| One of the interesting features of Ottawa
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| | The historic East Block has not changed
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| is its architecture and Ottawa has many
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| | much since the days of Confederation. The
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| heritage sites. Parliament Hill with its
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| | offices of Canada's first prime minister,
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| historical neo-Gothic buildings was an
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| | Sir John A. Macdonald, have been restored
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| area I wanted to discover in more detail.
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| | and are available to visit on a public
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| Friday night, just after we arrived in
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| | tour.
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| town I was able to snap a few pictures,
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| | The West Block is not accessible to the
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| just before the sun went down. Saturday
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| | public as it houses the offices of the
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| morning I got up and out by 7:30 am and
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| | members of parliament.
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| it was a crisp morning, with perfect blue
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| | The Peace Tower is Ottawa's trademark and
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| sky. It was definitely on the cold side,
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| | its name is a commemoration of Canada's
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| not a good idea to venture out without a
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| | commitment to peace. The Memorial Chamber
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| hat or a thick scarf. So it was going to
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| | is located on the third floor of the
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| be a bad hair day again, but who
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| | Tower, and it honours Canadians who have
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| cares....
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| | died in armed conflicts since
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| I started off with the area immediately
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| | Confederation. The Peace Tower also holds
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| in front of the Lord Elgin Hotel, which
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| | an observation area and the Carillon
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| includes the National Arts Center, the
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| | which contains 53 bells weighing anywhere
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| Government Conference Centre (the former
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| | from less than 5 kg to more than 10 tons.
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| Union Station, Ottawa's main railway
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| | The Centre Block was affected by a large
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| terminal), the War Memorial and the
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| | fire in 1916. Canada began rebuilding it
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| Chateau Laurier.
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| | while still fighting in the First World
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| Then I marched up to Parliament Hill from
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| | War. The new structure, designed in the
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| where you have an absolutely perfect view
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| | Modern Gothic Revival style by John
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| over to Hull and the Gatineau Hills. I
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| | Pearson and Jean Omer Marchand, was
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| admired the sculptures " Women are
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| | completed by 1922. The Peace Tower was
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| Persons" (referring to women being
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| | finished later in 1927.
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| recognized as their own human beings),
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| | In the summer Parliament Hill offers up a
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| and took a number of pictures and video
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| | unique ceremony: every day at 10 am the
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| clips of the Parliament Buildings.
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| | Changing of the Guard takes place, and
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| Parliament Hill is the seat of Canada's
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| | this year the ceremony will be held every
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| Government and consists of the Centre
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| | day from June 24 to August 26 of 2006.
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| Block, the West Block and the East Block.
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| | Parliament Hill with its big open square
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| The Senate and the House of Commons are
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| | lends itself naturally as a meeting and
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| also located here. Free tours are
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| | entertainment venue. The Canada Day
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| generally available every day, except my
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| | celebrations are held here and they
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| own discovery was a little bit too early
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| | include free concerts, spectacular
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| to take the tour.
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| | fireworks, a flight demonstration by the
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| Incidentally Canada's Parliament
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| | Snowbirds (Canada's precision aerobatic
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| Buildings have an interesting history.
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| | team), and you'll only have to put up
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| Lower Canada (today's Quebec) and Upper
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| | with short speeches by Canadian
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| Canada (today's Ontario) joined together
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| | politicians.
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| to form the Province of Canada in 1841.
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| | Another event coming up for 2006 is a
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| The seat of government alternated for
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| | free sound and light show called "Canada:
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| many years until Queen Victoria was asked
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| | the Spirit of a Country", which will be
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| to select a permanent capital in 1857.
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| | performed on a daily basis after dark
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| To the surprise of many, the Queen
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| | between July 5 and September 10, 2006.
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| selected the rough lumber town of Ottawa
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| | Images will be projected onto the
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| instead of the established cities of
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| | Parliament Buildings. Obviously
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| Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City or
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| | Parliament Hill is not just a boring
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| Kingston. One of the reasons was that
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| | place for politicians, it is an
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| Ottawa was close to both provinces and
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| | entertainment venue and meeting place for
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| located at a safe distance from the
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| | people from Ottawa, for folks from the
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| American border.
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| | rest of the country and for international
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| The Parliament Buildings were built
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| | tourists alike.
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| between 1859 and 1866 (not including the
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| | After my discovery of the Parliament
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| Library and the Tower). One year after
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| | Buildings I walked further west to have a
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| they were finished, Confederation
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| | look at the Supreme Court of Canada and
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| occurred and the buildings were
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| | the other surrounding buildings. What
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| immediately selected to house the
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| | really fascinated me where the huge
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| government for the newly created Dominion
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| | plumes of steam that come out of the
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| of Canada.
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| | smokestacks, I don't recall seeing the
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| The main building of the government
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| | same types of formations in Toronto. One
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| buildings is called Centre Block and it
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| | person explained to me that the air in
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| is instantly recognizable with its
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| | Ottawa is calmer as compared to Toronto
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| trademark Peace Tower. Visitors can watch
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| | where we always have wind blowing in from
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| the House of Commons and the Senate from
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| | the lake which actually would disperse
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| the visitor galleries, and free tours are
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| | these clouds of smoke. An interesting
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| also available. A tour to the top of the
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| | sight....
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| Peace Tower rewards you with a great view
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| | This crisp morning walk was the perfect
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| all over Ottawa. Canada's war dead are
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| | introduction to Ottawa and a good way to
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| honoured inside the Memorial Chamber.
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| | burn off calories from last night's
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| The Library of Parliament Building - the
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| | carlory-rich evening at Fat Tuesday's.
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| only part of the original Centre Block
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| | After a rather hearty breakfast at the
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| that survived the desastrous fire of 1916
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| | Lord Elgin Hotel, we set off to begin our
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| - is currently undergoing restoration
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| | day of skating on the Rideau Canal
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| work to bring it back to its former
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| | Skateway, the main reason we had come to
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| glory.
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| | Ottawa.
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