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The reviews and complaints from both sides of the event — visitors and, now, staff — were released under an access-to-information request.

The department did a survey of its staff at the ceremony, asking what worked well and what presented “challenges.”

The successes were pretty uniform across the board: Staffers expressed a sense of awe at the historic site, pride in their country and at a moving ceremony that included a sound and light show. Some felt the whole event went smoothly, in contrast with the views of many visitors.

Then came the list of “challenges.”

Photo by Jack Taylor / Getty Images

“Our team was too small, and direction almost non-existent,” one wrote. “Our manager was rarely available to brief us, and our co-ordinator struggled to relay valuable information back to us.”

“Conflicting, or even at time(s) non-existent, instructions were provided by the individual in leadership for my group,” said another. Tasks “were left incomplete or haphazardly implemented,” and “this in my opinion stemmed from poor leadership.”

Another: “Poor communication, unrealistic expectations from the top, inconsistent direction from managers, not enough security on site for the ceremony.”

“The April 9th event was a logistical nightmare to work in” one said. For instance, the location of wheelchair seating was marked on plans, but not at the site. Water and washrooms were “the biggest issue. … Many (staff) did not know who was handling what. Many had no assigned roles on the day and could have been better utilized …”