3:45 p.m. My final thoughts on this opening ceremony are, well, it was alright, I guess.I don't mean to sound drab, but this ceremony didn't have the oomph I thought it would, given my expectations for Italian artistry and creativity.I enjoyed Bocelli's performance, as well as the singing of the Italian anthem; for me, those were the standout moments. It was very well choreographed, and I am always in awe anytime I see a production like this at such a scale. Kudos to everyone who organized it.Most notable moment? I'd say either the booing of Israel or the mixed reception of the United States, especially the reception of VP JD Vance.I think it really highlights just how polarized the world has become that even the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games aren't safe from global politics.Moving on, Mongolia takes the best-dressed award, with Great Britain coming a close second. Canada, well, if they took off the oversized vests, maybe I could have some more positive things to say.My advice for next time: take a page out of Vancouver 2010 or Calgary 1988. Maybe the lesson is we need to host the damn thing to actually come away with a decent outfit.Anyways, thanks for watching along with me. Here's hoping those big Canadian vests have big pockets for all the gold medals I'm sure Team Canada will be taking home.Go Canada Go!!.3:30 p.m. The pair then lit the orb shaped Olympic Flame in Milan, marking the official start to the 2026 Winter Olympics. Anyone else think the flame bares a striking resemblance to the Eye of Sauron?Whatever the case, the Games have started!.3:28 p.m. After exchanging hands with a couple of notable Italian athletes, the torch gets to famed skiers Deborah Compagnoni and Alberto Tomba.Tomba's name might be notable to a Canadian audience of a certain age, as he won two gold medals in slalom and giant slalom at the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary.Compagnoni also isn't letting the side down, being considered the best Italian skier of all time with three Olympic golds to her name..3:13 p.m. Still waiting for the Olympic flame to be lit, in the meantime the flag of the IOC and the Olympic anthem is sung..2:56 p.m. We're getting closer to the Olympic flame being lit as Italian opera maestro Andrea Bocelli sings the iconic song, Nessun Dorma. The camera cuts to people walking with the Olympic flame, but then the CBC broadcast cuts, yet again, to commercial. .2:50 p.m. Coventry then hands duties of opening the Games to Italian President Sergio Mattarella who declares the Games open.Or, at least I'm pretty sure he did, I don't speak Italian.Correct me if I'm wrong. .2:40 p.m. Kristy Coventry, the former Zimbabwean Olympian swimmer and president of the IOC, is up to speak now.Coventry tells the athletes to enjoy themselves and talks about the importance the Games have to people around the world."This is your moment," Coventry says, speaking to the athletes. "I know what it feels like, that mix of excitement and nerves.""You remind us that we can be brave. That we can be kind. That we can get back up, no matter how hard we fall."The spirit of the Olympic Games is about so much more than sport. It is about us – and what makes us human."This is the magic of the Olympic Games: inspiring us all to be the best that we can be - together.""It's your moment; it's your Games," she says, ending her speech. .2:30 p.m. All the athletes are here, and it's on to the speeches from dignitaries; first up is the president of the games, Giovanni Malagò."Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of (the) fire," Malagò says, speaking about the tradition of the history of the Olympic Games..2:14 p.m. After the Yanks and the French, the hosts finally enter to a massive cheer.The Italian delegation has 195 athletes, their largest delegation ever. Athletes can be seen hoisting each other and seemingly having a whale of a time.If the Italians can do one thing, it's throw a good party..2:09 p.m. The American team enters the San Siro, ironically following the Venezuelan athletes, to what can only be called a mixed reaction.Loud cheers, in addition to boos, can be heard echoing around the San Siro. Vice President J.D. Vance is shown as well.The Americans boast the largest delegation of athletes of any country represented..2:05 p.m. Ukrainian athletes emerge to a thunderous cheer, probably the loudest since Canada, with the war-ravaged nation represented by 46 athletes.The ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war is the reason why Russia has been barred from competing..2:02 p.m. Including Trinidad here due to a quota from the bobsled team reportedly calling the Games "Operation don't come last." Gotta respect the honesty. .1:43 p.m. The Mongolian athletes enter, and I must begrudgingly take my best-dressed award away from Great Britain and give it to the Central Asian nation.Dressed in traditional Mongolian garb, the designers for this outfit definitely got the memo: flawless, no critiques from me..1:35 p.m. Highlighting global polarisation of the ongoing conflict involving Israel, its athletes are met with boos as they enter, not very in keeping with the Olympic spirit.The only negative reaction we've seen to an entrance so far, but the Israeli athletes keep a smile on their faces despite this..1:31 p.m. And now for what I'd consider the best outfits so far, the Brits.A wool knit sweater and a scarf — the British athletes are the sharpest-looking bunch so far, and I promise this is not my cultural bias coming through. Well, maybe a bit.Also, the former Olympian Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, makes an appearance, representing the UK in the 1976 Summer Games in Montreal..1:28 p.m. Gotta put the Jamaicans in here, most famous for their famous bobsled team, which gained notoriety at the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary. They've come a long way since then, but it's still a novelty to see the Caribbean island represented..1:20 p.m. German athletes enter wearing what I can only assume to be a poncho. It looks like they're taking a page out of Canada's book by also wearing something three sizes too big..1:02 p.m. A closer look at the Canadian outfits, provided by Lululemon, are definitely... unique.I actually don't mind the look but can't wrap my head around the fact that all the vests look three sizes too big on the athletes — fashion over function, I guess.Also, there doesn't seem to be any representative from the Canadian government, which seems odd, as American VP J.D. Vance is here representing the States.Maybe I've missed that, but there with Carney in Ottawa and Governor General Mary Simon in Greenland, it's unclear if there's any Canadian representation apart from the athletes; it's disappointing if that's the case.But it could also be a low level cabinet minister..1:00 p.m. And the moment we've been waiting for: Team Canada enters, with the biggest delegation and by far the loudest cheer from any team so far in the San Siro.206 athletes will represent Canada at the Games, the same number as the 2010 Games in Vancouver..12:54 p.m. The Brazilian flag bearer is doing her best Michelin Man impression with a jacket that would seemingly be quite useless in her home country..12:45 p.m. The athletes are beginning to walk out now; the first notable inclusion, for me at least, is Saudi Arabia. Not least due to the fact I'm learning just now that they're represented at the Winter Games, but for their weather-appropriate outfits..12:38 p.m. The performances continue, with performers descending from the sky, bring the Olympic rings together. Highlighting not only the coming together of Milan and Cortina, but the coming together of the world for these games. Athletes expected soon...after a CBC commercial..12:33 p.m. Back from commercials, it's another performance, this time highlighting the coming together of Milan and Cortina in elegant flowing costumes..... and as I write this, we cut to yet another Mario movie commercial.... just as was done in ancient Greece, I'm sure. .12:25 p.m. Performers emerge trapped in colours of the Italian flag, apparently Giorgio Armani's final design.The ceremony then shifts between Milan and Cortina to showcase the raising of the Italian national flag accompanied by the singing of the Italian national anthem, a powerful performance. And it's another CBC commercial..12:17 p.m. Mariah Carey takes centre stage, shockingly not singing a Christmas song for once. She belts out a passionate Italian opera song, in what I might say is a pretty apparent American accent, followed by a song in English, hitting notes I didn't know were possible for a human to achieve. And it's more commercials from CBC..12:13 p.m. Back to the show now. A woman meant to represent a conductor comes out to a sea of colour with bobbleheads representing great Italian composers. A combination of all things Italians are famous for — music, culture, and a certain artistic flair — envelops the start to the ceremony..12:08 p.m. CBC felt it necessary to include ads for the Mario movie, Coca-Cola, and cream cheese, among others, interrupting the ceremonies, right...? No commercials as of yet on NBC..12:02 p.m. The opening ceremonies have begun; the first performance is meant to represent the myth of Cupid and Psyche. The performance includes dozens of performers dressed as angels, faces painted marble grey, seemingly meant to invoke the statues of ancient Rome..11:58 a.m. Prime Minister Mark Carney sends a message to Canadian Olympians and Paralympians: "Our country is right behind you," says the PM..11:50 a.m. The San Siro is starting to fill up. With the ceremonies expected to start at noon MST, 7:30 p.m. local time, the 70,000-seat stadium, home to soccer giants AC and Inter Milan, is expected to be filled to the brim..11:45 a.m. Former AC Milan forward, Zlatan Imbrahimovic, continues the Olympic Torch relay, bringing the torch through the streets of Milan earlier today..CALGARY — Good morning, my name is Jackson Loy, and this will be a live blog following the opening ceremony at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina.The ceremonies are expected to be centred around the famous San Siro Stadium in Milan, with satellite events in the Northern Italian towns of Cortina, Livigno, and Predazzo.This will be the first time that a Winter Olympic opening ceremony will take place over multiple locations.The climax of the event will be the synchronous lighting of the two Olympic cauldrons in Milan and Cortina.Singers Mariah Carey and Andrea Bocelli, as well as actress Sabrina Impacciatore, are slated to perform.Looking to Team Canada's entrance, freestyle skiing legends Mikaël Kingsbury and Marielle Thompson will be Canada's flag bearers during today's ceremony.All times are MST.
