The ceremony also marked the 45th anniversary of Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope. Federal Canadian Identity Minister Steven Guilbeault noted that Terry’s younger brother Darrell was present, as part of a team of cyclists biking 7,000 km from Vancouver to St. John’s.

Thousands joined Canada Day parties for the country’s 158th birthday in the Toronto Tuesday, with festivities and fireworks to go into the evening.

Prime Minister Mark Carney called for national unity and growth Tuesday in a video address celebrating Canada Day.

The Canada Day ceremony was a thing of patriotic beauty, as it always is for the Blue Jays. And given the world we live in, the latest renewal was perhaps bumped with a greater dose of passion than in the recent past.

George Springer had a career-high seven RBIs, including his ninth grand slam, and the Toronto Blue Jays celebrated Canada Day by beating the Yankees 12-5 on Tuesday and closing within one game of AL East-leading New York.

The Blue Jays’ depth keeps stepping up amid their pivotal stretch. But it was a George Springer who broke the game open against the Yankees Tuesday and led Toronto to a win on Canada Day.