Former PM Mulroney's funeral cortege leaves Ottawa ahead of state funeral in Montreal
The flag-draped casket of Brian Mulroney visited Parliament Hill one last time before departing Ottawa for Montreal, as Canadians continued to pay their respects to the former prime minister.
With hundreds of people lining up for a second day to offer condolences to Mulroney's family, officials extended the lying in state at the Sir John A. Macdonald building in Ottawa an extra hour until 2 p.m.
Mulroney's wife Mila and her children greeted people as they entered the ballroom.
"Even as a kid I remember the deep and soothing voice and sort of got me interested in what he was saying," Pat Suwalski told CTV News Ottawa. "And since then I've been following politics."
"The former prime minister Mulroney was a good patriot of Canada so I've come to pay respect to him and for the work that he did," Nadia Zelem said.
"It's sacrificing a large part of your life to moving forward the best interests of Canadians, I think, is always, you know, a sacrifice for your family and worth, you know, respecting no matter who you vote for," Callie Franson said.
Wednesday would have been Mulroney's 85th birthday.
"We feel blessed to have had him as a prime minister here in Canada and the many things that he's done for us," Kerry McDaniel said.
Canadian Heritage says more than 900 people offered their condolences to Mulroney's family on Tuesday.
Mulroney will lie in repose at St. Patrick's Basilica in Montreal on Thursday and Friday. A state funeral will be held Saturday morning at Notre-Dame Basilica.
People pay their respects at the casket of former prime minister Brian Mulroney as he lies in state at the Sir John A. Macdonald Building, across from Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Police warn of traffic delays
Ontario Provincial Police warned motorists to expect minor slowdowns or delays on Highway 417 between Ottawa and the Quebec border as Mulroney's funeral cortege travelled from Parliament Hill to Montreal.
"Police do not stop or park along the 417," the OPP said on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
"This is for your own safety, as vehicles will still be moving at highway speeds. If you choose to gather on overpasses, please be cautious as traffic will continue to move on those other roadways."
Brian Mulroney's casket departs from Parliament Hill. (CBC Pool Coverage)
Downtown Ottawa road closures
There continued to be a heightened police presence on the streets surrounding the Sir John A. Macdonald building for most of the day Wednesday.
"There will be enhanced police presence in the downtown core. Please allow for extra travel time, use alternate routes if possible, and follow directions of police officers," the City of Ottawa said in a media release.
Wellington Street is closed between Bank and Elgin streets; Metcalfe Street is closed between Wellington and Queen Streets; and O'Connor Street is closed between Wellington and Queen Streets. Canadian Heritage says Sparks Street is also closed from Elgin to Bank.
Road closures continued until 6 p.m. on Wednesday.
With files from The Canadian Press and CTV's Katie Griffin
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'The world is too messy for bureaucratic hurdles': Canada still bars Afghanistan aid
Ottawa has plans to finally stop blocking Canadian development aid to Afghanistan this year.
Student anti-war protesters dig in as faculties condemn university leadership over calling police
Students protesting the Israel-Hamas war at at universities across U.S., some of whom have clashed with police in riot gear, dug in Saturday and vowed to keep their demonstrations going, while several school faculties condemned university presidents who have called in law enforcement to remove protesters.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Hamas is reviewing an Israeli proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, as possible Rafah offensive looms
Hamas said Saturday it was reviewing a new Israeli proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, as Egypt intensified efforts to broker a deal to end the months-long war and stave off a possible Israeli ground offensive into the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
Cisco reveals security breach, warns of state-sponsored spy campaign
State-sponsored actors targeted security devices used by governments around the world, according to technology firm Cisco Systems, which said the network devices are coveted intrusion points by spies.
I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'oesn't get' the global phenomenom.
opinion RFK Jr.'s presidential candidacy and its potential threat to Biden and Trump
Although it's still unclear how much damage Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s candidacy can do to either Joe Biden or Donald Trump this election, Washington political columnist Eric Ham says what is clear is both sides recognize the potential threat.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Russia renews attacks on the Ukrainian energy sector as Kyiv launches drones at southern Russia
Russia launched a barrage of missiles against Ukraine overnight, in attacks that appeared to target the country's energy infrastructure. Meanwhile, Russia said its air defense systems had intercepted more than 60 Ukrainian drones over the southern Krasnodar region.