January 11, 2010 – Toronto – On the birthday of Sir John A. Macdonald, the Historica-Dominion Institute applauds the efforts of Canadian politicians, educators and historians to establish a bicentennial commission to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Canada’s first prime minister in 2015.
“It is important to Canada’s collective memory to ensure that our heroes, legends and leaders are remembered”, says Andrew Cohen, President of the Historica-Dominion Institute. “Sir John A. Macdonald, as the founding prime minister of Canada, is one of Canada’s great nation-builders. We support the establishment of a commission and we hope to see it headed by people with a dedication to Canadian history and citizenship.”
Sir John A. Macdonald was born in Glasgow in 1815. His family emigrated to Kingston, Ontario when he was five-years old. In 1867, his was the dominant force behind the British North America Act and the union of provinces which became Canada. His government dominated politics for a half century. The 200th anniversary of Sir John A. Macdonald’s birth will be celebrated on January 11, 2015.
In 2008, the Institute launched The Macdonald-Laurier Days, a project to inform Canadians about the accomplishments and legacy of Canada’s two great nation-builders, Sir John A. Macdonald and Sir Wilfrid Laurier. To learn more about Sir John A. Macdonald, or to take the Macdonald-Laurier quiz, visit
http://www.macdonald-laurier.ca/en/home.
About the Historica-Dominion Institute
The Historica-Dominion Institute is a national charitable organization launched on September 1, 2009 through the amalgamation of two existing organizations: The Historica Foundation of Canada and The Dominion Institute. Its mandate is to build active and informed citizens through a greater knowledge and appreciation of the history, heritage and stories of Canada. Some of its signature programs include: Encounters with Canada, The Memory Project, Passages to Canada and The Canadian Encyclopedia. Discover the Historica-Dominion Institute at
www.historica-dominion.ca.
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Media Contact:
Andrew Cohen
President
The Historica-Dominion Institute
(office) 416-506-1553
(cell) 613-875-2576
acohen@historica-dominion.ca