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| May 24, 1819 - January 22, 1901 |
May 24, Queen Victoria's birthday, was declared a holiday by the Legislature of the Province of Canada in 1845. After Confederation, the Queen's birthday was celebrated every year on May 24 unless that date was a Sunday, in which case a proclamation was issued providing for the celebration on May 25. After the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, an Act was passed by the Parliament of Canada establishing a legal holiday on May 24 in each year (or May 25 if May 24 fell on a Sunday) under the name Victoria Day.
Normal Victoria Day long weekends see Canadian's camping, fishing, or just out and about enjoying the first long weekend of almost summer. There are local celebrations, the largest one in this province is the Victoria Day Parade. It would have been it's 122nd year. Cloverdale, where we live holds a rodeo every Victoria Day long weekend. It starts with a parade and over 100,000 people go to the rodeo and the fair. At the end is a wonderful fireworks display. We go to Cheryl's and watch it from her back yard. All celebrations in Canada have been cancelled.
This year we've been asked to stay close to home and only take day trips. Some of our provincial parks just opened for day use. We drove along White Rock beach to find the City put up temporary fencing to stop people from going to the beach. The promenade is not very wide and social distancing was not happening. It doesn't look great, but it is working.
Some horrible news:
On April 29, the Canadian Air Force Snowbirds, our military aerobatic team started a cross Canada tour to boost morale and salute Canadians battling COVID-19. They started in Halifax and I've been following their journey across Canada. They were ending their cross Canada journey on Monday in Vancouver. Early yesterday they flew from Edmonton and landed in Kamloops, 250 kilometers north of Vancouver. They were scheduled to perform in the Okanagan, but a low ceiling changed their plans. At approximately 11:30 AM, two jets lifted off from Kamloops airport.
One plane lifted off and had a mechanical problem. It was caught on video and plunged to the ground. The video is heart wrenching. Two pilots ejected from the aircraft.
Capt. Richard MacDougall, the pilot of the aircraft, was injured in the crash and being treated in hospital. They say his injuries and not life threatening.
Capt. Jennifer Casey was identified as the deceased victim. She was the team's public affairs officer.
Our country mourns this horrible accident.
This year we've been asked to stay close to home and only take day trips. Some of our provincial parks just opened for day use. We drove along White Rock beach to find the City put up temporary fencing to stop people from going to the beach. The promenade is not very wide and social distancing was not happening. It doesn't look great, but it is working.
Some horrible news:
On April 29, the Canadian Air Force Snowbirds, our military aerobatic team started a cross Canada tour to boost morale and salute Canadians battling COVID-19. They started in Halifax and I've been following their journey across Canada. They were ending their cross Canada journey on Monday in Vancouver. Early yesterday they flew from Edmonton and landed in Kamloops, 250 kilometers north of Vancouver. They were scheduled to perform in the Okanagan, but a low ceiling changed their plans. At approximately 11:30 AM, two jets lifted off from Kamloops airport.
One plane lifted off and had a mechanical problem. It was caught on video and plunged to the ground. The video is heart wrenching. Two pilots ejected from the aircraft.
Capt. Richard MacDougall, the pilot of the aircraft, was injured in the crash and being treated in hospital. They say his injuries and not life threatening.
Capt. Jennifer Casey was identified as the deceased victim. She was the team's public affairs officer.
Our country mourns this horrible accident.
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