State funeral for the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney, P.C., C.C., G.O.Q.
Source: Paul Couvrette/Alamy Stock Photo
Source: Paul Couvrette/Alamy Stock Photo
The Government of Canada held a state funeral for the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney, who passed away on February 29, 2024.
The funeral ceremony was held on March 23, 2024, in Montréal, Quebec. It was preceded by a lying-in-state in Ottawa, Ontario, and a lying-in-repose in Montréal. These events gave Canadians an opportunity to salute the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney’s contributions to public life and offer their condolences.
Lying-in-state and lying-in-repose
Dignitaries, including the Governor General of Canada and the Prime Minister of Canada, as well as members of the public paid their respects to the Mulroney family during a lying-in-state at the Sir John A. Macdonald Building, in Ottawa, on March 19 and 20, 2024.
Watch the lying-in-state (March 19)
Watch the lying-in-state (March 20)
Dignitaries, family guests and members of the public also paid their respects to the Mulroney family during a lying-in-repose at Saint Patrick’s Basilica, in Montréal, on March 21 and 22, 2024.
Watch the lying-in-repose (March 21)
Watch the lying-in-repose (March 22)
Funeral ceremony
The funeral ceremony took place at 11 am on Saturday, March 23, 2024, at the Notre-Dame Basilica of Montréal, in Montréal. Prior to the ceremony, a funeral cortege, including a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) mounted escort, a Canadian Armed Forces escort and guard of honour, the Royal Canadian Air Force Band, and RCMP pallbearers, made its way to the Notre-Dame Basilica of Montréal.
The ceremony featured religious components led by The Most Reverend Christian Lépine, Archbishop of Montréal, and was concelebrated by Miguel Castellanos, P.S.S., Rector of Notre-Dame Basilica, and Reverend Monsignor Francis Coyle, C.S.S., Pastor of Saint Patrick’s Basilica. The service included prayers, readings, hymns and a communion.
Eulogies were offered by Caroline Mulroney, the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, Pierre Karl Péladeau, Wayne Gretzky, James A. Baker III and Jean Charest. During the ceremony, musical interludes were performed by members of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (OSM) and the OSM Chorus, led by internationally renowned conductor Rafael Payare. Canadian artists including The Tenors, Marc Hervieux, Marie-Josée Lord, and Elizabeth Theodora Lapham, granddaughter of the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney, also performed. Some of the performances were accompanied by Scott Price on the piano. A 19-gun salute was conducted at the end of the ceremony in the Old Port of Montréal.
Guests invited to the ceremony included family, friends, current and former government representatives and dignitaries, as well as representatives of organizations to which the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney had a close connection.
Photo gallery
Other commemorative activities
Half-masting of the National Flag of Canada
The Government of Canada half-masted the National Flag of Canada on the Peace Tower and all federal buildings and establishments in Canada, from February 29 until sunset on the day of the funeral, March 23, 2024.
Pay homage
View the messages shared by Canadians in the online book of condolences.
At the family’s request, those who wish to express sympathy may consider making a donation to the Brian Mulroney Institute of Government at St. Francis Xavier University or to the Carrefour international Brian-Mulroney at Laval University.
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