Parliamentarians pose to mark 150 years on the Hill

Canada's 150th birthday may be a year away, but Parliament Hill celebrates its big anniversary today.

On June 8, 1866, the legislature for the then-province of Canada met for the first time in the original Centre Block in Ottawa.

On Wednesday, MPs and senators from the current Parliament gathered on the steps in front of Parliament Hill for a rare group photo to commemorate the milestone.

When the photowas finished,Prime Minister Justin Trudeauwaded into the crowd to shake hands with tourists and peoplegathered on the lawn for the popular weekly yoga session on Parliament Hill.

In that final session of the legislature, in1866, preparations were wellunderway to turn what was previously a small logging town into a capital city. Elected representatives from what are now Ontario and Quebec debated the British North America Act and Canada's Confederation.

That became official on July 1, 1867, as the formercolonies of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia joined Canada and created thenewcountry. Nationwide celebrations will mark that anniversary next year.

Before Wednesday's question period, House of Commons Speaker Geoff Reganread out a list of thelegendary names in Canadian political historywho were part of that legislature, including Canada's first three prime ministers Sir John A. Macdonald, Alexander Mackenzie andJohn Abbott as well asSirGeorge-tienne Cartier andThomas D'Arcy McGee.

"All of us are marching in the footsteps of these honourable members," Regan said, as MPs stood to applaud.

The original Parliament building burned down in 1916, with only the Library of Parliament spared. The 100thanniversary of that fire was marked earlier this year.

This year is also the 150th anniversary of the Parliamentary Press Gallery, which formed in 1866 to cover the legislative debates in Ottawa ahead of Confederation.

• Parliament Hill fire mystery still unsolved 100 years later
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• Helen Brimmell, pioneering press gallery member, honoured in House
• Party leaders let loose at Press Gallery's 150th anniversary dinner

While Parliamentarians posed in front of the historic buildings Wednesday,Dominion CarillonneurAndrea McCrady played a special noon concert on the bells of the Peace Tower that included classic Canadian folk songs likeThe Log Driver's Waltz andV'l l'bon vent.

But afew hundred metres away, the attention of current Ottawa residents was focused on a present-day construction crisis: a giant sinkhole filled with rushing water that swallowed up a section ofRideau Street andcutoff electricity to the immediate area.

• Massive sinkhole forces evacuations in downtown Ottawa