In less than two short years, on Jan. 11, 2015, Canada will mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada’s first prime minister.
As a Father of Canada’s Confederation, Macdonald played a critical role in shaping Canada’s history and today remains one of our nation’s most important political figures.
His commitment to a united Canada paved the way to the country we know and love today.
Affectionately known as “Sir John A.”, Macdonald’s role as a nation builder is often associated with the official date of Confederation on July 1, 1867. However, even after the official date of Confederation, Macdonald spent nearly all of his 19 years as prime minister continuing to build Confederation. He resisted separatists, purchasing vast swaths of vacant land from the Hudson’s Bay Company to give Canadians space to expand the union.
His union-building efforts included using the military to defeat western rebels who were against expansion, undertaking the largest engineering project in Canadian history that linked the provinces by rail, and building economic barriers to avoid American influence.
A former resident of Kingston, Ontario, Macdonald is Canada’s second-longest serving prime minister, a position he held for 19 years.
Without this architect of Confederation, Canada as we know it today would not exist.
Canadians are often subtly reminded of Macdonald’s legacy in our day-to-day lives. His face adorns the Canadian $10 bill, and during our daily commutes, many of us travel along the Macdonald-Cartier freeway, known as Highway 401 in Ontario.
However, in 2015, Canadians across the country will have an opportunity to honour Sir John A. in a much bigger way.
To commemorate Macdonald’s bicentennial in 2015, the Sir John A. Macdonald Bicentennial Commission is trying to engage as many Canadians as possible in celebrating the occasion. During the countdown to the bicentennial, the commission seeks to inspire a greater appreciation for the life and achievements of Sir John A. by promoting events in the arts, education, tourism and other sectors at a local, regional and national level to create an ongoing celebration befitting a great Canadian statesman.
The commission would like to learn how people in communities across Canada, including Halton Hills and Wellington County, are planning to celebrate this occasion, and for them to share those plans with the rest of Canada.
The commission serves as a way to connect Canadians celebrating the bicentennial to one another, and encourage and promote their Macdonald bicentennial celebrations across the country.
Canada’s history is full of distinguished Canadians who have achieved remarkable accomplishments. However, without Sir John A., there may not have been a country in which those Canadians could flourish. That is why it is important for Canadians to commemorate this important historical figure during his 2015 bicentennial.
For more information on Macdonald’s 2015 bicentennial, visit www.sirjohna2015.ca.
You are encouraged to contact me if you have any questions or comments. I can be reached by phone at 866-878-5556 or by email at michael.chong@parl.gc.ca.