BY MALIK MERCHANT
(reporting from Winnipeg)

Ismaila Alfa of Radio 1 CBC Winnipeg asks thousands of people who have formed a “Living Maple Leaf” at Winnipeg’s iconic street intersection at Portage and Main to look up and smile for a cameraman stationed at the top of a high rise office building. Photo: Simerg/Malik Merchant. Copyright.

2,500 red T-shirts were handed out at 8:30 a.m. on July 1 in downtown Winnipeg’s iconic intersection at Portage Avenue and Main Street to help create Canada’s Largest Living Maple Leaf for the celebration of the country’s 150th birthday. The event first began in Winnipeg in 2011, and thousands have annually participated since to form a living Canadian flag at different locations in Winnipeg including the Manitoba Legislature, the historic Forks and Shaw Park.

Tinelke de Jong, the director of marketing and advertising for downtown Winnipeg biz, said that for Canada’s 150th anniversary the organizers decided to opt for an all-red maple leaf at the famous intersection which is rarely turned into a pedestrians only site. The show was MC’d by Nigerian born Ismaila Alfa, who hosts  Up To Speed on CBC Radio One in Winnipeg. The organizers began positioning the crowd for the Maple Leaf at 8:30 a.m. and after a few practice sessions, Ismaila Alfa asked the crowd to look up at the camera for two photos — the first with a smile and the second one with the cheerful singing of “Canada”  (see video below). This was a truly memorable moment for me as I have never witnessed anything like this before, and have only attended Canada Day Celebrations in Ottawa!

Please click to watch video

Canada’s Largest Living Maple Leaf formed with the participation of thousands of individuals in Winnipeg on July 1, 2017, to celebrate the country’s 150th birthday. Photo: Downtown Winnipeg Biz.

Ismaila Alfa of CBC gives a thumbs-up to Canada Day after hosting a remarkable celebration in downtown Winnipeg, where thousands of people formed Canada’s Largest Living Maple Leaf. Photo: Simerg/MaliK Merchant.

The spirit of happiness as a Canadian in Winnipeg celebrates the country’s 150th birthday. Photo: Simerg/Malik Merchant.

…..WHILE IN CANADA’S CAPITAL

More than 2000 kms east of Winnipeg, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is joined for Canada Day celebrations at Parliament Hill in Ottawa by Prince Charles and Canada’s Governor General David Johnston. Photo: Simerg.

Date posted: July 1, 2017.

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