Maritimers share memories of their encounters with Queen Elizabeth II

As Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin made the journey through Scotland’s capital Monday, Lois Chmiel recalled a happier moment when she met the Monarch more than 70 years ago.

The Masstown, N.S. woman met Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip in November, 1951 during a visit to Sydney. At the time, six-year-old Lois was the daughter of the city’s mayor.

Now in her seventies, Chimel can still vividly recall giving the Princess a bouquet.

“(She was) a very stately, elegant lady,” said Chmiel. “When I presented her and curtsied with the flowers, the bouquet I had for her, she thanked me for the beautiful flowers."

Cape Breton Regional Municipality’s current mayor, Amanda McDougall, came face-to-face with Queen Elizabeth II at Dartmouth’s Alderney Landing when she was a 10-year-old girl guide.

McDougall says seeing a woman in such an important public role left an early impression.

"Our Girl Guide troupe in 1994 was invited to serve as honour guards for the visit of the Queen,” McDougall explained. "As she walked by, she looked and waved at all of us and took that time to kind of have that connection."

According to Tom Urbaniak, a political scientist at Cape Breton University, Sept. 19, the date of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, could become a national holiday.

Urbaniak says the day is already a public holiday in several other Commonwealth countries.

Here in Canada, September has two national holidays already - Labour Day and National Truth and Reconciliation Day. Urbaniak predicts this year it will have a third.

"Any federal declaration would likely be followed by the provinces. If there isn't a federal declaration, we might see some provinces make their own,” said Urbaniak. "I would not be at all surprised if this is formally declared a national holiday in Canada."

Urbaniak said the House of Commons will meet Thursday, in what he calls an ‘extraordinary’ session. He predicts further discussion, and possibly announcements, will be made on the topic of a federal holiday for the Monarch’s funeral.