Legacy

At the unveiling: (L-R) Marilyn and David Warrick and sculptor Ruth Abernethy with the bronzed rendering of Sir John A. Macdonald at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto on Saturday night. The work will be unvielled at its permanent home on Picton’s Main Street on Canada Day. PHOTO: SANDRA FOREMAN

200th anniversary of Sir John A. Macdonald’s birth signals year of celebration and reflection

The life of Sir John Macdonald, from the day he entered Parliament, is the history of Canada,” said Wilfred Laurier two days after the death of Canada’s first prime minister.

For good or ill—and this week there are many voices engaged in spirited discussions of both perspectives—Sir John A. Macdonald is an important part of Canadian history. It remains as true today as it was when Laurier uttered those words to the House of Commons in June 1891.

“Sir John Macdonald now belongs to the ages,” said Laurier, “and it can be said with certainty that the career which has just been closed is one of the most remarkable careers of this century.”

And so, 200 years after his birth, Canadians gathered to celebrate—and debate— the legacy and the enduring impact of Macdonald.

One of the more lavish events was a soldout gala dinner at the Royal York in Toronto on Saturday night.

David Warrick was an energetic contributor and promoter of the event—active on its organizing committee. He was thrilled with the evening.

“It was a great success,” said Warrick. “It was a cross-section of Canadian society—reflecting the diverse, multicultural mosaic that Canada has become, married with a deep appreciation for this country’s story.”

Warrick helped edit Laurier’s eulogy for the event. It was presented to the gathering on Saturday by acclaimed actor R.H. Thomson. It received a standing ovation, with scarcely a dry eye in the room.

“It was quite amazing,” said Warrick. “It encapsulated many of the qualities of Macdonald that most now overlook. There are so many cherry-picking critics of the man who overlook that this nation wouldn’t exist if not for him.”

Situated prominently at one end of the banquet hall on Saturday night was the Ruth Abernethy scuplture of Macdonald. Dignitaries and guests alike queued for the opportunity to be photographed with the impressive life-sized bronze rendering of Macdonald—aged 19 acting as his own barrister in Picton—against a charge of assault. The work, Holding Court, will reside permanently in Picton.

Warrick, as head of the Macdonald Project of Prince Edward County, supervised the shipping from the artist’s studio in western Ontario to Toronto. And from Toronto to a storage facility in Prince Edward County. It will reside here until it is unveiled on the grounds of the Armoury on Canada Day.

Warrick challenges the assumption that history can be a tough sell for Canadians. While not nearly as eager to wave a flag as our American neighbours, the Canadian story remains the vital thread that unites and connects this nation.

He laments the fact that some commentators will focus this week on Macdonald’s affection for alcohol, his low regard of native Canadians or his use of more brutal forms of justice.

Warrick says while this discussion is important, it must be viewed in the totality of his contribution— namely, the creation of a nation.

“We need to talk about history in historical terms,” suggests Warrick. “Thomas Jefferson had 500 slaves—yet he is rightfully heralded as one of that nation’s great statesmen.

“We are having a discussion of history, and that is a very good thing. But inevitably, history becomes a discussion of values.”

“Yet values change and evolve,” said Warrick. “We must bear this in mind when we look at Macdonald’s legacy. How, I wonder, will future generations look upon our impact, 200 years from now?”

Meanwhile preparations are already underway for the unveiling of Holding Court on Picton’s Main Street on Canada Day.

To know more about Sir John A. Macdonald in the County, or to learn how you can help or participate, go to macdonaldproject.com.