Saint andrew’s day flag raising

ottawa city hall

St. Andrew is Scotland’s Patron Saint and on November 30th, Canadians celebrate St. Andrew’s Day along with the rest of the world! In 2021 Ontario took a further step, enacting Bill 208 which proclaims November 30th as Scottish Heritage Day in Ontario.

Over the last two years the SSO and the St. Andrew’s Society of Ottawa have co-hosted successful celebrations of this day at Ottawa City Hall, marking it with a flag-raising ceremony, along with the evocative sounds of a piper from the Cameron Highlanders (Duke of Edinburgh’s Own) and the Ottawa Celtic choir, and of course, a social gathering afterwards.

The flag is the Saltire, or St. Andrew’s Cross. It features a white diagonal cross on a blue background. This year our Chair John McLuckie co-hosted the event with Alan James, the Chair of the St. Andrews Society of Ottawa and in attendance were John Devine, Head of the Scottish Government in Canada, Lesley Grey Deputy Head of the Scottish Government In Canada, Barbara Farber Honorary Lieutenant Colonel of the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa, Lieutenant Colonel Gord Scharf Commanding Officer of the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa, Chief Warrant Officer Ian Port Regimental Sergeant Major of the Cameron Highlander’s of Ottawa, Marty Carr City of Ottawa Councillor Ward 18 Alt-Vista, and Master Corporal Sasha Mathew Piper from the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa.

Following the ceremony we retired to Deacon Brodies for some haggis, scotch and music.