Roundup: The funeral in London, and the memorial in Ottawa

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The funeral service for the Queen went ahead in Westminster Abbey yesterday, before she was laid to rest at Windsor Castle. Canada had one of the largest contingents there, including horseback Mounties leading the procession (and perhaps that is all the Mounties should be after they are dismantled). I will note that it was amusing how many UK and American outlets were confused by the presence of Sandra Oh at the event as part of the procession of honours recipients, along with Mark Tewksbury to represent Canada. A non-scandal has also been erupting in certain media outlets where the prime minister *gasp!* sang at a piano in his hotel lobby a couple of nights ago. *yawn*

In Ottawa, the national memorial ceremony for the Queen took place in Christ Church Cathedral down the street from Parliament Hill, and as attended by most MPs and senators, with former Governor General Adrienne Clarkson and former prime minister Brian Mulroney speaking (and yes, there was a public appearance by the Canadian Secretary to the King). It also featured a couple of musical interludes, including Rufus Wainwright singing Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah, which is probably really appropriate for a memorial for the Queen (seriously, guys, it’s a song about sex), but it was a lovely service nevertheless.

Ukraine Dispatch, Day 208:

A Russian missile struck 300 metres away from the Pivdennoukrainsk nuclear plant in southern Ukraine, so that’s concerning.

https://twitter.com/ZelenskaUA/status/1571855017816072195

Good reads:

  • Parliament resumes sitting today, but Justin Trudeau will be at the UN General Assembly, and there is every reason to suspect Poilievre won’t show up either.
  • Economist Lindsay Tedds has flagged that the way the dental care transfer being proposed for families will be vulnerable for provincial clawbacks, like CERB was.
  • There is a challenge in Federal Court over the alleged use of facial recognition software by CBSA officials to deny refugee status to two claimants.
  • We got the details of the sexual assault complaint against Major-General Dany Fortin as part of his trial yesterday.
  • The Russian Embassy in Ottawa claims they were attacked.

Odds and ends:

For National Magazine, I have a longread about the sense that our law-making has been in decline, and tracing what some of those causes might be.

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