to some. I understand that. But to others who constitute, in my judgment, the overwhelming majority of Canadians, the role of the monarchy, and in particular, the irreplaceable role played by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for 70 years, was absolutely indispensable in our country's hugely impressive achievements and contributions to peace and prosperity and stability, at home and around the world. Her Majesty's brilliant service and contributions over seven decades did so much to sustain and elevate the golden concepts of freedom, and liberty and democracy that have brought such honour to Canada and to all of her people. May God bless the Queen. And may God save the King.
Audio Description: He leaves the lectern and returns to his seat. Behind him, the large stained glass window glows in the sunlight. Predominately blue with highlights of red and yellow, the glass depicts Christ sitting on a throne. A lamb stands in the center of a cross.
[footsteps approaching]
[crowd murmuring]
In front of the chancel, and grey-haired woman stands at a microphone. Pascalin Raynault plays piano. Ginette Reno sings "Ceux qui s'en vont."
[Piano]
[Translated from French] ♪ Those who go, those who leave us ♪
♪ Old parents, true friends ♪
♪ Those who left their youth ♪
♪ In a sleepy landscape ♪
♪ Those who go, those who leave us ♪
♪ The heavy heart, the grey hair ♪
♪ Those who did not leave an address ♪
♪ As if they wanted to be forgotten ♪
♪ Those who go, those who leave us ♪
♪ With the silence or the rain ♪
♪ With the strength or weakness ♪
♪ To want to still be alive ♪
♪ Those who go, those who leave us ♪
♪ As strangers in paradise ♪
♪ Those who take away their kindness ♪
♪ And their infinite smile ♪
♪ Those who go, those who leave us ♪
♪ With flowers at their fingertips ♪
♪ Those who don't keep their promises ♪
♪ Who left for whom, for what? ♪
♪Those who go, those who leave us ♪
♪ Like school children in the cold ♪
♪ The escapees who disappear ♪
♪ The survivors of the Hereafter ♪
♪ Those who go, those who leave us ♪
♪ With the silence or the rain ♪
♪ With the strength or weakness ♪
♪ To want to still be alive ♪
♪ Those who go, those who leave us ♪
♪ As strangers in paradise ♪
♪ Those who take away their kindness ♪
♪ And their endless smile ♪
♪ Those who go, those who leave us ♪
♪ Those who go, those who leave us ♪
[music ends]
[crowd murmuring]
Audio Description: She glances over the attendees. Ginette and Pascalin exit. Bouquets of white chrysanthemums and roses decorate the edges of the chancel. Next to the altar stands a wreath of white roses.
[footsteps approaching]
Audio Description: At the piano, Rufus Wainwright adjusts the mic. He plays "Hallelujah"
[As of December 19th, 2022, this performance was removed due to changes in the copyright license]
[church bell tolls]
Audio Description: Outside, an overcast sky hangs over the ancient stone building. Inside, everyone stands with their eyes closed. Rufus Wainwright stands with them. Tears glitter on his cheeks. Joe Clark stands with his head lowered and eyes closed. The choir, men and women both young and old, stand and gaze off thoughtfully. Men and women in military uniform stand in silence.
[church bell tolls]
Audio Description: The Right Reverend Shane A. D. Parker, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa, stands at the lectern.
Shane A. D. Parker: Into your hands, O merciful Saviour, we commend your servant Elizabeth. Acknowledge, we pray a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive her into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light. Amen.
Be steadfast in faith, joyful in hope, and untiring in love all the days of your life.
Interpreter [translated from French]: And may the peace of God, who surpasses all understanding, be with you and remain with you always. Amen.
Audio Description: The choir sings "Yours be the glory, risen conquering Son."
[ceremonial organ music plays]
♪ Yours be the glory ♪
♪ Risen, conquering Son ♪
♪ Endless is the victory ♪
♪ Over death you won ♪
♪ Angels robed in splendour ♪
♪ Rolled the stone away ♪
♪ Kept the folded grave-clothes ♪
♪ Where your body lay ♪
♪ Yours be the glory ♪
♪ Risen, conquering Son ♪
♪ Endless is the victory ♪
♪ Over death you won ♪
♪ [translated from French] See! Jesus meets us ♪
♪ Risen from the tomb ♪
♪ Lovingly he greets us, scatters fear and gloom ♪
♪ Let the church with gladness hymns of triumph sing ♪
♪ For her Lord is living death has lost its sting ♪
♪ Yours be the glory, risen, conquering Son ♪
♪ Endless is the victory over death you won ♪
Choir: ♪ No more we doubt you ♪
♪ Glorious Prince of life ♪
♪ What is life without you? ♪
♪ Aid us in our strife ♪
♪ Make us more than conquerors ♪
♪ Through your deathless love ♪
♪ Bring us safe through Jordan ♪
♪ To your home above ♪
♪ Yours be the glory ♪
♪ Risen, conquering Son ♪
♪ Endless is the victory ♪
♪ Over death you won ♪
Audio Description: Three trumpeters in uniform step out onto the chancel. The Royal Anthem is performed, with the fanfare trumpets of the Central Band of the Canadian Armed Forces.
[ceremonial organ and trumpet music plays]
♪
[music ends]
[footsteps receding]
[Kim Richardson]
Audio Description: The trumpeters leave. Kim Richardson steps out holding a microphone. She performs the National Anthem.
Kim Richardson: ♪ O Canada ♪
♪ Our home and native land ♪
♪ True patriot love ♪
♪ In all of us command ♪
[Translated from French] ♪ With glowing hearts we see thee rise ♪
♪ The True North strong and free! ♪
♪ From far and wide, O Canada ♪
♪ We stand on guard for thee ♪
Kim Richardson: ♪ God keep our land ♪
♪ Glorious and free ♪
♪ O Canada ♪
♪ We stand on guard for thee ♪
♪ O Canada ♪
♪ We stand on guard ♪
♪ For thee ♪
Audio Description: Pipe Major Alan B. Clark steps into the aisle and plays "Be Still My Soul."
[ceremonial bagpipe music plays]
Audio Description: The flag bearer follows him and holds his hat. The other military representatives follow in procession. On the chancel, altar servers carry processional candlesticks and the cross. The celebrants exit. Three more servers, also with candles and a processional crucifix, lead the exit of the choir, in a procession.
♪ ♪
Audio Description: They walk down the aisle past attendees and exit the cathedral. The attendees file out and join the procession. Organist plays "Epilogue."
[footsteps marching]
[ceremonial organ music plays]
Audio Description: Outside, everyone exits through the red doors of the Ottawa Christ Church Cathedral.
♪ ♪
Audio Description: On the wreath of white roses, a card reads, "The People of Canada." Inside, the folded personal Canadian flag of Queen Elizabeth the second sits on display next to a framed portrait of the Queen. Title, National commemorative ceremony. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the second.
[music ends]
Audio Description: Special thanks to our partners at Christ Church Cathedral Ottawa.
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