Macdonald-Laurier Institute throws a splashy 200th birthday bash for Sir John A. Macdonald, but without balloons

With a promise to ring in the 200th birthday of Canada’s first Prime Minister like no other, the Macdonald-Laurier Institute’s evening of celebration brought out party top hats and guest loot bags but not a single balloon at the Canadian Museum of History on Feb. 18. The festivities began with a tour of the museum’s 1867 Rebellion & Confederation Exhibit, containing artifacts from the time, including bound copies of the Crown and Confederation, three letters to Sir John A. from a backwoodsman, and the Civil Code. The curator of the exhibit was also on hand to give the estimated 200 guests a quick history lesson as they made their way through the space. As guests streamed out into the cocktail reception area below in the main Riverview Salon area next to the grand hall, canapés were served and guests had the opportunity to take a photo-booth style shot, paper props and all, with a cardboard cutout of the man of the evening. Dinner was a proper three-course meal, complete with the usual fancy salad starter (this time kale), as the menu read “beer braised beef short rib with root vegetable and ewe cheese bread pudding served with (and I quote directly) it’s cooking liquor,” (it happens) and finishing with a deconstructed take on what is believed to be Macdonald’s favourite dessert, a pecan tart. During the sit-down portion, the crowd of more than 200 people by Party Central’s estimate, heard from MLI’s Managing Director Brian Lee Crowley, VP of Public Affairs at the Canadian Museum of History Chantal Schryer, U.K. High Commissioner Howard Drake who resides in Macdonald’s former home Earnscliffe; and of course no Sir John A. Macdonald event would be complete without some inspired words from Kingston’s bicentennial ambassador Arthur Milnes. Evening screens around the Grand Hall showed a slideshow of images of the birthday boy, alongside some of his more rousing quotes, such as the master of quips “give me better wood and I will make you a better Cabinet.” As attendees scraped the last sticky bits of their pecan tarts, panellists Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander; Michael Bliss, award-winning author and historian; and the National Post’s Andrew Coyne; along with moderator Patrice Dutil, Ryerson professor and co-editor of Macdonald at 200: New Reflections and Legacies, gathered on stage to talk about the legacy and impact of Macdonald. Placed in front of some of the nation’s greatest totem poles, symbols of aboriginal culture, the all-male, all-white speakers seemed from my seat, a little awkward, given the racist reputation Macdonald has regarding his treatment of minorities and First Nations. This context was addressed quickly in the panel discussion, although largely the panel dismissed the criticisms as being reflective of the times, and “not that exceptional” as Mr. Alexander put it, citing Macdonald being the first to give aboriginal Canadians the vote. This seemed to satisfy the crowd to comfortably move on with there celebration of their admiration of the man. From the tables throughout the rest of the panel “here here-ing” could be heard in response to remarks made by the panellists, including Mr. Bliss’ comment that Macdonald set the template to govern and wrote the genetic code for being a politician. Among the attendees spotted by Party Central were Sen. Marjory LeBreton, Government House Leader Peter Van Loan (who is a total Sir John A. nerd, and whose son’s name happens to be John A.), Minister of State for Science and Technology Ed Holder, Revenue Minister Kerry-Lynne Findlay, and Conservative MP Joyce Bateman, who was feeling particularly chatty at the Chartered Professional Accountants’ table; Independent MP Brent Rathgeber; National Director of the New Democratic Party Anne McGrath; and Liberal MP Irwin Cotler. Maclean’s magazine’s Paul Wells, newly freelancing and former Sun News TV’s David Akin and Global National’s Ottawa Bureau Chief Jacques Bourbeau were there, too. From the Government Relations community, many major organizations had tables and some of the representatives there included Colin McKay, head of policy and GR for Google, who had a table that was hosting a handful of Liberal staffers, including Kevin Bosch; Shaw’s Jim Patrick; Spectra Energy’s Tim Kennedy; and George Wamala from RBC. Other guests included Elizabeth Roscoe, Senior VP at Hill and Knowlton strategies; Executive Director of Corporate Strategy and Performance at SSHRC Christine Trauttmansdorff; and numerous CEOS and VP’s of national companies, as well as some of the PIP’s interns. Party Central slipped out midway through the panel discussion, but the evening continued with an appearance by a Sir John A. impersonator, Stephen Harper. Kidding, it was actor R.H. Thomson, whose remarks were followed by singing ‘Happy Birthday’ and the cutting of cake, like any good birthday party, although Party Central heard that there wasn’t any blowing out of candles either, so don’t ask Macdonald what he wished for. raiello@hilltimes.com The Hill Times

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Macdonald-Laurier Institute throws a splashy 200th birthday bash for Sir John A. Macdonald, but without balloons

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