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Illustration by Graham Roumieu, Updated 21:16, May. 16, 2021 | Published 13:07, May. 13, 2021
Canada’s Victoria Day does a lot of heavy lifting. Officially, May 24 marks the birthday of the monarch who reigned when this country was founded, as well as the ceremonial recognition of our current Queen. In the beer-commercial version, people gather for barbecues on the long weekend or to open up their vacation homes unofficially kicking off the start of summer. This year, with parts of the country isolated by COVID-19 restrictions and a sober tinge to the air, Victoria Day has a special poignancy. What, exactly, are we celebrating?
The country has changed a lot since its founding. The recent headline-making rifts in the royal family, and the death of Prince Philip, have created the impression of the autumn of an empire a generational shift, as it were. According to a recent Leger poll prompted by the departure of former governor general Julie Payette, 53 percent of Canadian