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163-406: The idea to build the guitar was conceived by Taylor in the months preceding the 1995 Quebec referendum on sovereignty after a chance encounter with Rizsanyi, who was then attempting to build guitars using wood from local sources rather than more conventional exotic woods. While the impending referendum focussed on the political relationship between the province of Quebec as a francophone minority and

326-658: A National Historic Site of Canada in 1977. The house is open to the public for guided tours throughout the year; approximately 200,000 visitors tour Rideau Hall annually. Since 1934, the Federal District Commission (now the National Capital Commission ) has managed the grounds. The name Rideau Hall was chosen by Thomas McKay for his villa, drawing inspiration from the Rideau Canal which he had helped construct, though

489-496: A Steinway & Sons baby grand piano that belonged to Glenn Gould . Other consorts left their mark on Rideau Hall, such as Princess Louise's painted apple branches on a 6-panel Georgian door (into the room adjacent to the Pauline Vanier room) in the first-floor corridor and Nora Michener's donated collection of Inuit sculpture. Governor General Adrienne Clarkson and her husband, John Ralston Saul , not only oversaw

652-588: A distinct society . The Accord, after fierce debate in English Canada, fell apart in dramatic fashion in the summer of 1990, as two provinces failed to ratify it within the three-year time limit required by the constitution. This prompted outrage among Quebec nationalists and a surge in support for sovereignty. While the Accord was collapsing, Lucien Bouchard , a cabinet minister in Mulroney's government, led

815-604: A geothermal heating and cooling system, expected to supply approximately half of the building's heating requirements during winter, until the geothermal system is expanded in future. The hall was designated as a classified heritage property by the Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office in 1986, giving it the highest heritage significance in Canada. Rideau Hall has long been a collection point for Canadian art and cabinetry. As early as

978-420: A herringbone pattern . The appearance of the tent room is inspired by the earlier use of striped fabric, draped on the walls and hung in swaths from the ceiling, in order to temporarily transform what was normally the tennis court into a hall for banquets and parties. The room today has a wall covering of vertically striped, red and gold fabric with a padded backing, which rises to meet the same fabric, hung in

1141-709: A square dance in the ballroom (replete with checked shirts). Churchill, once again Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, returned to Rideau Hall in January of the next year, where, sprawled on a sofa with a cigar in one hand and a brandy in the other, he persuaded Alexander to join the British Cabinet. With the death of the King only a month following Churchill's 1952 visit, the front of Rideau Hall

1304-497: A "No" victory was achieved. In response to the referendum, aboriginal peoples in Quebec strongly affirmed their own right to self-determination. First Nations chiefs said that forcing their peoples to join an independent Quebec without their consent would violate international law, violating their rights to self-determination. Aboriginal groups also demanded to be full participants in any new constitutional negotiations resulting from

1467-493: A "sense of privacy and intimacy". Payette instead moved into 7 Rideau Gate , the residence, immediately outside the main entrance to the Rideau Hall grounds, normally reserved for dignitaries on official visits to Canada. Though the alterations to the viceregal family suite were complete by March 2018, further renovations to improve accessibility began immediately after. There was an intent for Payette to move to Rideau Hall in

1630-715: A Québécois accent made her ignorant of the subject. Pursuant to the Referendum Act , both committees were required to contribute to a brochure sent to every voter describing their positions. The official "No" brochure, written by the Quebec Liberals, stated that Quebec was a distinct society, and that Quebec should enjoy full autonomy in areas of provincial jurisdiction. Parizeau, while speaking in Hull, challenged Chrétien to tell voters that, if "No" won, Ottawa would withdraw from all provincial jurisdictions, prompting

1793-535: A call from a viewer in Montreal on CNN 's Larry King Live , said that, if the "Yes" side were successful, the fact that the referendum had succeeded would be recognized by France. At a federalist rally of about 12,500 people which was held at the Verdun Auditorium on October 24, Chrétien introduced a focus on Quebec's emotional attachment to Canada, promised reforms to give Quebec more power, and in

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1956-437: A certain lovable eccentricity," in spite of "some of the most regrettable pieces of furniture I have ever seen." The number of formal occasions at Rideau Hall increased through the 1950s and 1960s, as Canada's diplomatic corps increased and the country gained greater international standing; visitors during Massey's tenure included Queen Juliana, President Eisenhower, Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia , Jawaharlal Nehru , and

2119-548: A coalition of six Progressive Conservative members of parliament and one Liberal MP from Quebec to form a new federal party devoted to Quebec sovereignty, the Bloc Québécois . Following these events, Bourassa said that a referendum would be held in 1992, with either sovereignty or a new constitutional agreement as the subject. This prompted a national referendum on the Charlottetown Accord of 1992,

2282-479: A great model for the rest of the world, and has been a great partner of the United States, and I hope that can continue." While the statement provided relief in sovereignist circles for not being a stronger endorsement of the "No" position, the implication of Clinton, who was popular in Quebec and the leader of the province's most important trading partner, endorsing Canadian unity had strong reverberations in

2445-441: A margin of 54,288 votes, receiving 50.58% of the votes cast. Parizeau, who announced his pending resignation as Quebec premier the following day, later stated that he would have quickly proceeded with a unilateral declaration of independence had the result been affirmative and negotiations failed or been refused, the latter of which was later revealed as the federal position in the event of a "Yes" victory. Controversies over both

2608-474: A more startling announcement, declared that he would support enshrinement of Quebec as a distinct society , and that he would support reforms to the Canadian constitution. The sudden reversal of Chrétien's long-standing position on the issue, along with Chrétien's wan complexion and atypically nervous appearance, sparked considerable comment. Charest further emphasized his commitment to constitutional reform if

2771-443: A new royal palace. Nonetheless, the gatehouse was enhanced by Rubidge and the entire property purchased outright in 1868 for the sum of $ 82,000. Thereafter, the house became the social centre of Ottawa—even Canada—hosting foreign visitors (the first being Grand Duke Alexis , son of Emperor Alexander II of Russia ), investitures, swearing-in ceremonies, balls, dinners, garden parties, children's parties, and theatrical productions in

2934-587: A number of actions in the Quebec Superior Court , which were consolidated under the application of prominent lawyer Guy Bertrand . Bertrand asked for interim and permanent injunctions against the holding of the referendum. The Federal Attorney General declined to intervene, and after failing in a motion to strike the application, the Quebec Attorney General unilaterally withdrew from the hearing. The Quebec government moved

3097-454: A number of royals displaced by the invasions of their respective countries back in Europe. Among the royal guests were Crown Prince Olav (later King Olav V) and Crown Princess Märtha of Norway ; Grand Duchess Charlotte and Prince Felix of Luxembourg ; King Peter II of Yugoslavia ; King George II of Greece ; Empress Zita of Austria and her daughters; as well as Queen Wilhelmina of

3260-487: A plan suggested by management consultants Price Waterhouse to move from Rideau Hall into Rideau Cottage , both for privacy and cost savings. Julie Payette did not take up residence in Rideau Hall during her tenure since, at the time of her appointment in October 2017, renovations that are part of a long-term plan toward 2067 were underway. In particular, the private apartments of the palace were being altered to provide

3423-418: A rallying point for sovereigntists and the public at large. Bouchard thought a proposal lacking a partnership would doom the project among soft nationalists (such as himself) who worried about the economic consequences of separation. As polls showed Parizeau's approach as highly unlikely to even exceed 40% support in a referendum, leaders of the movement engaged in a heated public debate. After Parizeau moved

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3586-707: A referendum on sovereignty during the first year of its term in office. The PQ won a majority government with 44.75% of the popular vote, just ahead of the Liberals' 44.4%. In preparation for the referendum, every household in Quebec was sent a draft of the Act Respecting the Future of Quebec (also referred to as the Sovereignty Bill ), with the announcement of the National Commission on

3749-467: A series of constitutional amendments that included the proposals of the Meech Lake Accord as well as other matters. The Accord was rejected by a majority of voters both in Quebec and English Canada. In the 1993 federal election , the Liberals returned to power with a majority government under Jean Chrétien , who had been Minister of Justice during the 1980–81 constitutional discussions and

3912-422: A similar local vote, asking voters, "Do you agree that Quebec should become sovereign?" , with 96% voting No. Five days before the vote, United States President Bill Clinton , in response to a question asked by CBC News reporter Henry Champ , while recognizing the referendum as an internal issue of Canada, gave a minute-long statement extolling the virtues of a united Canada, ending with "Canada has been

4075-493: A style that, while attempting to be harmonious with the original, was intended to resemble the governor general's residence in Quebec, Spencer Wood , which Monck greatly preferred over Rideau Hall. The extension was thus done in an overall Norman style of design that was typical in Quebec at the time, and had a similar long, covered verandah , a cross hall, and a new staircase capped by an ornate stained glass lantern . The exterior walls were clad in ashlar limestone masonry and

4238-423: A swag fashion outwards from a single coffer in the centre of the ceiling and trimmed around the perimeter of the room with a scallop edged valence of simple passementerie and tassels . This gives the space an overall resemblance to the interior of a large tent . The west wall of the room is broken by series of windows, each paired with a double door into the long gallery on the opposite wall, and, between them,

4401-408: A televised address by both leaders. Parizeau emphasized that he believed this might be the last opportunity for sovereignty for the foreseeable future, while Johnson chose to forecast the uncertainty that a "Yes" vote could provoke. Johnson's campaign focused on the practical problems created by the sovereignty process, emphasizing that an independent Quebec would be in an uncertain position regarding

4564-536: A temporary residence while 24 Sussex Drive is under renovation, were on the Rideau Hall property at the time. According to a preliminary investigation by the RCMP, the man intended to have the Prime Minister "arrested" for recent policy decisions. Rideau Hall's main purpose is to house the governor general of Canada and his or her offices, including the Canadian Heraldic Authority . It is also

4727-693: A theme until the early part of the 20th century. Upon arrival there in 1872, the Countess of Dufferin said in her journal: "We have been so very enthusiastic about everything hitherto that the first sight of Rideau Hall did lower our spirits just a little!" In 1893, Lady Stanley, wife of Governor General the Lord Stanley of Preston , said "you will find the furniture in the rooms very old-fashioned & not very pretty [...] The red drawing room [...] had no furniture except chairs & tables [...] The walls are absolutely bare [...] The room which has always been

4890-657: A vague response from the "No" campaign. On October 21 in Longueuil , Johnson, hoping to defuse the issue, ad-libbed a challenge to Chrétien to declare his position on distinct society recognition. When presented with the request, Chrétien, in New York for a United Nations meeting, responded, "No. We're not talking about the Constitution, we're talking about the separation of Quebec from the rest of Canada." The remarks in direct contradiction to Johnson were portrayed in

5053-566: Is also open to the public, running a visitors' program and free tours of the state rooms throughout the year, as well as educational tours for students; it is the only one of the six official residences in the National Capital Region that is publicly accessible. A visitors' centre is on the grounds, adjacent to the main gate. Rideau Hall takes part annually in Doors Open Ottawa and children may trick-or-treat at

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5216-607: Is also where ambassadors present their diplomatic credentials and large-scale state dinners are held; some 60,000 meals are served in the ballroom every year to up to 130 guests per function. The room can accommodate 350 people for functions not requiring tables. Both the tent room and ballroom were added during the tenure of the Earl of Dufferin . A double-height space, the ballroom is lined with tall, arched windows placed between rectangular pilasters that are topped with gilt, acanthused capitals. Cable moulding trim surrounds most of

5379-539: Is much superior to Kensington , for the walls are thick, the rooms are lathed and plastered (which they are not at Kensington) and there is an abundant supply of heat and light." The princess was not long in Rideau Hall before Fenians posed themselves as a threat to her life and she was ushered back to the UK for both rest and protection. When she returned in 1880, with the Queen greatly concerned for her daughter's safety, it

5542-676: The African Guitar Summit , K'naan and many others - at public and private events across Canada. The instrumental "Voyageur" by Don Ross from his "Upright and Locked Position" album (2012), was written for and composed on the Six String Nation guitar. In 2013 Jim Henman, a cofounder of Canada's April Wine, was asked to perform a few of his tunes on the Voyageur at his Toronto show and in 2019, an Ontario singer-songwriter composed and recorded an EP of 6 songs drawn from

5705-748: The Canadian Constitution and institute what would eventually become the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms . During tense negotiations in November 1981, an agreement was reached between Trudeau and nine of the ten provincial premiers by Trudeau, but not Lévesque. The Constitution Act of 1982 was enacted without the Quebec National Assembly's approval, after the Supreme Court of Canada ruled against

5868-676: The Cree right to self-determination in keeping their territories in Canada. On October 24, 1995, the Cree organized their own referendum, asking the question: "Do you consent, as a people, that the Government of Quebec separate the James Bay Crees and Cree traditional territory from Canada in the event of a Yes vote in the Quebec referendum?" 96.3% of the 77% of Crees who cast ballots voted to stay in Canada. The Inuit of Nunavik held

6031-537: The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and not be able to control the Canadian dollar. Prominent business figures such as Power Corporation president Paul Desmarais and Bombardier Inc. head Laurent Beaudoin spoke that they believed a "Yes" victory could spell doom for their Quebec business interests. The initial campaign for the "Yes" was led by Parizeau, with Dumont campaigning separately in rural areas. In addition to

6194-565: The October Crisis in 1970, Rideau Hall was heavily guarded for a number of weeks, due to the threat from the Front de libération du Québec , who had planted bombs and conducted kidnappings in Quebec during the crisis. The relatively free access to the grounds, which had been traditionally allowed since 1921 and enjoyed by tourists and local neighbours alike, ceased during Jeanne Sauvé 's time as governor general from 1984 to 1990; access

6357-567: The Reform Party or its leader, Preston Manning . This would go unchallenged by Ottawa for the majority of the campaign, but created much frustration within the governing Liberals in Ottawa. Prominent Chrétien adviser Eddie Goldenberg believed that the "No" campaign at some points was more focused on the future election position of the Quebec Liberals rather than the referendum itself. The campaign officially began on October 2, 1995, with

6520-427: The "Yes" side and to announce an intention to negotiate in good faith. The next day, Montreal radio station CKOI broadcast a prank call by radio announcer Pierre Brassard, impersonating Chrétien, to Elizabeth II , Queen of Canada , asking her to make a televised address championing national unity. The Queen appeared to reluctantly agree to the request and talked to Brassard for 17 minutes before her staff identified

6683-429: The 1960s, the contents and colours of the house changed with each successive royal and viceregal family; the consort typically seeing it as her duty to update Rideau Hall to suit both her personal and contemporary tastes. Today the rooms are furnished both with elements from the history of the residence as well as art and other objects that showcase contemporary Canadian culture. The long gallery's Chinoiserie decoration

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6846-630: The Blitz . It was then in 1940 that the governor general's office in the East Block of Parliament Hill was closed and moved to Rideau Hall. In December 1941, Winston Churchill arrived at the hall, where he presided over British Cabinet meetings via telephone from his bed. At the end of the global war, the first peacetime ball at Rideau Hall was held for President of the United States Dwight D. Eisenhower , after which life within

7009-712: The Bloc Québécois won 54 seats with 49.3% of Quebec's vote. The result made the Bloc the second largest party in the House of Commons , giving it the role of Official Opposition and allowing Bouchard to confront Chrétien in Question Period on a daily basis. In Quebec, the 1994 provincial election brought the Parti Québécois back to power, led by Jacques Parizeau . The party's platform promised to hold

7172-459: The Canada Day main stage on Parliament Hill, the guitar was played by J. Knutson (2007), Ron Hynes (2008), Shane Yellowbird (2009), Wayne Lavallee (2010) and the guitarist accompanying Kardinal Offishall (2016). Over the years it has been played by hundreds of musicians - including Feist , Bruce Cockburn , Stompin' Tom Connors , Gordon Lightfoot , Rob Baker , Catherine MacLellan ,

7335-464: The Canadian federal government representing an anglophone majority, Taylor sought to represent additional stakeholders within the national debate including multicultural and indigenous communities as well as francophones living outside of Quebec. Over a period of eleven years, Taylor researched and gathered contributed materials for the guitar from every province and territory in Canada. A few materials were contributed directly by individuals to Rizsanyi. It

7498-420: The Canadian government, and promised a second referendum to ratify the results of any negotiation. Parizeau believed a second referendum was unnecessary and would only encourage the remainder of Canada to use delaying tactics. The draft initial act featured a question only asking for the authority to declare Quebec sovereign. Pursuant to the partnership agreement with Bouchard and Dumont, the referendum question

7661-488: The Duke and Duchess of Strathearn), in 1890 and as the viceregal couple from 1906 to 1912; Princess Louise in 1900; Princess Patricia with her parents from 1906 to 1912; Prince Albert (later King George VI) in 1910 and 1913; Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII), in 1919, 1923, 1924, and 1927; Prince George (later also Duke of Kent) in 1926 and 1927; and Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester , in 1929. A member of

7824-658: The Federal Progressive Conservative Party , would be prominently featured, as he and the PCs had closely and productively cooperated with the Quebec Liberals in the Meech Lake negotiations. Fearing missteps by politicians not used to Quebec that had occurred during the Meech Lake and Charlottetown debates, Johnson and the campaign heavily controlled appearances by Federal politicians, including Chrétien. Johnson bluntly banned any appearance by

7987-620: The French doors to the upper terrace. An accessible entrance—opened by Anne, Princess Royal , and named after her—was added in 1982 and the Minto wing was eventually converted from residences to offices. Then, at the prompting of Governor General Michaëlle Jean , the main facade of Rideau Hall underwent a major renovation through 2006 and 2007, overseen by the National Capital Commission, which has been responsible for

8150-602: The Future of Quebec to commence in February 1995. The commission was boycotted by the Liberal Party of Quebec , the Liberal Party of Canada , and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada . The primary issue of debate within the sovereignty movement became on what terms sovereignty would be put before the electorate. Parizeau, long identified with the independantiste wing of the party,

8313-533: The Gate Group and asserted the closure was more due to Sauvé's selfish desire for privacy than any real security risks; The Globe and Mail reported in 1986 that the group planned to boycott the Governor General's annual garden party because of what they called her "bunker mentality". Sauvé's successor, Ray Hnatyshyn , reopened Government House and its gardens to the public. Sauvé also entertained

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8476-407: The Governor General's Performing Arts Awards. The present décor in the ballroom— powder blue walls with beige marbleized pilasters, cream trim, and shades of peach , cream, and old gold on the ceiling, all with gilt highlights—was implemented by Adrienne Clarkson when she was the Queen's representative between 1999 and 2005. By stripping away a more monochrome palette that had been applied to

8639-490: The King of Canada had come home." The King, while there, became the first monarch of Canada to personally receive the credentials of an ambassador, that being Daniel Calhoun Roper as the representative of the United States . It was thought for a time, after the outbreak of the Second World War , that the King, Queen, and their two daughters— Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret —would move permanently to Canada for

8802-524: The Minto wing was constructed on the east end of Rideau Hall and was completed in the following year, though this was again intended to only be a temporary measure until a proper government house could be built. Minto's successor, the Earl Grey , added the governor general's study to the far east end of the Monck wing, thus symmetrically balancing out the curved bay and pediment of the original McKay villa to

8965-508: The National Capital Commission, were added to each side of the stair to both improve accessibility and commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II . As such, bronze plaques bearing the Queen's royal cypher , the dates 1952 and 2012, and the words vivat regina ( Latin for 'Long live the queen') were affixed to the bases of the marble stringers on either side of the staircase. The proportions and configuration of

9128-503: The Netherlands , her daughter, Princess Juliana (later Queen Juliana), and granddaughters, Princesses Beatrix (later Queen Beatrix), Irene , and Margriet . Though the resident governor general's wife, Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone , could do little to add her personal touch to Rideau Hall, due to rationing and scarce supplies, she put many of the other royal ladies to work making clothing for those who had lost their homes in

9291-488: The Quebec government that its consent was not necessary for constitutional change. New Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and Quebec Liberal premier Robert Bourassa sought a series of constitutional amendments designed to address Quebec's concerns. In the Meech Lake Accord , the federal government and all provincial premiers agreed to a series of amendments that decentralized some powers and recognized Quebec as

9454-511: The Queen made her first-ever appearance on live television ; from Rideau Hall, on 13 October ( Thanksgiving Day ), she delivered an address to Canadians, aired on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation . The Queen also stayed in her Ottawa government house and held audience with an influx of 53 foreign heads of state and government during Expo 67 , held in Montreal, and Canada's centennial celebrations . During

9617-606: The Royal Window—a stained glass piece commemorating the 40th anniversary of the accession of Elizabeth II to the throne, displaying, between the Queen's Canadian royal standard above and the Great Seal of Canada below, the monarch's coat of arms for Canada surrounded by the shields of each of the provincial coats of arms. Additionally, in the top two corners are images of Elizabeth's royal cypher, balancing out representations of

9780-694: The September sitting of the National Assembly two days forward to be sure that parliamentary immunity would prevent MNAs from being summoned to testify. Justice Lesage of the Court found that secession could only legally be performed by constitutional amendment pursuant to Section V of the Constitution Act, 1982 , and that a unilateral declaration of independence would be "manifestly illegal." Lesage refused to issue an injunction to stop

9943-644: The Six String Nation team on the journey to Haida Gwaii in February 2006 to obtain the wood from the Golden Spruce was Geoff Siskind, acting in the dual capacity of videographer and audio recordist, the latter for a documentary by renowned CBC radio documentarist Steve Wadhams. Wadhams' experimental audio documentary based on these and other recordings, along with interviews with Jowi and music commissioned from Don Ross , aired in 2007. An interview on Shaw TV Vancouver's "Urban Rush" show on September 29, 2009 included performances by Barney Bentall . The project

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10106-402: The Sovereign's badges for both the Order of Canada and the Order of Military Merit in the bottom two corners. Another stained glass window is found to the right of the entrance, marking the first appointment of a Canadian-born governor general; the viceregal position is symbolized by a crowned lion holding a maple leaf and surrounded by the shields of the arms of the first seven persons to hold

10269-412: The advanced abilities of McKay's stonemasons. The main entrance to the house was on the west side and opened into a hall with stairs to the upper floor directly ahead. Along the south front were a library, a dining room, and a boudoir, all with French doors opening onto a narrow balcony ; the dining room was served by three of these doors, one of which now opens into the tent room's antechamber, one into

10432-451: The ballroom (initiated by the Earl and Countess of Dufferin ), in which members of the household and viceregal family would participate. Probably the largest event held in the ballroom was a fancy dress ball hosted by the Dufferins on the evening of 23 February 1876, which approximately 1,500 guests attended. Still, despite the popularity of the events that took place in the building, negative first impressions of Rideau Hall itself were

10595-399: The border. It was hand-woven , using the low cut and loop technique, by Miritech Carpets in Kitchener - Waterloo, Ontario , which is the only Canadian-owned mill in the country. Miritech also produced the rug in the state dining room. The previously used rug, in place for 16 years, was cut up and reused in secondary rooms and other residences. The new rug covers a floor made of oak set in

10758-421: The building of the guitar and its subsequent travels was aborted by CBC Television Arts and Entertainment part way through the development process just months before construction on the guitar began on April 30, 2006. At that point, CBC Newsworld producer Deborah Smith stepped in to propose a more modest project called "A Canadian Guitar", which played several times on the now defunct network. Accompanying Jowi and

10921-409: The construction of the parliament buildings. In 1864, Rideau Hall was leased by the Crown from the McKay family for $ 4,000 per year and was intended to serve only as a temporary home for the viceroy until a proper government house could be constructed. The next year, Frederick Preston Rubidge oversaw the refinishing of the original villa and designed additions to accommodate the new functions. It

11084-406: The crowned royal cypher of Elizabeth II. These pieces, along with the grilles, were made by artist and blacksmith Cairn Cunnane. For formal arrivals at the main door, this addition also included a porte-cochère with three arched openings between columns resting on the foundations of posts that supported the McKay villa's porte-cochère. The centre opening is topped with a carved stone rendition of

11247-503: The decades, seeing the first gas chandeliers and a telegraph wire put in, as well as the construction of the ballroom in the same year. By the time Rideau Hall was to live up to its role as a royal home, when its first royal residents— John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne , and his wife, Princess Louise —moved in at the beginning of 1878, many upgrades had been completed. Lorne stated of the hall: "Here we are settling down in this big and comfortable House [ sic ], which I tell Louise

11410-441: The declaration, but ultimately the Federal government decided to participate. In a dramatic reading at the Grand Théâtre de Québec on September 6, the final version of the Sovereignty Bill was unveiled. The bill would be tabled in the National Assembly awaiting the result of the referendum. The question in the 1980 referendum, in an attempt to build a broad coalition, had sought only the authority to negotiate sovereignty with

11573-406: The department now provides a more systematic approach to the maintenance of the palace, with a full-time building manager in charge of the project. The National Capital Commission is charged with the decoration of the rooms; since 2004 the commission has undertaken a project to restore many of the salons and other state rooms to the period in which they were first built. The sole remaining part of

11736-516: The doors are formed into a geometric pattern meant to represent infrastructure associated with settlement, including the Canadian Pacific Railway , while circular etching on the glass panels evokes indigenous cultures and the vertical lines echo paintings by Tom Thomson . The exterior handles are each fashioned from paired bronze dowels with elements, attached at top and bottom, formed from the same metal to appear as twigs. Inside,

11899-493: The drafting. Daniel Johnson stated it was confusing and at the very least should have contained the word "country." Prominent federalists argued that the referendum question should not have mentioned "partnership" proposals, because no Canadian political leaders outside Quebec had shown any interest in negotiating a possible partnership agreement with an independent Quebec, and arguably no entity capable of undertaking such negotiations actually existed. Other federalists argued that

12062-560: The duration of the conflict in Europe; though, Hatley Castle , in Colwood, British Columbia , was purchased by the King in Right of Canada for this purpose, instead of using Rideau Hall. However, it was decided that the royal family leaving the United Kingdom at a time of war would be a major blow to morale and they remained in Britain. During the war, the palace became the home in exile of

12225-426: The economic uncertainty that worried swing voters. Polls in the first week were highly disappointing for the "Yes" camp, as they showed them behind by 5–7 percentage points among decided voters, with an even larger gap if "undecided" voters were weighed toward the "No" side as would generally be expected. Parizeau, a general fixture in Quebec politics for decades whose strong views of sovereignty were well known among

12388-456: The electorate. The same night, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien gave a televised address to the nation in English and French. Broadly similar in both languages, Chrétien promoted the virtues of Canadian federalism to Quebec, touched on the shared values of the country, warned that Parizeau would use the referendum result as a mandate to declare independence from Canada (while explicitly not stating

12551-494: The enargement in 1912 of the state dining room and addition of the long gallery to the east of the tent room. Off the long gallery is the verandah, added in 1927. It is a simple, stucco-clad structure containing one room with large windows and French doors overlooking the upper terrace lawn in the corner between the Dufferin and Monck wings. Between the windows are half-round and flat classical pilasters. A set of stairs leads from

12714-493: The extensive repainting of the state rooms from a consistent white to more historically accurate and polychrome palette, but also worked with Ontario potter Bill Reddick to develop Rideau Hall's first Canadian porcelain state dinner service. Since Vincent Massey's time as governor general, the viceroy has worked closely with the Department of Public Works and Government Services in repairing and refurbishing Rideau Hall;

12877-414: The first viceregal inhabitants, the hall has held pieces by prominent Canadian cabinet makers, such as Jaques & Hay of Toronto , James Thompson of Montreal, and William Drum of Quebec. Originally, the interior decoration was heavily Victorian , with many Rococo influences. Renovations, however, have turned the interiors into predominantly Georgian spaces, with Adam and Palladian elements. Until

13040-407: The flanking wings by re-facing them and harmonizing their window and cornice heights. The Mappin block itself is three storeys in height, and its front is divided by pilasters into five bays , with the central one slightly wider than the equal other four. The windows on the main floor are each surrounded by smaller pilasters beneath a triangular pediment formed by keel moulding geisons , while

13203-493: The grounds. Rideau Hall's site lies just outside the centre of Ottawa. It is one of two official vice-regal residences maintained by the federal Crown, the other being the Citadelle of Quebec . Most of Rideau Hall is used for state affairs, only 500 square metres (5,400 sq ft) of its area being dedicated to private living quarters, while additional areas serve as the offices of the Canadian Heraldic Authority and

13366-494: The guest on episode 70 of the Trailer Park Boys podcast, published on SwearNet.com on December 2, 2016. During the episode, Mike Smith , as the character "Bubbles", played the song "Liquor and Whores" on Voyageur . The guitar is made from 64 pieces of wood, bone, metal, stone and horn, representing a variety of cultures, communities, characters and events from every province and territory of Canada. The guitar case

13529-659: The guitar was part of the Un Paese a Sei Corde international guitar festival in Orta San Giulio , Italy, where it was played by Pino Forastiere and Davide Sgorlon. In honour of the guitar, a fifty-cent coin was created by the Royal Canadian Mint in 2009. It is in the triangular shape of a guitar pick and features a hologram of the Six String Nation logo on the reverse set into a depiction of Voyageur 's sound hole and rosette. On December 11, 2015, Taylor

13692-477: The handrails were inspired by the Edwardian architecture of the entrance hall and the decorations were intended to "evoke the nation's history, without resorting to conventional iconography." To express the work of the human hand as well as that of machines, the handrail comprises both forged or hand-tooled , fluidly shaped components—the branch-shaped bars, volute brackets, the icy, flowing patterns etched on

13855-508: The hoax (after a delay due to a Chrétien aide wrongly speculating to Buckingham Palace staff that it could be a genuine call). Fisheries Minister Brian Tobin , expressing anxiety to his staff about the referendum the week before, was told about a small rally planned in Place du Canada in Montreal for businesspersons on October 27. Asked by Federal advisor John Rae, Pierre Claude Nolin agreed to allow Tobin to invite Canadians outside Quebec to

14018-414: The house each Hallowe'en . The original 1838 structure was relatively small; only two storeys tall with a full-height, central, curved bay, and an accordingly curved pediment on top, the villa was designed by Thomas McKay (who had also designed and built Earnscliffe ) in a Regency style , inspired by the work of architect Sir John Soane , who had himself designed a never-realised government house for

14181-482: The house was also known colloquially as McKay's Castle . Once the house became the official residence of the governor general, it was termed formally as Government House . However, Rideau Hall stuck as the informal name, and the existence of two names for the building led to some issue: in 1889 the viceregal consort , the Lady Stanley of Preston, was rebuked by Queen Victoria for calling the house Rideau Hall; it

14344-656: The household returned to normal. The transition from war to peace was marked by the appointment as governor general of the Viscount Alexander , whose son, Brian, reportedly used the portraits of former governors general throughout the hall as targets for his water pistol . During Alexander's tenure, Government House's first post-war Canadian royal visitors were the heiress presumptive to the throne, Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh (later Queen Elizabeth II), and her husband, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , who came in late 1951 and, amongst other activities, took part in

14507-601: The independence of the province and the establishment of a nation state . Among these was René Lévesque , who founded the Parti Québécois with like-minded groups seeking independence from Canada. After winning power in 1976, the PQ government held a referendum in 1980 seeking a mandate to negotiate " sovereignty-association " with Canada, which was decisively defeated. In response to the referendum result, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau said that he would seek to patriate

14670-534: The invitation of the National Capital Commission . Following its official introduction, it was played by Stephen Fearing and subsequently during the show by Kyle Riabko , Michel Pagliaro , Colin James , Jean-Francois Breau and Amy Millan . Earlier in the day, it had been played on ancillary stages by Colin Linden , Tom Wilson, Popo Murigande, Joel Fafard and members of La Volée d'Castors . In subsequent years at

14833-545: The largest rendition in the Commonwealth ). Rideau Hall's main entrance is part of the Mappin block. To honour Queen Elizabeth II, the doorway was, on 1 July 2017 (the sesquicentennial of Confederation , in the 65th year of Elizabeth's reign), named the Queen's Entrance by Governor General David Johnston in a ceremony attended by Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall . The bronze grilles on

14996-409: The latter governor's wife, Lady Head, while she was visiting Rideau Hall, had influenced Queen Victoria to choose Bytown (now Ottawa) as the national capital. Also, on 2 September 1860, the day after he laid the cornerstone of the parliament buildings, Prince Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII ), drove through the grounds of Rideau Hall as part of his tour of the region. After Bytown

15159-471: The long gallery, and one that still opens to the outside. The French door originally opening from the boudoir is today the window of the Pauline Vanier room. Initially rented from the McKay family as a temporary accommodation for the Canadian viceroy, the house has since been expanded numerous times. The Viscount Monck oversaw the first addition to the villa in 1865: a long wing extending to the east and built in

15322-440: The lower floor covered in mosaic tile and the upper with wood. The two levels are connected by a wide, white marble, central stair; to each side, at the upper landing, are marble guards with ornate, Neoclassical balustrades . Across from the top of the stair is a door to the reception room. In 2012, bronze and art glass handrails, funded by a private donation from Rouge Herald Extraordinary Roger Lindsay and commissioned by

15485-478: The main contractor involved in the construction of the Rideau Canal . Following the completion of the canal, McKay built mills at Rideau Falls , making him the founder of New Edinburgh , the original settlement of Ottawa. With his newly acquired wealth, McKay purchased the 100 acre site overlooking both the Ottawa and Rideau Rivers and built a stone villa where he and his family lived until 1855 and which became

15648-505: The maintenance and upkeep of the building and its grounds since 1986. Masonry was treated and restored, the original sash windows rehabilitated and stripped of their lead paint, and the copper roof of the Mappin wing was repaired. This was the first time any considerable work had been done on the front façade since the 1960s. A project began in 2012 to replace the building's climate control system —consisting of three large external chillers and multiple window-mounted air conditioners —with

15811-427: The margin for error was dramatically reduced. The "No" campaign continued to focus on the economic benefits of federation. Bouchard's speeches asked Quebecers to vote "Yes" to give a clear mandate for change, and that only the clarity of a "Yes" vote would provide a final solution to Canada's long-standing constitutional issues and a new partnership with English Canada for the betterment of both. Bouchard's popularity

15974-530: The materials and construction process mostly by Fizli and a selection from among the tens of thousands of portraits of people holding Voyageur taken at events in all provinces and territories of Canada by Nicholson - an ongoing project. Additionally, the project has been featured in a number of other published texts and workbooks including the grade 9 core French textbook "Tu Parles!" from R.K. Publishing and "Mathematics 10" for western Canada from McGraw-Hill Ryerson . A proposed television special and series about

16137-400: The narrow art glass panels—with rectilinear, stock, machined -bronze pieces. This meeting of nature and human creation "stands for the tie between Canada's evolution as a country and the landscape that nurtured it." The shield of Roger Lindsay's coat of arms is affixed discreetly to the lower newel post, on the north side of the stair. On the opposite wall, to the left of the entrance, is

16300-440: The official beginning of the referendum campaign. After the agreement of June 12, the "Yes" campaign would be headed by Jacques Parizeau. The official "No" campaign would be chaired by Liberal leader Daniel Johnson Jr. Making matters more complex, especially for the "No" camp, was the federal nature of Canada . The governing Liberal Party of Canada and its leader, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien were not strongly represented in

16463-494: The openings and, around the perimeter of the room, at the intersection of walls and ceiling, is a deep and ornate plaster crown moulding formed by a godroon textured frieze and a heavy dentiled bed-mould between layers of talon and gorge mouldings. Above this is the Victorian, lacunar, clear span vaulted ceiling, from the centre of which hangs a one- ton chandelier , containing 12,000 pieces of Waterford Crystal , that

16626-402: The original McKay villa is the reception room on the ground floor and the royal suite directly above. The former was created in 1913 by removing the interior partitions of the villa; the baseboards, mouldings, and trims date from that era. It is where small ceremonies and presentations take place, while the latter is an oval room that was previously the drawing room of the original McKay villa and

16789-406: The partnership negotiation process, and a general plan of seeking "sovereignty" while requiring an economic and social partnership offer be negotiated and presented to the rest of Canada. Most importantly for Parizeau, the agreement also allowed the government to declare immediate independence if negotiations were not successful or heard after a successful referendum. The looming referendum prompted

16952-502: The path beyond before proceeding further on foot, hiding in the rose garden for a few minutes and then moving on towards the greenhouses behind Rideau Hall itself. Groundskeepers noticed the intruder and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were eventually called. The man, who the police noted was armed, was arrested without incident. Neither the Governor General nor the Prime Minister, who is using Rideau Cottage as

17115-488: The planned referendum date to the fall, Deputy Premier Bernard Landry aroused ire by stating he would not want to be involved in a " charge of the light brigade ." During the Bloc's April conference, after a speech demanding a change in direction, Bouchard expressed ambivalence to a radio show about participating if a partnership proposal was not included. Mario Dumont , leader of the new Action démocratique du Québec , also stated that he would only consider participation in

17278-473: The populace, was under pressure to create a spark. In an unannounced ceremony on October 7 at the Université de Montréal , Parizeau made a surprise announcement: He appointed Bouchard as "chief negotiator" for the partnership talks following a "Yes" vote. The move came as a dramatic surprise to the campaign, promoting the popular Bouchard to the fore and simultaneously emphasizing the "partnership" aspect of

17441-455: The post. Book-ending the Mappin wing are the tent room—used for slightly less formal gatherings—and the ballroom—the centre of state life at Rideau Hall. It is in the latter space that honours and awards ceremonies take place and members of the Cabinet are sworn in; as such, it is the second most photographed and televised room in Canada, preceded only by the House of Commons . The ballroom

17604-484: The presidents of Germany , Italy , and Indonesia . With the greater ease of travel, more members of Canada's royal family visited as well, including the Queen Mother; Princess Mary, Princess Royal ; Katharine, Duchess of Kent ; Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon; Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh; and, in 1957, Elizabeth was again in residence, though for the first time as queen. It was during that stay that

17767-508: The press as a blunt refusal. Chrétien's position was far more difficult than Johnson's: part of the 1993 Liberal election platform had been moving the country away from large-scale constitutional debates. Provincial governments were also far more hostile to the constitutional process than they had been in the decade prior, with even the federal government's typical ally, Ontario, being firmly against any pursuit of constitutional accommodation. French President Jacques Chirac , while answering

17930-400: The principal workplace of the governor general and their staff; either the term Rideau Hall , as a metonym , or the formal idiom Government House is employed to refer to this bureaucratic branch. Officially received at the palace are foreign heads of state , both incoming and outgoing ambassadors and high commissioners to Canada, and Canadian Crown ministers for audiences with either

18093-428: The province outside of Montreal. Chrétien's involvement in the 1982 negotiations and his stance against the Meech Lake Accord made him unpopular with moderate francophone federalists and sovereignists, who would be the swing voters in the referendum. Lucienne Robillard , a nationalist former Bourassa-era cabinet minister, would serve as the federal Liberal representative on the "No" committee. Jean Charest , leader of

18256-501: The provincial vote counting and direct federal financial involvement in the final days of the campaign reverberated in Canadian politics for over a decade after the referendum took place. In the aftermath of the close result, the federal government, after unilaterally recognizing Quebec as a distinct society and amending the federal constitutional veto procedure, referred the issue to the Supreme Court of Canada , which stated that

18419-458: The push-plates, also of bronze, each have one of the supporters from the Royal Coat of Arms of Canada carved into them. Affixed to the exterior wall next to the entrance is a plaque made of forged and carved bronze shaped to appear as seven short, vertical planks of driftwood joined by a horizontal scroll in polished brass, bearing the words The Queen's Entrance / Entrée de la reine , under

18582-453: The question erroneously implied an agreement had been reached between Canada and Quebec regarding a partnership on June 12, 1995. Parizeau would later express regret that the agreement had to be cited in the question, but noted that the June 12, 1995 agreement had been sent to every registered voter in the province. Pursuant to Quebec's Referendum Act (enacted by the National Assembly prior to

18745-403: The question. Bouchard, already popular, became a sensation: in addition to his medical struggles and charisma, his more moderate approach and prominent involvement in the Meech Lake Accord while in Ottawa reminded undecided nationalist voters of federal missteps from years past. Politicians on both sides described his appeal as messianic and almost impossible to personally attack, in contrast to

18908-573: The rally, provided Quebec's referendum laws were adhered to. Tobin then encouraged fellow caucus members to send as many people as possible. Rideau Hall Rideau Hall (officially Government House ) is the official residence of the governor general of Canada , the representative of the monarch of Canada . Located in Ottawa , the capital of the country on a 36-hectare (88-acre) estate at 1 Sussex Drive . The main building consisting of approximately 175 rooms across 9,500 square metres (102,000 sq ft), and 27 outbuildings around

19071-499: The referendum if a partnership was made part of the question. The final findings of the National Commission, issued April 19, included a statement that the public generally desired an economic partnership with Canada. Fearing Bouchard and Dumont would further dilute their position as the referendum wore on, Parizeau agreed to negotiate a broader approach, and would agree to a statement that included partnership with Dumont and Bouchard on June 12, 1995. The Agreement contained details of

19234-444: The referendum of 1980), the campaign would be conducted as a provincially governed election campaign, and all campaign spending had to be authorized and accounted for under "Yes" (Le Comité national du OUI) or "No" (Comité des Québécoises et des Québécois pour le NON) umbrella committees. Each committee had an authorized budget of $ 5 million. Campaign spending by any person or group other than the official committees would be illegal after

19397-418: The referendum timetable. Quebec Attorney General Paul Bégin stated that he believed an extra-constitutional referendum was legal pursuant to international law . Quebec Liberal leader and "No" campaign chairman Daniel Johnson announced the following day that the ruling would not change the strategy of the "No" campaign. Some Federal officials questioned if their level of government could be involved after

19560-437: The referendum was launched by the provincial Parti Québécois government of Jacques Parizeau . Despite initial predictions of a heavy sovereignist defeat, an eventful and complex campaign followed, with the "Yes" side flourishing after being taken over by Bloc Québécois leader Lucien Bouchard . Voting took place on 30 October 1995, and featured the largest voter turnout in Quebec's history (93.52%). The "No" option carried by

19723-506: The referendum, as he believed that to do so could paralyze the workings of government and cause more disorder than the referendum being held. The Court opted for declaratory relief, declaring that the Sovereignty Bill and the referendum constituted a serious threat to Bertrand's Charter rights. Parizeau denounced the decision as undemocratic, stated that the Constitution Act, 1982 did not apply to Quebec, and refused to move

19886-521: The referendum. First Nations communities contributed significantly to the tense debate on a hypothetical partition of Quebec . The Grand Council of the Crees in Northern Quebec was particularly vocal and prominent in its resistance to the idea of being included in an independent Quebec. Grand Chief Matthew Coon Come issued a legal paper, titled Sovereign Injustice , which sought to affirm

20049-506: The regiment and Athlone had rejected him as incompetent, and he fell out of a window when drunk and perished of hypothermia overnight. When King George VI and his consort , Queen Elizabeth , arrived at Rideau Hall on 19 May 1939, during their first royal tour of Canada , official royal tour historian Gustave Lanctot stated: "When Their Majesties walked into their Canadian residence, the Statute of Westminster had assumed full reality:

20212-507: The residence of Canada's monarch when he is in Ottawa. and has a royal and viceregal household to support the sovereign and governor general, comprising a maître d’hôtel , chefs , footmen , valets , dressers, pages , aides-de-camp (drawn from the junior officers of the Canadian Armed Forces ), equerries , and others. The majority of Rideau Hall's area is dedicated to affairs of state; only 500 m (5,400 sq ft) of

20375-428: The response. Bouchard's French address recounted the previous animosities of the constitutional debate, specifically targeting Chrétien's career and actions, including showing a newspaper headline from the aftermath of the 1982 Constitution that featured Trudeau and Chrétien laughing. Bouchard then focused on the details of the partnership aspect of the proposal. He used his English address to ask Canadians to understand

20538-405: The result would be accepted), and announced that Quebec would be recognized as a distinct society and that any future constitutional reform that impacted Quebec would be made with the province's consent. The "Yes" side was provided airtime for a rebuttal in English and French. Lucien Bouchard was given the task in both languages, with the "Yes" campaign stating that a federal politician should give

20701-457: The roof in cedar shingles until replaced by copper in 1913. In 1872, during the tenure of the Earl of Dufferin, the indoor Tennis Court and the ballroom were added to the western end of the house, arranged to the south and north, respectively, of the main entrance. The ballroom is a structure of heavy timber framing with brick infill and finished stone exterior. Then, when the Earl of Minto arrived in 1898 with his large family and household,

20864-412: The room in the 1970s, this restored the ballroom to a scheme closer to the original that was in place when the room was first completed in 1872. The carpet, which was the last element of the ballroom's seven-year restoration project, is in "mixed tones of gold, cream, and blue-green," with a lattice pattern over the body of the rug and a twisting acanthus leaf pattern (matching the pilaster capitals) around

21027-518: The root of the present day Rideau Hall. Locals referred to the structure as McKay's Castle . Even before the building became a viceregal residence, the hall received noted visitors, including three Governors General of the Province of Canada : the Lord Sydenham , the Earl of Elgin , and Sir Edmund Head . It was said that the watercolours of Barrack Hill (now Parliament Hill ) painted by

21190-517: The royal family, the Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (grandson of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn), lost his life on the grounds of Rideau hall. Theo Aronson , in his 1981 biography of Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone , simply stated that the Duke "was found dead on the floor of his room at Rideau Hall on the morning of 26 April 1943. He had died, apparently, from hypothermia." The diaries of Sir Alan Lascelles , King George VI's private secretary, published in 2006, recorded that both

21353-460: The second level windows are each simply framed by astragal moulding broken at the top by a keystone . A heavy entablature separates the second and third levels, atop which sits less pronounced pilasters and simply framed windows, with the entire facade capped by a narrow cornice and a pediment with a tympanum that bears a bas relief of the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom (believed to be

21516-451: The shield of the Royal Arms of Canada as it appeared between 1868 and 1870. All the arches can be fitted during the winter with fanlights and glass doors to provide an enclosed space in which to exit cars. On the third floor of the Mappin block is the apartment for aides-de-camp. It is from the kitchen within that apartment that the flagpole can be reached via a ladder and an attic space. Further projects that were completed by 1914 were

21679-490: The stories embedded in the guitar, entitled "The Songs of Voyageur". Taylor and the Six String Nation guitar have appeared at festivals, schools, community, conference and corporate events in every province and territory of Canada. The guitar officially received the nickname Voyageur - as suggested by Lt. Col. Susan Beharriell - at a ceremony launching the 2008 Festival du Voyageur in Winnipeg-St. Boniface. In 2009,

21842-467: The summer of 2019, but she spent the summer at the Citadelle of Quebec . The grounds were again closed through much of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic . During that period, on 2 July, a former Canadian soldier and businessman from Bowsman, Manitoba , drove his truck through Thomas Gate, a pedestrian entrance in the fence surrounding the park. He continued in his vehicle approximately 120 metres along

22005-422: The then capital of Upper Canada , York , in 1818. Unlike the present arrangement, the rooms of the McKay villa for entertaining, sleeping, and service were dispersed throughout the two floors of the structure, with the main parlour on the second level, in an oval room behind the curved, south bay, which National Capital Commission Chief Architect David Scarlett said in 2014 was made in such a shape so as to display

22168-631: The total 9,500 m (102,000 sq ft) given to private living quarters. Some 200 events are held at Rideau Hall every year, most being Canadian award presentations and investitures. In this way, the palace is where prime ministers and other members of the federal Cabinet are sworn-in and federal writs of election are dropped, among other constitutional functions of the governor general. Heads of state and government , both incoming and outgoing ambassadors and high commissioners to Canada, and Canadian Crown ministers and loyal opposition leaders are received at Rideau Hall for audiences with either

22331-477: The traditional themes of the movement's appeal to Quebec nationalism, the "Yes" campaign attempted to highlight the slim possibility of any future reform to Canada's federal system. Parizeau bitterly attacked business leaders for intervening in the referendum, calling it a betrayal of their Quebec customers and workers. While Parizeau's responses were highly popular with "Yes" stalwarts, it was generally seen that speeches against business leaders were only highlighting

22494-595: The unilateral secession contemplated in the referendum was illegal. Quebec, a province in Canada since its foundation in 1867 , has always been the sole majority French-speaking province. Long ruled by forces (such as the Union Nationale ) that focused on affirmation of the province's Francophone and Catholic identity within Canada, the Quiet Revolution of the early 1960s prompted a surge in civic and economic nationalism, as well as voices calling for

22657-455: The viceroy or the sovereign, should the latter be in residence. Although there is a state dining room in Rideau Hall, state dinners and luncheons are usually held in the larger ballroom or tent room. In setting up for a formal meal, a measuring stick is used to set the tableware and locate the charis relative to the tables uniformly. The ingredients and wines are "100 per cent Canadian [...] reflecting Canada's many cultures." The residence

22820-406: The viceroy or the sovereign, should the latter be in residence. Rideau Hall is likewise the location of many Canadian award presentations and investitures, where prime ministers and other members of the federal Cabinet are sworn in, and where federal writs of election are "dropped", among other ceremonial and constitutional functions. Rideau Hall and the surrounding grounds were designated as

22983-437: The vote. Unwilling to believe Parizeau had given up his leadership role voluntarily, most in the "No" camp and Ottawa had assumed a coup had taken place, though the manoeuvre had been planned and voluntary. The dramatic events prompted many federal politicians to lobby for similarly dramatic intervention from Ottawa and the federal government, which were refused by the "No" committee, who believed that with Bouchard's introduction

23146-448: The well-worn figures on both sides of the referendum. "No" advisor John Parisella noted that at focus groups , when presented with statements Bouchard had made that they did not like, participants would refuse to believe he meant them. New polls eventually showed a majority of Quebecers intending to vote "Yes". "No" forces, including Johnson, were shocked by the development, which required wholesale changes in strategy three weeks before

23309-462: The west. One of the greatest alterations to the form of Rideau Hall came in 1913, with the construction of the Mappin block as a link between the ballroom and what was then the tennis court (today the tent room), as well as to disguise the misalignment between those two structures. As such, Chief Dominion Architect David Ewart designed the Mappin block in an "adapted Florentine architectural style ", using limestone ashlar , and extended that over

23472-513: The wife of the G.G.'s sitting room is very empty [...] There are no lamps in the house at all. No cushions, no table cloths, in fact none of the small things that make a room pretty & comfortable." Echoing these earlier comments, the Marchioness of Aberdeen and Temair said upon her departure from Ottawa that Rideau Hall was a "shabby old Government House put away amongst its clump of bushes [...]" Various improvements were undertaken over

23635-553: Was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal (Civilian Division) for his work on the project by Governor General David Johnston in a ceremony at Rideau Hall . The origins and process of the project as well as the encounters with people across Canada were chronicled in a book by Taylor in 2009, "Six String Nation: 64 Pieces. 6 Strings. 1 Canada. 1 Guitar." (Douglas & Mcintyre publishers) accompanied by photos by Doug Nicholson and Sandor Fizli, including photos of

23798-496: Was built by Rizsanyi in his workshop near Pinehurst, Nova Scotia, with assistance from Michael McConnell and fretboard inlay work by Sara Nasr. Work on the guitar was completed on June 15, 2006, and tested by musicians Dave MacIsaac of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia and Roger Howse of Newfoundland. Additional elements of metal, leather and fabric have subsequently been added to the case and strap. The Six String Nation guitar made its debut on Canada Day 2006 on Parliament Hill in Ottawa at

23961-503: Was changed to incorporate the partnership agreement. It was presented on September 7, 1995, to be voted on October 30, 1995. In English, the question on the ballot asked: Do you agree that Quebec should become sovereign, after having made a formal offer to Canada for a new economic and political partnership, within the scope of the bill respecting the future of Quebec and of the agreement signed on June 12, 1995? The question came under immediate fire from federalists, who had no input in

24124-469: Was chosen as the capital of the Province of Canada, a design competition was launched in 1859 for a new parliamentary campus. The Centre Block, departmental buildings, and a residence for the governor general were each awarded separately. The winning scheme for Government House was a Second Empire design by Toronto architects Cumberland & Storm . However, it was never built, owing to cost overruns on

24287-485: Was covered with black bunting as a sign of mourning . As one of his last acts as king of Canada, George VI appointed Vincent Massey as not only the first Canadian-born viceregal resident of his Canadian home, but also the first who was single, with Massey having been widowed two years prior to his installation; his daughter-in-law, Lilias, thus acted as Chatelaine of Rideau Hall . Massey spoke of Rideau Hall as "a piece of architecture that might be regarded as possessing

24450-1117: Was custom made for Six String Nation by Al Williams of Calton Cases Canada in Calgary, Alberta. The strap was made by Levy's Leathers of Winnipeg Manitoba. Additional pieces of significant material adorn both the case and the strap. Dinosaur Provincial Park John Ware 's cabin. Upper element of leaf motif. Wayne Gretzky . Bridge pin (1 of original 6). from Hand Hills Lake Stampede. Standoff Blood Tribe Buffalo Skull symbol. Columbia Columbia Haida Gwaii Kiidk'yaas , "The Golden Spruce". Columbia Goldwood timber mill. on either side of end block. Columbia Nancy Greene-Raine . Reinforcing strip #2 from top. Columbia DHC-2 Beaver Elements #3 and #11, clockwise. Columbia first Chinatown, Fan Tan Alley . Ukrainian Church . Rosette element #8, clockwise. schoolhouse to Louis Riel . Rosette, elements #5/13 French Frigate, Machault . & Labrador motor cabinet. & Labrador & Labrador & Labrador 1995 Quebec referendum The 1995 Quebec referendum

24613-582: Was enlarged to three or four times the original size, mostly by way of a new 49-room wing, and, once complete, the first Governor General of Canada, the Viscount Monck , took residence. These additions were opposed by George Brown , who claimed that "the governor general's residence is a miserable little house, and the grounds those of an ambitious country squire." Prime Minister John A. Macdonald agreed, complaining that more had been spent on patching up Rideau Hall than could have been used to construct

24776-507: Was felt necessary to post extra guards around the grounds of the hall. Thereafter, members of the royal family would stay periodically at Rideau Hall, if not as governor general then as guests of the Crown, so that the palace played host to Prince Leopold (later also Duke of Albany) in 1880; Prince George (later King George V) in 1882, 1901, and 1908; Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught , and Princess Louise, Duchess of Connaught (later also

24939-500: Was granted only through invitation, appointment, or pre-arranged tours on certain days. The decision to do so was based on concerns expressed by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the National Capital Commission for the security of the vicereine and brought Rideau Hall in line with other official residences, including 24 Sussex Drive and Buckingham Palace, that did not allow public access. However, Sauvé

25102-459: Was opposed to the PQ's general historical preference for an economic relationship with the rest of Canada to be offered alongside sovereignty, as he thought this would encourage the Federal government to simply refuse to negotiate and cast the project as doomed, as had happened in 1980. As a practical matter, Parizeau believed that given the emotional circumstances of separation a special partnership

25265-591: Was presented by the British government on Victoria Day in 1951 as a token of gratitude for Canada's role in World War II. The north wall, known as the Sovereign's Wall, is solid and used to display portraits of monarchs or other large paintings. Also, in an alcove off the antechamber to the ballroom is a stained glass window that celebrates the excellence of Canadian performing artists and the establishment of

25428-403: Was reported to have also been personally concerned for her safety, saying: "I'm worried about those crazy men out there." This caused controversy not only because Sauvé had contradicted her earlier statement about Rideau Hall, wherein she said: "oh yes, definitely, it has to be open," but also because it denied Ottawa residents the use of the grounds. One group formed under the name Canada Unlock

25591-526: Was restored in 1993 at the direction of Gerda Hnatyshyn, wife of Governor General Ray Hnatyshyn, putting back much of the furniture and artifacts that had been collected by the Machioness of Willingdon throughout her tour of China in 1926. The space, used to greet and host functions for ambassadors and high commissioners to Canada, now contains five carpets donated by the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank and

25754-456: Was spoofed on the December 4, 2014 episode (#300193905) of CBC Radio 's This Is That in a segment about the creation of a Canadian "unity shovel". Taylor has appeared in dozens of local and national radio and television interviews about the project, most notably in two full length interviews on TVOntario 's The Agenda with Steve Paikin on January 2, 2013 and November 8, 2016. He was

25917-489: Was subsequently used as a ballroom, a studio, and a study before becoming the monarch's bedroom. Some signs of the McKay house are still visible, notably in the now blanked window on the north wall of the reception room and the ornate plaster ceiling in the royal suite. Directly west of these rooms is the Edwardian Mappin wing, which contains the entrance hall. Its walls are partly panelled, partly clad in marble;

26080-528: Was such that his remarks that the Québécois were the "white race" with the lowest rate of reproduction, which threatened to cast the project as focused on ethnic nationalism , were traversed with ease. Bloc Québécois MP Suzanne Tremblay was less successful in this regard, and apologized after answering journalist Joyce Napier 's question of how minority francophones outside of Quebec would be helped by independence by stating that Napier's last name and lack of

26243-480: Was the second referendum to ask voters in the predominantly French-speaking Canadian province of Quebec whether Quebec should proclaim sovereignty and become an independent country, with the condition precedent of offering a political and economic agreement to Canada. The culmination of multiple years of debate and planning after the failure of the Meech Lake and Charlottetown constitutional accords,

26406-589: Was to be Government House, as in all other Empire capitals. Today, however, Rideau Hall is the commonly accepted term for the house, with Government House remaining only in use for very formal or legal affairs; for example, royal proclamations will finish with the phrase: "At Our Government House, in Our City of Ottawa [...]" The site of Rideau Hall and the original structure were chosen and built by stonemason Thomas McKay , who immigrated from Perth, Scotland , to Montreal , Lower Canada , in 1817 and later became

26569-425: Was unlikely, and that given free trade agreements and other multilateral institutions it was unnecessary. Parizeau's stance created opposition in the sovereignty movement, which coalesced around Bloc Québécois leader Lucien Bouchard. A popular and charismatic figure, Bouchard had come close to death from necrotizing fasciitis and lost his left leg. His recovery, and subsequent public appearances on crutches, provided

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