Canadian Ambassador Shares Canada Day Message with Luxembourg Residents

Today, Friday 1 July 2022, marks Canada Day, the national day of Canada, a date which commemorates the anniversary of Canadian Confederation (1 July 1867).

The 1867 British North America Act created a federal dominion under the British Empire called Canada, uniting three separate colonies of the United Canadas, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, and defined much of the operation of the government of Canada, including its federal structure, the House of Commons, the Senate, the justice system and the taxation system. Originally called Dominion Day, a federal statutory holiday, Canada’s national day was renamed Canada Day in 1982 following the patriation of the Canadian Constitution.

Across Canada, most communities organise a plethora of outdoor public events on 1 July, such as parades, carnivals, festivals, barbecues, air and maritime shows, fireworks, musical concerts, etc., as there is no standard mode of celebration for Canada Day. In Ottawa, the capital city of Canada, concerts and cultural displays are held on the front lawn of Parliament Hill, home to the Parliament of Canada.

This year, after two years of scaled-down festivities dues to COVID-19 measures, some cities have had to cancel their parades amid financial woes. In Montreal, the second most populous city in Canada, the Canada Day parade will be missing from the celebrations for the third year running.

On the occasion of Canada Day, Chronicle.lu reached out to the Ambassador of Canada to Belgium and Luxembourg, Alain Gendron, who explained the significance of this day for the Embassy of Canada to Belgium and Luxembourg: "For us at the Canadian Embassy in Belgium and Luxembourg, the celebration of Canada Day is an occasion for us to thank all of our collaborators, our partners and those with whom we have engaged during the course of the year, and also to share with them what we have done and what’s our vision, our plan for the current time and the year to come. So basically, it’s an occasion to host, because very often we’re being hosted and we visit. So, this time around, we invite them, and also to share a bit of Canadian culture at the same time. So, for the Canadian Embassy here in Belgium and Luxembourg, [on Thursday] morning we hosted a Canadian breakfast, to which we invited our collaborators, partners, officials, and we did it with a taste of Canada, sharing a typical Canadian breakfast with maple syrup, with projections of Canadian sceneries and we had the Canadian anthem being sung by one of our staff here at the embassy. So, being grateful to those who work with us is the significance for us at the Canadian Embassy".

As for celebrations in Canada itself, Ambassador Gendron stated: "Canada Day in Canada is a moment of celebration, very much like the national day in Luxembourg is for Luxembourgish people. So, very much a community event and celebration of being Canadian and an occasion to share with friends and neighbours and others Canadian values and why they appreciate being Canadian".

The Canadian Ambassador noted that he was unaware of any specific Canada Day celebrations planned in Luxembourg: "We are a small mission here in Belgium, looking after two countries. So, the last time we had celebrations was basically four years ago and at that time, the Canadian Embassy, my predecessor, organised a celebration in Luxembourg at that time. So, we try to alternate between Belgium and Luxembourg, so I’m very hopeful that next year we could perhaps organise an event in Luxembourg. So that we allow partners and collaborators who are further away to meet with them and to host them at the same time. That’s how we’ve done it before, because all of us who are organising this also have lots of other files to carry. It’s not like we are finding contracts for firms to organise it for us. We usually organise it by ourselves using all our internal resources".

Ambassador Gendron continued: "There is a number of Canadians living in Luxembourg and if they were to organise an event or some kind of gathering, we would certainly be pleased to participate – just like we participate in all kinds of events throughout Belgium, where communities commemorate World War I or World War II, celebrations to commemorate fallen soldiers. When communities do that and they invite us, we try to be present when they seek our participation".

He went on to share a special message for Canadians in Luxembourg on the occasion of Canada Day: "Of course we would like to wish them a happy Canada Day. [...] We extend our wishes to all Canadians and not only to all Canadians but to all our Luxembourgish friends as well, who have visited Canada, to all the friends of Canada. We share with them our happiness to celebrate our country".

"We would have wished to be in Luxembourg but circumstances are that we can just be in one place at one time", Ambassador Gendron concluded. "So, this year, we celebrate here in Belgium and if circumstances are right, possibly in Luxembourg next year".

According to Luxembourg’s National Register of Natural Persons, there were 893 Canadians living in Luxembourg as of 31 March 2022, of which 333 were registered in Luxembourg City.