Battleford Legion vice-president Tim Popp greets guests, as dignitaries, left to right, Battlefords MLA Jeremy Cockrill, MGBHLM Chief Tanya Aguilar-Antiman, Battleford Mayor Ames Leslie, North Battleford Mayor David Gillan, and Battleford Legion president Esther Delainey look on. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

King's Coronation

Battleford Legion celebrates Coronation of King Charles III

May 8, 2023 | 11:45 AM

The bagpipes played, local dignitaries shared their well wishes, and women in attendance wore their best fascinator hats when the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #9 Battleford held its ceremony to recognize King Charles III’s Coronation on Saturday.

The event took place at the Gazebo Park in the Town of Battleford.

Battlefords MLA Jeremy Cockrill, Mosquito, Grizzly Bear’s Head, Lean Man First Nation (MGBHLM) Chief Tanya Aguilar-Antiman, Battleford Mayor Ames Leslie, North Battleford Mayor David Gillan, and Battlefords RCMP Inspector Jesse Gilbert, on behalf of Battlefords-Lloydminster MP Rosemarie Falk, took part in the proceedings.

“Congratulations to His Majesty King Charles III, who is Canada’s new Head of State and commander-in-chief of the Canadian Armed Forces,” Leslie said in his remarks. “Our parliamentary democracy is built on the history and stability of the Crown, and that is well worth celebrating here today.”

He went on to say that he acknowledges that “we have observed both positive and negative [impacts] from the monarchy here in the Battlefords, with our relationships that we continue to build with our neighbours and Indigenous folks. We continue to work together to improve those relations in a way that we can all move forward in a graceful and positive way.”

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Gillan wished King Charles III a long reign, like the King’s mother, Queen Elizabeth II, experienced.

“We live in a time that seems like turmoil, and divisiveness in our world, where politics is polarizing,” he added. “We need to come together for events like this to show unity.”

Attendees in a festive mood take in the ceremony. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)

MGBHLM Chief Tanya Aguilar-Antiman said the Battlefords have a rich Canadian and Indigenous history, “never to lose sight of the historical relationship between Indigenous people and the Crown – the British monarchy, prior to Canada becoming a country.”

“Mosquito, Grizzly Bear’s Head, Lean Man as a community has commonality with King Charles III. We have unique interests,” she added.

Aguilar-Antiman noted the connection that ties Indigenous people across Canada to the British is the treaties.

“This relationship must always be taken into consideration when people talk about not having a monarchy. The treaties are foundational to this country, and the relationship, as long as the sun shines, the grass grows and the rivers flow,” she said.

Also during the ceremony, Legion bagpiper Lynda Lyon-Walls performed an original tune she composed called Battleford’s Tribute to King Charles III.

Following the event, attendees came together at the Battleford Legion Hall for an afternoon of coffee and dainties to cap off the historic day.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow