Centennial Flame

The Centennial Flame was first lit as the climax of the centennial celebrations of 1 January 1967 for the Canadian Confederation, in the presence of Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson. He was joined on the hill by John Diefenbaker (leader of the Opposition and former prime minister) and Secretary of State Judy LaMarsh, as well as thousands of onlookers. On 13 December 2017, a Nunavut plaque was unveiled. This Flame was erected as a temporary monument, but due to great public support was made permanent. It is near the Queen's Gates and in front of the stairs leading to the Peace Tower and Centre Block. == Design ==

The monument is encompassed by a fountain into which many visitors to Parliament Hill throw coins for luck. The award, which was begun in 2005, is given "to a person with a disability to enable him or her to conduct research and prepare a report on the contributions of one or more Canadians with disabilities to the public life of Canada or the activities of Parliament." The 2012 recipient, Andrew St. Kitts, was a Masters student with cerebral palsy who planned on using the $5,000 he received to research "attitudes of able-bodied Canadians when they see people like him." The flame is often confused for an eternal flame; however, it does not burn eternally. It may sometimes be extinguished due to bad weather or for maintenance purposes. In 2002, for example, during the G8 protest, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien decided to have the flame extinguished and the monument covered to avoid damage. It was covered by a welded steel lid attached to concrete. == References ==