OTTAWA, Ont. – Queen Elizabeth continued her nine day tour of Canada on Wednesday, arriving at her second stop – the nation’s capital, ahead of attending Canada Day celebrations on Parliament Hill.

She was welcomed by a gospel choir. Then, thousands of people turned out to see her as she and Prince Phillip toured a nature museum.

Kanata’s Norma Booth was overjoyed to shake Elizabeth’s hand.

“To think that she’s a person, treats everybody equal, doesn’t snub anybody – it’s really something,” she said, close to tears.

The royal couple also unveiled a life sized, privately funded bronze statue of jazz star Oscar Peterson at the National Arts Centre.

They ended the day by hosting a garden reception at Rideau Hall.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip began their tour of Canada on Monday in Halifax, where they were honoured with a Fleet Review to celebrate the centennial of the Canadian navy.

The couple will be in Toronto on Sunday for the Queen’s Plate at Woodbine.

This is her 22nd visit to Canada.