Today, the flags of Canada and the United Kingdom fly in celebration of the third time the monarch has personally delivered the Speech from the throne in Canada. Today, at 11:00 EDT, Charles III, King of Canada, will open the 45th Parliament of Canada by delivering the speech from the throne.
The speech from the throne is written by the government of the day, in this case Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal government, setting out its priorities for the session of Parliament. Traditionally, the Governor General reads the Speech as The Monarch’s representative in Canada. In 1957 and 1977, Queen Elizabeth II was in Canada and chose to read the Speech herself. It is called the Speech from the Throne because the Speech is read from the seat—or the throne—in the Senate Chamber reserved for The Monarch or her representative in Canada.
The Senate of Canada currently is sitting in a temporary chamber, as its normal home, the Centre Block, is undergoing a years long restoration and renovation. The House of Commons is also sitting in a temporary chamber during the renovation.
The flag of Canada flies in celebration of this rare occasion.
The Flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, also known as the Union Jack, flies as a reminder that the monarch of the United Kingdom is the monarch of 14 other Commonwealth Realms, including Canada.
Cruesbreck Flags 