May 22-28, 2023

Happy Memorial Day!  

We were in the MTC with Tom and Sue Spackman.  They are currently serving in Kenya as the Area Medical Advisors (not sure that title is correct).  Sue and John grew up together in Raymond Alberta.  Sue and Tom also served in Ghana after we did so we know a lot of the same people.  I borrowed this from their blog today:

"Today is the day of Pentecost, when the disciples of Christ were given the Holy Ghost. I love the recounting in Acts 2: from heaven a sound of a mighty rushing wind which filled the house, cloven tongues like as fire, sat upon each of them and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues. The response was amazing: are not all these that speak, Galileans? How hear we every man in our own tongue wherein we were born?  If you have not read this chapter in a while, it may be worth a few minutes today."

We continued touring with Barbara and Dennis on Monday.  We drove to Ottawa and checked into the same darling Bed and Breakfast that John and I stayed at during our previous visit to Ottawa.

McGee's Inn

Monday was a Canadian Holiday, Victoria Day, and the city was very crowded with families and other  tourists.  The locks and most other water activities on the Rideau Canal were not yet in operation.

No activity at the locks

There is a sculpture by the Senate building (relocated from Parliament Hill during the renovations) of five women called Women are Persons.  The monument was created in 2000 by an Edmonton artist.  It is a tribute to the "Famous Five": Irene Parlby, Louise McKinney, Nellie McClung, Emily Murphy and Henrietta Muir Edwards, all from Alberta.

The Famous Five brought a case before the highest court in the British Empire to appeal a 1928 decision by the Supreme Court of Canada.  That court had ruled that women could not be appointed to the Senate, because they were not "qualified persons." On October 18, 1929 the Privy Council reversed that decision.  

I don't know which of the five women is hosting me

We toured the Senate chambers on Monday afternoon.  The senate is modeled after the British House of Lords with members appointed by the Governor General on advice of the Prime Minister.  It is a lifetime appointment, unless you are removed for criminal activity or you choose to retire due to illness, etc.  Knowing that helps understand the actions of the Famous Five women.

We had tickets to tour the House of Commons on Tuesday morning but when we arrived we were informed that all tours had been cancelled for the day, due to urgent business in the house.  That was a disappointment!  We walked around the West Block building, where the House of Commons is located, and noticed a window washer hard at work.  Perhaps that was the urgent business taking place?



We made our way through the beautiful park and down the stairs into Byward Market.  Of course we had to have photos taken by the famous Ottawa sign there.



We wandered through the market then stopped at a European Deli for a snack.


Last day of fun before flying home

We sure enjoyed our visit with family.  The weather was great and we got to show off the sites where we have served the past months.  We were sad to put them on the plane Wednesday morning but we know we get to see them again in just a month!  Serving a mission is a blessing to us in so many ways.

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