Canada Transformed: The Speeches of Sir John A. Macdonald

by Sarah Gibson (Editor), Arthur Milnes (Editor)

Overview

To coincide with the bicentennial of Sir John A. Macdonald's birth, this is the first-ever selected collection of his most important and defining speeches. Published in collaboration with The Sir John A. Macdonald Bicentennial Commission, and endorsed by all of our living Prime Ministers, this is a beautifully produced book that deserves to be in all Canadian homes, schools, and libraries.
   The Sir John A. Macdonald Bicentennial Commission set out several years ago to collect, annotate, and footnote all of our first Prime Minister's speeches. Rather shockingly, this had not been done before; the speeches of even the most minor of US presidents are available in print and e-book form. Obviously, such a collection is a must for libraries and educational institutions across the country as a matter of historical record, but the speeches also make for great reading. His words have a Churchillian feel to them — direct, decisive, visionary, and very often funny. Sir John A. is marvellously quotable, and through these speeches you understand how our country was formed, what its challenges were and often continue to be, and why our first PM was perhaps the best we'll ever have.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780771057199
Publisher:	McClelland & Stewart
Publication date:	12/09/2014
Pages:	544
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 6.40(h) x 1.80(d)

About the Author

ARTHUR MILNES is the Commissioner of the Sir John A. Macdonald Bicentennial Commission, as well as a long time collaborator with various former PMs on their written work, including Brian Mulroney's memoirs. He is also presently working as a speech writer and adviser in the PMO under Stephen Harper.

Table of Contents

Directory of Key Names viii

Preface xxv

Introduction xxviii

Editor's Note xxxi

Part 1 Birth of a Parliamentarian

Declaring for the Crown and for Britain, 1843 2

Upholding the Election Law, 1844 5

Defending Primogeniture, 1845 8

Challenging the Usury Laws, 1846 12

Arguing for Import Duties, 1846 14

Thoughts on the Secret Ballot, 1846 16

Learning the Lessons on Education: His First Bill, 1847 18

Winning the Voter with the University Question, 1847 20

Fighting the Rebellion Losses Bill, 1849 31

Rejecting the Temperance Bill, 1853 37

Representation Bill, 1853 42

Compensation to the Seigneurs, 1853 47

Part 2 Rise of a Statesman

"Yielding to the Times": Secular Clergy Reserves, 1854 54

Defending Separate Schools, 1855 64

"Double Majority," 1858 67

Finding the Seat of Government, 1858 71

Defining a Homeland with the Homestead Act, i860 74

Talking on Tour, i860 77

"Best Speech Mr. Macdonald Ever Delivered," 1861 105

Part 3 Nation Maker

Toast to Colonial Union, 1864 140

Debating Confederation, 1865 148

"Martyr to the Cause," Eulogizing McGee, 1868 205

Founding a Library, 1868 209

Pacification of Nova Scotia, 1869 211

Part 4 Steadfast Visionary

Resistance at Red River, 1870 216

Manitoba Enters Confederation, 1870 222

Waiting for News of PEI, 1873 231

Treaty 1 and the North West Mounted Police, 1873 236

The Pacific Scandal, 1873 243

Placing the Tariff Pillar of the National Policy, 1879 281

Land, Money, and the Canadian Pacific Railway, 1881 289

Analyzing the North-West Rebellion, 1885 324

Wading Against the Rivers and Streams Act, 1882 346

Being an Auxiliary Kingdom, 1886 351

Part 5 Making Canadians

New Brunswick Schools, 1873 358

A Sun Run Its Course, 1873 369

Election Speech to the Workingmen, 1882 375

Celebrating Forty Years in Politics, 1885 387

Unveiling George-Etienne Cartier's Statue, 1885 389

The Franchise Debates, 1885 393

The Science of Model Farms, 1885 419

Disallowance and the Jesuits' Estates Act, 1889 422

Portrait-Unveiling Ceremony, 1890 430

Election Manifesto of 1891 435

Last Words, 1891 445

Eulogizing Macdonald, 1891 448

Acknowledgements 457

Works Cited 458

Notes 470

Index 477