State funerals in Canada

With ceremonial, military, and religious elements incorporated, state funerals are offered and executed by the governor general-in-council, who provides a dignified manner for the Canadian people to mourn a national public figure.

Similarly, the timeline varies on a case-by-case basis, most lasting between five and six days, during which the national flag is flown at half-mast on the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill in Ottawa and at other federal crown-owned installations across the country.

[1] Meanwhile, in the days leading up to the funeral, the body is transported from the place of death to Ottawa, whereupon the casket is met by a guard of honour—drawn from the Governor General's Foot Guards for a former governor general and from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for a former prime minister, other ministers, or honoured individuals—and escorted by it to the Centre Block of the parliament buildings.

The exception was made for the funeral of Retired Sergeant Ernest Smith, the last living Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross from the Second World War.

Mackenzie's funeral occurred at the Jarvis Street Baptist Church with representatives of the federal cabinet in attendance as well as Opposition leader Wilfrid Laurier and almost all members of the Ontario legislature.

[10] To mark the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, the federal crown-in-council arranged for gun salutes to take place on Parliament Hill, in the national capital, as well as at armouries across the country.

[11] When King Edward VII died in 1910, his funeral date, 20 May, was set as a national holiday, during which military parades and tributes were held across the country.

[11] The death of King George V was officially recognized on the day of his funeral in the UK, 28 January 1936, by a royal proclamation from Governor General the Lord Tweedsmuir, urging Canadians to attend church services and drape public buildings in black crepe.

At the time, Queen Elizabeth II, received messages of condolence from Governor General, Roland Michener, and Prime Minister, Pierre Trudeau, and the federal parliament passed a motion expressing sympathy.

[11] Prime Minister Louis St Laurent laid a wreath at the Centre Block, in Ottawa, on 15 February 1952, the day of the burial of George VI.

[19] Commemoration services took place in several provinces on the same day: in Alberta,[20] British Columbia,[21] Manitoba,[22] New Brunswick,[23] Newfoundland and Labrador,[24] Nova Scotia,[25] Prince Edward Island,[26] and Saskatchewan.