Sketches of Parliament

War Hero Charles Rutherford

David Bogart, a communications officer with the Legislative Assembly’s parliamentary protocol office, often leads tours of the building. In a conversation with journalists from the Toronto Star he revealed that he once had a medium on tour who sensed a spirit named Charles. Further research led Bogart to conclude that the spirit haunting the legislature was none other than Charles Rutherford.

Born in Colbourne, Ontario, in 1892, Rutherford was a member of the 23rd Battalion during the First World War. He earned multiple military medals during his service, including the Victoria Cross for bravery. Known for his sharp wit and ability to lead assault parties, he was also the last surviving Canadian soldier to receive the medal of valour for the Great War. Some have qualified him as a “regimental soldier,” and others as a scowling man in a red military uniform. He is rumored to haunt the main staircase.

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Lawrence O’Connor Doyle – Wit and Beheader of Eagles?

Article 13 / 14 , Vol 42 No. 3 (Fall)

Lawrence O’Connor Doyle – Wit and Beheader of Eagles?

One of the wittiest parliamentarians to emerge from Nova Scotia, and possibly all of Canada, Lawrence O’Connor Doyle had a sharp tongue that kept his colleagues in stitches. In this article, the author relates some of the most well-remembered of his offerings, some perhaps more mythic than others.

Lawrence O’Connor Doyle was born in Halifax on February 27, 1804 and was a member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1832-1840 and 1843-1855. In 1848, he was appointed a member of the first responsible executive in the British Colonies. He was a strong supporter of parliamentary reform and introduced bills and resolutions that helped Nova Scotia win responsible government. Some of these measures included: opening the Legislative Council to the public; advocating for elections every four years instead of every seven years; and fighting for fishermen to have the same right to vote as farmers did. The purpose of this sketch is not to highlight his political career, but to describe some of his antics. The great orator, Joseph Howe, who was also his friend and fellow reformer, said that Doyle “was the wittiest man he had ever heard or read of.” Howe’s letters indicate that “ten thousand of [Doyle’s] jokes are scattered about the Province.”

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Sam Johnston, First First Nations Speaker in Canada

Article 8 / 8 , Vol 42 No. 2 (Summer)

Sam Johnston, First First Nations Speaker in Canada

Samuel (Sam) Johnston, of the Teslin Tlingit, holds a unique place in Canadian history as the first First Nations person to be elected Speaker in Yukon and in Canada. He was also instrumental in the development of land claims and First Nation self-government agreements between First Nations, and the governments of Yukon and Canada.

Caitilín O’Hare

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Stranger Things: Peculiar Sessional Papers in Alberta

Article 11 / 11 , Vol 42 No. 1 (Spring)

Stranger Things: Peculiar Sessional Papers in Alberta

When parliamentarians table material in legislative assemblies, you would likely expect to see some letter or legal-size papers. But there have been some interesting and novel items that have made it into Sessional Paper collections over the years. In this article, the author tells the story behind Alberta’s quirkiest sessional papers.

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Purrliament Hill: The Capital Cat Colony

Article 1 / 15 , Vol 41 No. 4 (Winter)

Purrliament Hill: The Capital Cat Colony

There are certain “must see” attractions on Parliament Hill: the Peace Tower, the Parliamentary Library, statues of prime ministers and other famous people in Canadian History… and the cats. For decades the Parliament Hill Cat Colony drew hundreds of curious onlookers and devoted fans of felines every day. Initially brought to the Hill for pest control, the cats eventually enjoyed a life of relative leisure. These well-fed and well-cared kitties spent their time sunning themselves and capturing the hearts of parliamentarians, staff, and visitors and tourists. In this article, we celebrate the Cat Colony (and Sanctuary) of Parliament Hill. Although no longer in existence, memories of these friendly, furry felines will not soon fade away..

During a vigorous debate on the floor of the House of Commons or Senate, parliamentarians might verbally fight like cats and dogs. But for almost a hundred years (or more), actual cats enjoyed a peaceful existence just a short distance away from these chambers.

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The Pink Palace and Parliamentary Green

Article 2 / 9 , Vol 41 No. 3 (Autumn)

The Pink Palace and Parliamentary Green

Associations with royalty, the ‘common man,’ or life and fertility; the demands of television; and personal (or partisan) preference. There are many reasons why Canadian legislatures are decorated with certain shades and hues. In this article, the authors explain why Ontario’s Pink Palace is filled with parliamentary green and how some other Assemblies have used the colour wheel when decorating

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Sketches of Parliaments and Parliamentarians Past

Article 1 / 10 , Vol 41 No. 2 (Summer)

Sketches of Parliaments and Parliamentarians Past

Now you see it, now you…won’t!: The growing porticoes, disappearing wings, and secret attics of PEI’s Province House

Prince Edward Island’s Province House was very much a work-in-progress as it was being built – with budgets and popular opinion changing the scope of the project several times and leaving some quirky architectural features. But it has stood the test of time for over 170 years and ongoing renovations mean it will be preserved for many more.

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Senator Raoul Dandurand: Champion of an Independent Senate

Article 12 / 12 , Vol 40 No 4 (Winter)

Senator Raoul Dandurand: Champion of an Independent Senate

As the number of independent, non-partisan senators has grown, Canadian parliamentary observers have been increasingly mentioning the name Raoul Dandurand in conversations. The author of this article suggests the legacy of Senator Dandurand, who long ago advocated for an independent Senate that was more of a dispassionate reviewing body than a replica of the partisan House of Commons, is particularly relevant to the Senate’s contemporary discussions and debates on its procedures and practices.

After Mackenzie King’s Liberals formed government following the 1921 election, the new Government Leader in the Senate was wary of changing his seat in the chamber. To Raoul Dandurand, the electoral reconfiguration of the House of Commons and the formation of a new government had little bearing on the work of the Senate. “I disliked the idea of crossing the floor,” he said in his first speech as Government Leader. “What did that action purport? Its meaning was there were in this Chamber victors and vanquished.”¹ This made little sense for a legislative chamber that he understood to be more of a dispassionate reviewing body than a replication of the partisan politics of the House of Commons.

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Sketches of Parliament and Parliamentarians Past: Trailblazer: Canada’s First Female Clerk

Article 14 / 14 , Vol 40 No 3 (Autumn)

Sketches of Parliament and Parliamentarians Past: Trailblazer: Canada’s First Female Clerk

Newfoundland and Labrador was the last province to enter Confederation, but it boasts an important Canadian first – Bettie Duff, who served as Clerk of the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador from 1977-1991 was the first woman to hold this position in the country. In this special edition of the Canadian Parliamentary Review celebrating 100 years of Canadian women parliamentarians, it is fitting that we are also able to honour one of the trailblazing women working within parliamentary institutions that support parliamentarians’ ability to fulfill democratic responsibilities.

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Sketches of Parliament and Parliamentarians Past: Shining a Light on Ontario’s Parliamentarians – Chandeliers in the Legislative Chamber

Article 12 / 12 , Vol 40 No 2 (Summer)

Sketches of Parliament and Parliamentarians Past: Shining a Light on Ontario’s Parliamentarians – Chandeliers in the Legislative Chamber

Look up! Look way up in Ontario’s legislative chamber and you’ll be able to marvel at some magnificent chandeliers dating back to the 1890s. Tracing changes from gasoline to electricity, to more modern considerations such as broadcast requirements and energy efficient LED bulbs, the author shines a light on this interesting aspect of parliamentary history.

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