Wednesday, June 26, 2019

Queen & Eisenhower dedicate new Seaway


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June 26, 1959


Queen Elizabeth II and U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower today dedicated the new St.. Lawrence Seaway.

The president and the queen "pledged that the great waterway will be the instrument for even closer friendship between two old friends, the United States and Canada," according to the Chicago Tribune.

Tens of thousands French-speaking Canadians were in the audience and both the president and the queen "gave parts of their dedication remarks in French.

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Elizabeth's "royal upbringing gave her an edge over the President" gave "nearly one-third of her 1,000 word address" in French.

"....this new water route will facilitate the meeting of thousands of citizens from the New and Old World, helping in this way to dissipate misunderstandings and to strengthen agreement and peace between nations."

She concluded her dedication with "It is a magnificent monument to the enduring friendship of our two nations and to their partnership in the development of North America.  That partnership is most agreeably symbolized, Mr. President, in the act that you and I have joined together to perform this ceremony today."

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When the ceremonies were over and the President and the Queen were ready to leave,  Elizabeth said: "It's been quite a day."   President Eisenhower replied: "Yes, but an enjoyable one."


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