Kingston and Sir John A.

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Kingston and Sir John A.

The people of Kingston, Ontario, have always held Sir John A. Macdonald close to their hearts. He arrived on the point where Lake Ontario feeds into the St. Lawrence River when he was a small boy. The small city was noted for its strategic importance in the continuing hostility between the British North American colonies and the United States. Both he and the city prospered and grew in stature. Shortly after Macdonald began practicing law, Kingston became the first capital of the United Provinces of Canada. As the elected representative for Kingston, Macdonald fought hard for his constituents and ensured that the city got its share of government projects -- including the penitentiary that is today a major tourism attraction.

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Macdonald, McGee and the Spirit of Reconciliation

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Macdonald, McGee and the Spirit of Reconciliation

And yet... and yet... when we look at the issues of D'Arcy McGee's time -- the issues that wracked Ireland and threatened to throttle Canada's Confederation while it was still in the cradle -- we can see that the problems are resolvable and reconciliation is indeed possible. When we look at how far Ireland has come in its own journey of reconciliation since the civil war nearly a century ago and The Troubles only 20 years past, we have profound examples of reconciliation.

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Weighing in on Sir John A. Macdonald

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Weighing in on Sir John A. Macdonald

The Scottish government has moved to distance itself from the Glasgow-born father of the Canadian nation over his treatment of its indigenous population. A bronze statue of Sir John A Macdonald, Canada’s first prime minister, was toppled in Victoria, British Columbia, last Saturday after officials said it was a “painful reminder of colonial violence”…Since 2015 the anniversary of his birthday has been celebrated by Sir John A’s Great Canadian Kilt Skate. The Scottish government has been the main sponsor of the annual event, at which Canadian-Scots take to the ice in seven cities wearing tartan and waving saltires attached to ice hockey sticks.

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Sir John A. Macdonald -- A Great Canadian

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Sir John A. Macdonald -- A Great Canadian

The confederation of Canada 150 years ago was his towering achievement and Macdonald is rightly regarded as the nation's principal architect. But the stone with which this architecture was built were carved and fixed by previous generations. A separate and distinct entity in the northern half of North America was possible because of a special and unique relationship between those who came from Europe and the indigenous peoples. 

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