October 10th, 2017
Thursday October 5, the evening we’d all be waiting for—well, many of us, anyway. It was finally the book launch date of the highly anticipated, “O Canada! A celebration of 150 years,” at Ottawa City Hall.
The venue was elegant and there was the perfect amount of sweet and savoury snacks, alongside local wine and cheese. The room was abuzz with attendees including sponsors, dignitaries, and, of course, the people who made this project possible represented by Michael Curran and Kimothy Walker.
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson delivered heartfelt remarks about how thrilled he was to see this project come to light, even if he was a “doubting Thomas” in the beginning. He even announced that O Canada! will be part of his submission to Ottawa 2017 Time Capsule, set to be opened in 2067.
O Canada! is an extraordinary visual depiction of our country’s 150 years. The photo sequences are captured in a manner that allows readers to see themselves within its glossy pages. It’s more than a collection of powerful still photographs. The book harnesses “QR code” technology to allow readers to experience some iconic moments from Canada’s recent-past using their smartphone—some of which is augmented reality, putting readers in the middle of an interactive 360-degree video.
We’re happy to have O Canada! as our latest coffee table book in the office and in our homes.
Commissionaires is the Lead National Sponsor of O Canada! and it’s humbling to know that our contributions made us a small part of the team that made this vision, visible.