State funerals in Canada

The remains of John A. Macdonald lying in state in the Senate Chamber, 1891

State funerals in Canada are public events held to commemorate former governors general, prime ministers, members of the Cabinet who died in office, and, at the Cabinet's discretion, other eminent Canadians. With ceremonial, military, and religious elements incorporated, state funerals are offered and executed by the Governor General-in-Council, who provides a dignified manner for the Canadian people to mourn a national public figure. Provincial and territorial governments may also perform state funerals for citizens in their particular jurisdictions; however, most state funerals are federal affairs.

Process

State funerals are not required by any law and the family of the deceased may opt not to have such an event take place. Should the family agree to a state funeral, the Department of Canadian Heritage (DCH) will work in close consultation with them, as well as other government departments and elements of the private sector, the degree of involvement depending on the size and complexity of the event. Similarly, the timeline varies on a case by case basis, most lasting between five and six days, during which the national flag is flown at half-mast on the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill in Ottawa and at other federal Crown-owned installations across the country.

The funeral train of Sir John A. Macdonald carrying his remains on 10 June 1891 from Ottawa to Kingston, Ontario

A formal statement issued by the Governor General-in-Council is typically broadcast by the media to notify the general public of an upcoming state funeral, while the DCH issues invitations according to the Order of Precedence, with foreign heads of state and government included.[1] Meanwhile, in the days leading up to the funeral, the body is transported from the place of death to Ottawa, whereupon the casket is met by a guard of honour—drawn from the Governor General's Foot Guards for a former governor general and from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for a former prime minister and other ministers or honoured individuals—and escorted by it to the Centre Block of the parliament buildings. There, the remains lie in state for a period of two days, with four members of the accordant guard of honour maintaining a constant vigil; for the remains of governors general, this takes place in the Senate chamber, in the Hall of Honour for those of prime ministers, and in other rooms for other individuals. On both days, designated hours are set for public viewing. The coffin is then escorted from the Centre Block to a waiting hearse as a gun salute is fired; 21 guns for a governor general, 19 guns for a prime minister, and 15 guns for others. The casket is then either transported to another location in the country for further memorials or to the place of burial. The location of the funeral service depends on the religious faith of the deceased, though the ceremony is usually conducted at Christ Church Cathedral in Ottawa.

Similar to a state funeral is a commemoration ceremony, which is a religious or memorial service to mark the passing of an individual from a family that did not wish a state funeral or did not reside in Canada. For instance, a commemoration ceremony was held in Ottawa in 2002 for the death of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother and in 2013 for Nelson Mandela, the former President of South Africa; nevertheless, these commemorations are classified as state funerals by the Canadian government.[2]

Not all who lie in state at parliament, nor all for whom flags are flown at half-mast, receive a state funeral. The exception was made for the funeral of Retired Sergeant Ernest Smith, the last living Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross from the Second World War.

History

The funeral procession of Thomas D'Arcy McGee in Montreal, 1868

The first state funeral in Canada was held for Thomas D'Arcy McGee after his assassination in April 1868.[3] The first Governor General of Canada to receive a state funeral was Lord Tweedsmuir in 1940, who died in office. Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada's first prime minister was also the first to receive a state funeral. Jack Layton was the first Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition who was not also a former prime minister to be honoured with a state funeral;[4] after lying in state in the foyer of the House of Commons, the funeral service took place at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto.

List of state funerals in Canada

Canadian state funerals
State position Name Date of funeral Place of funeral Building Sources
Governor generalThe Lord Tweedsmuir1940OttawaSt. Andrew's Presbyterian Church
Governor generalGeorges Vanier1967OttawaNotre-Dame Cathedral Basilica
Governor generalVincent Massey1968OttawaChrist Church Cathedral[5]
Governor generalJules Léger1980Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, QCBasilique-Cathédrale Sainte-Cécile[6][7]
Governor generalRoland Michener1991OttawaChrist Church Cathedral[8]
Governor generalJeanne Sauvé1993Montreal, QCMary, Queen of the World Cathedral[9]
Governor generalRay Hnatyshyn2002OttawaChrist Church Cathedral
Governor generalRoméo LeBlanc2009Memramcook, NBSaint-Thomas of Memramcook Church[10][11][12]
Prime ministerJohn A. Macdonald1891OttawaSt. Alban's Anglican Church[13][14]
Prime ministerAlexander Mackenzie1892Toronto, ONJarvis Street Baptist Church[15]
Prime ministerJohn Abbott1893MontrealChrist Church Cathedral[16]
Prime ministerJohn Sparrow David Thompson1895Halifax, NSSt. Mary's Basilica[17][18]
Prime ministerCharles Tupper1915Halifax, NSSt. Paul's Anglican Church[19]
Prime ministerMackenzie Bowell1917Belleville, ONBridge Street Methodist Church[20]
Prime ministerWilfrid Laurier1919OttawaNotre-Dame Cathedral Basilica[21][22][23]
Prime ministerRobert Borden1937OttawaAll Saints Anglican Church[24]
Prime ministerWilliam Lyon Mackenzie King1950OttawaSt. Andrew's Presbyterian Church
Prime ministerArthur Meighen1960Toronto, ONSt. Andrew's United Church
Prime ministerLester B. Pearson1972OttawaChrist Church Cathedral
Prime ministerLouis Saint Laurent1973Quebec City, QCNotre-Dame de Québec Cathedral
Prime ministerJohn Diefenbaker1979OttawaChrist Church Cathedral[25]
Prime ministerPierre Trudeau2000Montreal, QCNotre-Dame Basilica[10]
Cabinet ministerThomas D'Arcy McGee1868OttawaSt. Patrick's Bascilica[26][27][28]
Cabinet ministerJames Robb1929Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, QCValleyfield United Church[29]
Cabinet ministerGeorge Eulas Foster1932OttawaChalmers United Church[30]
Cabinet ministerGeorge Halsey Perley1938OttawaAll Saints Anglican Church[31]
Cabinet ministerErnest Lapointe1941Quebec City, QCSaint-Roch Church[32][33]
Cabinet ministerRaoul Dandurand1942Montreal, QCÉglise Saint-Viateur d'Outremont[34]
Cabinet ministerHumphrey Mitchell1950OttawaSt. Barnabas[35]
Cabinet ministerAlcide Côté1955Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QCCathedral of Saint-Jean-l'Évangéliste[36][37]
Cabinet ministerJack Garland1964North Bay, ONSt. Andrew's United Church[38]
Cabinet ministerDaniel J. MacDonald1980Charlottetown, PEISt. Dunstan's Basilica[10][39]
Cabinet ministerJim Flaherty2014Toronto, ONSt. James Cathedral[40][41][42]
Leader of the OppositionJack Layton2011Toronto, ONRoy Thomson Hall
  • According to some sources Alexander Mackenzie did not have a state funeral.[43][44]
  • McGee, Foster, Perley, and Flaherty were not sitting cabinet ministers at the times of their deaths.
  • Sidney Smith, External Affairs Minister, qualified for a state funeral in 1959, but did not receive one.[45]
  • A state funeral was offered for assassinated Quebec cabinet minister Pierre Laporte in 1970 but his widow declined.[46]
  • A state funeral was offered for Chief Justice Bora Laskin by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau but his family declined.[47]
National Commemoration Ceremonies
State position Name Date of ceremony Place of ceremony Building Sources
Queen consortQueen Elizabeth The Queen Mother2002OttawaChrist Church Cathedral[2]
President of South AfricaNelson Mandela2013OttawaParkdale United Church[2][48]

List of provincial state funerals in Canada

Alberta

State positionNameDate of funeralPlace of funeralBuildingSources
PremierPeter Lougheed2012Calgary and EdmontonAlberta Legislature and Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium[49]
PremierJim Prentice2016CalgarySouthern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium[50]

Ontario

State positionNameDate of funeralPlace of funeralBuildingSources
Lieutenant governorLincoln Alexander2012HamiltonHamilton Place Theatre[51]
PremierJohn Robarts1982TorontoSt. Paul's Anglican Church[52][53]

Quebec

State funerals in Quebec are reserved for former premiers. "National" funerals may be held for other distinguished Quebecers. Unlike state funerals, these are only partially subsidized by the government.[54]

State positionNameDate of funeralPlace of funeralBuildingSources
PremierMaurice Duplessis1959Trois-RivièresDe l'Assomption (Immaculée-Conception) Cathedral[55][56]
PremierDaniel Johnson, Sr.1968Quebec CityCathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec[57][58]
PremierJean Lesage1980Quebec CityCathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec[59][60]
PremierRené Lévesque1987Quebec CityCathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec[61]
PremierRobert Bourassa1996MontrealBasilique Notre-Dame de Montréal[62]
PremierJacques Parizeau2015MontrealÉglise Saint-Germain[63]

National funerals

OccupationNameDate of funeralPlace of funeralBuildingSources
AthleteMaurice Richard2000MontrealBasilique Notre-Dame de Montréal[64]
Union leaderLouis Laberge2002MontrealBasilique Cathédrale Marie-Reine-du-Monde[65]
AthleteJean Béliveau2014MontréalBasilique Cathédrale Marie-Reine-du-Monde[66]
Music producer and agentRené Angélil2016MontrealBasilique Notre-Dame de Montréal

See also

References

  1. ↑ Government of Canada (26 June 2009). "Frequently Asked Questions on State Funerals in Canada". Queen's Printer for Canada. Retrieved 3 February 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 "Past state funerals". Government of Canada. Government of Canada. Retrieved 2016-01-26.
  3. ↑ Ciarula, Lesley (23 August 2011), "State funeral for Layton in Toronto on Saturday", Toronto Star, retrieved 23 August 2011
  4. ↑ "State Funerals in Canada > Past State Funerals". Queen's Printer for Canada. Archived from the original on 27 August 2011. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
  5. ↑ "Final Tribute Paid Vincent Massey". The Montreal Gazette. Montreal QC. 5 January 1968. p. 1. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
  6. ↑ Bauch, Hubert (28 November 1980). "Canada pays last respects to Leger". The Montreal Gazette. Montreal QC. p. 1. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
  7. ↑ "Mourners stand in freezing rain as Leger buried". Montreal Gazette. November 29, 1980. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Michener memorial service attended by PM, dignitaries". Globe and Mail. Canadian Press. August 15, 1991.
  9. ↑ Contenta, Sandro (31 January 1993). "1,000 mourn Sauve, a woman of 'firsts'". Toronto Star. Toronto ON. p. A1. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
  10. 1 2 3 Government of Canada (26 June 2009). "List of state funerals in Canada". Queen's Printer for Canada. Archived from the original on 27 August 2011. Retrieved 4 February 2010.
  11. ↑ "LeBlanc's rites N.B.'s first state funeral". Times & Transcript. Moncton NB. 4 July 2009. p. A7. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
  12. ↑ "LeBlanc's state funeral draws thousands - New Brunswick - CBC News". Cbc.ca. Retrieved 2016-01-26.
  13. ↑ Francess G. Halpenny. "Dictionary of Canadian Biography". Books.google.ca. p. 611. Retrieved 2016-01-26.
  14. ↑ "ARCHIVED - Afterwards-First Among Equals". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-01-26.
  15. ↑ Sir George William Ross, William Buckingham (1892). The Hon. Alexander Mackenzie: His Life and Times. Rose Publishing Company. p. 641.
  16. ↑ "Biography – ABBOTT, Sir JOHN JOSEPH CALDWELL – Volume XII (1891-1900) – Dictionary of Canadian Biography". Biographi.ca. Retrieved 2016-01-26.
  17. ↑ P.B. Waite. "Sir John Sparrow David Thompson - The Canadian Encyclopedia". Thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved 2016-01-26.
  18. ↑ "THE STATE FUNERAL: Burial of Sir John Thompson at Halifax SCENES OF THE GREAT EVENT Conveyance of the Remains to Canada Ceremonies at Halifox in Connection With the Interment of the Late Premier THE LEADING FACTS RECALLED REMOVAL OF THE BODY ARRIVAL AT HALIFAX". The Globe (Toronto). 26 January 1895.
  19. ↑ "Interred in Solemn State: Leading Notables of Canada Attend Funeral of Sir Charles Tupper at Halifax". The World (Vancouver). November 16, 1915. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  20. ↑ The City Of Belleville. "City of Belleville". Belleville.ca. Retrieved 2016-01-26.
  21. ↑ "Thousands mourn Laurier" (PDF). The New York Times. New York NY. 23 February 1919. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
  22. ↑ "State funeral for Sir Wilfred on Saturday". The Washington Reporter. Washington PA. United Press. 18 February 1919. p. 1. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
  23. ↑ "Sir Wilfrid Laurier's Death". Poverty Bay Herald. Poverty Bay NZ. 18 February 1919. p. 6. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
  24. ↑ "Thousands Join in Sorrowful Tribute to Late Sir Robert Borden". Ottawa Citizen. Ottawa ON. 14 June 1937. p. 9. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
  25. ↑ "State funeral set for Diefenbaker". Globe and Mail. August 17, 1979. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  26. ↑ "THOMAS D'ARCY McGEE.; Funeral Services at Ottawa—Thirty Thousand People in Procession" (PDF). The New York Times. New York NY. 14 April 1868. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
  27. ↑ Collections Canada (2 May 2005). "THOMAS D'ARCY McGEE". Retrieved 25 August 2011.
  28. ↑ Government of Canada (24 August 2011). "State Funerals in Canada". Archived from the original on 27 August 2011. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
  29. ↑ "Sorrow in Valley field As All Citizens Mourn For Finance Minister: Simple Funeral Service for Hon. James A. Robb This Afternoon". The Globe (Toronto). 13 November 1929.
  30. ↑ "CANADA'S TRIBUTE PAID TO STATESMAN: Thousands Line Ottawa Streets as Sir George Foster's Funeral Is Held COLLEAGUES DO HONOR". The Globe (Toronto). 4 January 1932.
  31. ↑ "Highest Tributes Paid Late Sir Geo. Perley". Ottawa Citizen. January 8, 1938. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  32. ↑ Flaherty, Frank (29 November 1941). "Bells Toll Last Lapointe Salute". The Leader-Post. Regina SK. Canadian Press. p. 1. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
  33. ↑ "A State Funeral For Hon. Ernest Lapointe". The Sherbrooke Telegram. November 27, 1941. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  34. ↑ Canadian, Press (16 March 1942). "Crowds Hushed For Dandourand". Calgary Herald. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
  35. ↑ "Canada Pays Last Tribute To Mitchell". The Windsor Daily Star. Windsor ON. Canadian Press. 4 August 1950. p. 18. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
  36. ↑ "Canada's Postmaster-General Hon. Alcide Cote, Died Sunday". The Shawinigan Standard. Shawinigan QC. 10 August 1955. p. 2. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
  37. ↑ "Hon Alcide Cote is Widely Mourned". The News and Eastern Townships Advocate. August 11, 1955. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  38. ↑ "PM Leads Mourners: Crowds Line Streets For Garland Funeral". Globe and Mail. 18 March 1964.
  39. ↑ "The Honourable Daniel J. MacDonald". Veterans Affairs Canada. Government of Canada. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  40. ↑ CBC Alerts on Twitter
  41. ↑ "Jim Flaherty to have state funeral Wednesday". Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  42. ↑ CBC Alerts on Twitter
  43. ↑ Francess G. Halpenny. "Dictionary of Canadian Biography". Books.google.ca. p. 658. Retrieved 2016-01-26.
  44. ↑ William Buckingham; Sir George William Ross. "The Hon. Alexander Mackenzie: His Life and Times". Books.google.ca. p. 639. Retrieved 2016-01-26.
  45. ↑
  46. ↑ MacSween, Joseph (21 October 1970). "A grieving Quebec buries Laporte". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
  47. ↑ "Bora Laskin buried". The Leader-Post. 29 March 1984. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
  48. ↑ "Senator Don Meredith". Donmeredith.sencanada.ca. Retrieved 2016-01-26.
  49. ↑ Bennett, Dean (18 September 2012), "Two flags drape Peter Lougheed's coffin as mourners pay respects", The Globe and Mail, retrieved 28 October 2012
  50. ↑ https://ipolitics.ca/2016/10/19/state-funeral-planned-for-prentice/
  51. ↑ Humphreys, Adrian (26 October 2012), "State funeral honours former Ontario lieutenant governor Lincoln Alexander's 'life of firsts'", National Post, retrieved 28 October 2012
  52. ↑ "Robarts gets state funeral". Ottawa Citizen. 21 October 1982. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
  53. ↑ "Robarts buried with state honors". Globe and Mail. 22 October 1982.
  54. ↑ "René Angélil's 'national' funeral 'over the top,' says Francine Pelletier". CBC. 21 January 2016. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
  55. ↑ Paulin, Marguerite (2005). Maurice Duplessis: powerbroker, politician. Dundurn Press Ltd. ISBN 1-894852-17-6.
  56. ↑ "Duplessis Is Buried In Simple Ceremony". Globe and Mail. 11 September 1959.
  57. ↑ "Quebec mourns premier at state funeral". Star-Phoenix. 30 September 1968. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
  58. ↑ "Thousands pay final tribute: Daniel Johnson buried in simple village ceremony". Globe and Mail. October 2, 1968.
  59. ↑ "Quebec bids adieu to Jean Lesage". Calgary Herald. 16 December 1980. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
  60. ↑ "PM leads mourners at Lesage funeral". Globe and Mail. December 16, 1980.
  61. ↑ Burns, John F. (3 November 1987). "René Lévesque, Ex-Premier of Quebec, Dies at 65". New York Times. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
  62. ↑ "Remembering Bourassa". CBC Digital Archives. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
  63. ↑ "Mourners gather for funeral of former premier Jacques Parizeau". Montreal Gazette. June 9, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  64. ↑ "Rocket to get state funeral". CBC. 28 May 2000. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
  65. ↑ Thanh Ha, Tu (20 July 2002). "Quebec labour legend will have state funeral". Globe And Mail. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
  66. ↑ Thompson, Elizabeth (3 December 2014). "Béliveau to get Quebec state funeral". iPolitics. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
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