An official residence is a residence designated by an authority and assigned to an official (such as a head of state , head of government , governor , or other senior figures), and may be the same place where the office holder conducts their work functions or lives.
138-451: 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
276-653: 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
414-494: 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
552-600: 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
690-708: 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
828-890: A "Reform Association" in February 1844, to unite the Reform movement in Canada West and to explain their understanding of responsible government. Twenty-two branches were established. A grand meeting of all branches of the Reform Association was held in the Second Meeting House of the Children of Peace in Sharon . Over three thousand people attended this rally for Baldwin. the Association was not, however,
966-493: 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
1104-492: A bill was passed to replace the process of appointing members by a process of electing members. Members were to be elected from 24 divisions in each of Canada East and Canada West. Twelve members were elected every two years from 1856 to 1862. Members previously appointed were not required to relinquish their seats. Canada West, with its 450,000 inhabitants, was represented by 42 seats in the Legislative Assembly,
1242-436: 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
1380-502: A constitutional crisis that would last a year. Metcalfe refused to recall the legislature to demonstrate its irrelevance; he could rule without it. This year-long crisis, in which the legislature was prorogued, "was the final signpost on Upper Canada's conceptual road to democracy. Lacking the scale of the American Revolution, it nonetheless forced a comparable articulation and rethinking of the basics of political dialogue in
1518-429: 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 the construction of the parliament buildings. In 1864, Rideau Hall
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#17327869706711656-456: A historically specific project of rule, rather than either an essence we must defend or an empty homogeneous space we must possess. Canada-as-project can be analyzed as the implantation and expansion over a heterogeneous terrain of a certain politico-economic logic—to wit, liberalism." The liberalism of which McKay writes is not that of a specific political party, but of certain practices of state building which prioritise property, first of all, and
1794-508: 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
1932-441: 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
2070-486: 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
2208-445: A residence, containing only the lieutenant governor 's offices. Alberta also has a Government House , but it is used solely for official entertaining and meetings. French Polynesia The following are official residences maintained by private, nongovernmental institutions: Federal States Brandenburg / Prussia / Imperial / East Germany / Former West Germany Other Presidential Palace * In every state of
2346-611: A right to make Executive Council and other appointments without the input of the legislative assembly. However, in 1848 the Earl of Elgin , then Governor General, appointed a Cabinet nominated by the majority party of the Legislative Assembly, the Baldwin–Lafontaine coalition that had won elections in January. Lord Elgin upheld the principles of responsible government by not repealing the Rebellion Losses Bill, which
2484-536: A series of incendiary articles published in The Gazette , protested against the Rebellion Losses Bill and burned down Montreal's parliament buildings . It then moved to Toronto (1849–1851). It moved to Quebec City from 1851 to 1855, then returned to Toronto from 1855 to 1859 before returning to Quebec City from 1859 to 1865. In 1857, Queen Victoria chose Ottawa as the permanent capital of
2622-469: 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, a continuous frame and panel wainscoting . All this woodwork, including
2760-545: 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
2898-531: 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
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#17327869706713036-692: 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
3174-623: A true political party and individual members voted independently. The Parti rouge (alternatively known as the Parti démocratique) was formed in Canada East around 1848 by radical French Canadians inspired by the ideas of Louis-Joseph Papineau , the Institut canadien de Montréal , and the reformist movement led by the Parti patriote of the 1830s. The reformist rouges did not believe that
3312-562: 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
3450-605: 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
3588-538: 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
3726-651: The Crown on 10 February 1841, merged the Colonies of Upper Canada and Lower Canada by abolishing their separate parliaments and replacing them with a single one with two houses, a Legislative Council as the upper chamber and the Legislative Assembly as the lower chamber. In the aftermath of the Rebellions of 1837–1838, unification of the two Canadas was driven by two factors. Firstly, Upper Canada
3864-564: 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
4002-721: The Rebellions of 1837 . Lord Elgin granted royal assent to the bill despite heated Tory opposition and his own personal misgivings, sparking riots in Montreal, during which Elgin himself was assaulted by an English-speaking Orange Order mob and the Parliament buildings were burned down. It was under Head, that true political party government was introduced with the Liberal-Conservative Party of John A. Macdonald and George-Étienne Cartier in 1856. It
4140-776: The United Province of Canada or the United Canadas ) was a British colony in British North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham , in the Report on the Affairs of British North America following the Rebellions of 1837–1838 . The Act of Union 1840 , passed on 23 July 1840 by the British Parliament and proclaimed by
4278-508: The 1830s. Their support was concentrated among southwestern Canada West farmers, who were frustrated and disillusioned by the 1849 Reform government of Robert Baldwin and Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine's lack of democratic enthusiasm. The Clear Grits advocated universal male suffrage , representation by population , democratic institutions, reductions in government expenditure, abolition of the Clergy reserves , voluntarism , and free trade with
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4416-563: The 1840 Act of Union had truly granted a responsible government to former Upper and Lower Canada. They advocated important democratic reforms, republicanism, separation of the state and the church . In 1858, the elected rouges allied with the Clear Grits . This resulted in the shortest-lived government in Canadian history, falling in less than a day. The Clear Grits were the inheritors of William Lyon Mackenzie's Reform movement of
4554-429: 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
4692-503: The 21st century in Detroit and New York City , although as of 2016 the mayors of both cities live in the official residences. In the case of Denver , no mayor has ever lived in the official residence; the city instead makes it available to certain non-profit groups for special functions. The following are official residences maintained by private, nongovernmental institutions: Province of Canada The Province of Canada (or
4830-522: The Anglophones opposed. The granting of responsible government to the colony is typically attributed to reforms in 1848 (principally the effective transfer of control over patronage from the Governor to the elected ministry). These reforms resulted in the appointment of the second Baldwin–Lafontaine government that quickly removed many of the disabilities on French-Canadian political participation in
4968-575: The Canadas and for responsible government (a government accountable to an independent local legislature), only the first of the two recommendations was implemented in 1841. For the first seven years, the government was led by an appointed governor general accountable only to the British government . Responsible government was not achieved until the second LaFontaine–Baldwin ministry in 1849, when Governor General James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin , agreed that
5106-515: The Crown. It delegated authority to municipal governments so they could raise taxes and enact by-laws . It also established a hierarchy of types of municipal governments, starting at the top with cities and continued down past towns, villages and finally townships. This system was to prevail for the next 150 years. During the year-long constitutional crisis in 1843–44, when Metcalfe prorogued Parliament to demonstrate its irrelevance, Baldwin established
5244-488: 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
5382-615: 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
5520-532: 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
5658-406: 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
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5796-551: 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
5934-400: The Legislative Assembly would now become responsible for local administration and legislation. It also deprived the Governor of patronage appointments to the civil service, which had been the basis of Metcalfe's policy. The test of responsible government came in 1849, when the Baldwin–Lafontaine government passed the Rebellion Losses Bill, compensating French Canadians for losses suffered during
6072-622: The Mexico the Palacio de Gobierno , or Government Palace, was the official residence the governor, they are now maintained solely as the relevant governor's offices. Querétaro Former residence Official estates of the Swiss Federal Council : Some mayors in cities with an official mayor's residence choose instead to reside at their private residence, using the official residence for official functions only. This has occurred in
6210-523: 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
6348-505: 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
6486-554: The Province of Canada, initiating construction of Canada's first parliament buildings, on Parliament Hill . The first stage of this construction was completed in 1865, just in time to host the final session of the last parliament of the Province of Canada before Confederation in 1867. The Governor General remained the head of the civil administration of the colony, appointed by the British government, and responsible to it, not to
6624-542: The Province of Canada. It would become the province of Quebec after Confederation. Canada West was what became of the former colony of Upper Canada after being united into the Province of Canada. It would become the province of Ontario after Confederation. The location of the capital city of the Province of Canada changed six times in its 26-year history. The first capital was in Kingston (1841–1844). The capital moved to Montreal (1844–1849) until rioters, spurred by
6762-508: 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
6900-666: The Rebellion. The Canadian–American Reciprocity Treaty of 1854, also known as the Elgin– Marcy Treaty, was a trade treaty between the United Province of Canada and the United States. It covered raw materials and was in effect from 1854 to 1865. It represented a move toward free trade. Education in Canada West was regulated by the province through the General Board of Education from 1846 until 1850, when it
7038-468: The Reform Party won a decisive victory at the polls. Elgin invited LaFontaine to form the new government, the first time a Governor General requested cabinet formation on the basis of party. The party character of the ministry meant that the elected premier – and no longer the governor – would be the head of the government. The Governor General would become a more symbolic figure. The elected Premier in
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#17327869706717176-693: The Reformers. Sydenham was a Whig who believed in rational government, not "responsible government". To implement his plan, he used widespread electoral violence through the Orange Order . His efforts to prevent the election of Louis LaFontaine , the leader of the French reformers, were foiled by David Willson , the leader of the Children of Peace , who convinced the electors of the 4th Riding of York to transcend linguistic prejudice and elect LaFontaine in an English-speaking riding in Canada West. Bagot
7314-606: 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
7452-510: 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
7590-517: The United States. Their platform was similar to that of the British Chartists . The Clear Grits and the Parti rouge evolved into the Liberal Party of Canada . The Parti bleu was a moderate political group in Canada East that emerged in 1854. It was based on the moderate reformist views of Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine. The Liberal-Conservative Party emerged from a coalition government in 1854 in which moderate Reformers and Conservatives from Canada West joined with bleus from Canada East under
7728-454: The University of Toronto and the school's ties with the Church of England were severed. The Grand Trunk Railway was incorporated by the Legislature in the 1850s. Exploration of Western Canada and Rupert's Land with a view to annexation and settlement was a priority of Canada West politicians in the 1850s leading to the Palliser Expedition and the Red River Expedition of Henry Youle Hind , George Gladman and Simon James Dawson . In 1857,
7866-411: 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
8004-456: The area occupied by the pre-1841 British colony of Lower Canada (which had included Labrador until 1809, when Labrador was transferred to the British colony of Newfoundland ). Upper Canada was primarily English-speaking, whereas Lower Canada was primarily French-speaking. The Province of Canada was divided into two parts: Canada East and Canada West . Canada East was what became of the former colony of Lower Canada after being united into
8142-447: 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
8280-441: 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 a herringbone pattern . The appearance of
8418-449: The cabinet would be formed by the largest party in the Legislative Assembly, making the premier the head of the government and reducing the governor general to a more symbolic role. The Province of Canada ceased to exist at Canadian Confederation on 1 July 1867, when it was divided into the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec . Ontario included the area occupied by the pre-1841 British colony of Upper Canada, while Quebec included
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#17327869706718556-417: The colony). He was promised a barony if he could successfully implement the union of the Canadas, and introduce a new form of municipal government, the District Council. The aim of both exercises in state-building was to strengthen the power of the Governor General, to minimise the effect of the numerically superior French vote, and to build a "middle party" that answered to him, rather than the Family Compact or
8694-471: The colony. Once the English population, rapidly growing through immigration, exceeded the French, the English demanded representation-by-population. In the end, the legislative deadlock between English and French led to a movement for a federal union which resulted in the broader Canadian Confederation in 1867. In "The Liberal Order Framework: A Prospectus for a Reconnaissance of Canadian History" McKay argues that "the category 'Canada' should henceforth denote
8832-462: The council and chair of the various committees. The first was Robert Baldwin Sullivan . Thomson also systematically organised the civil service into departments, the heads of which sat on the Executive Council. A further innovation was to demand that every Head of department seek election in the Legislative Assembly. The Legislative Council of the Province of Canada was the upper house . The 24 legislative councillors were originally appointed. In 1856,
8970-404: 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
9108-475: The day-to-day government of the conservative ministry of William Draper, thereby indirectly emphasising the need for responsible government. His primary focus was on redrafting the Militia Act of 1846. The signing of the Oregon Boundary Treaty in 1846 made him dispensable. Elgin's second wife, Lady Mary Louisa Lambton, was the daughter of Lord Durham and niece of Lord Grey , making him an ideal compromise figure to introduce responsible government. On his arrival,
9246-502: 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
9384-405: 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
9522-425: The door frames and other trim, is painted in a gloss white to contrast with the textured and patterned wall fabric. Official residence The provinces of Ontario and Quebec no longer have official residences for their lieutenant governors , but do provide them with accommodations; in the case of Ontario, only if necessary. There is a Government House in Regina, Saskatchewan , though it does not serve as
9660-439: 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,
9798-442: The dual prime-ministership of Allan MacNab and A.-N. Morin . The new ministry were committed to secularise the Clergy reserves in Canada West and to abolish seigneurial tenure in Canada East. Over time, the Liberal-Conservatives evolved into the Conservative party. No provision for responsible government was included in the Act of Union 1840. Early Governors of the province were closely involved in political affairs, maintaining
9936-644: 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 a number of royals displaced by
10074-494: 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
10212-491: 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;
10350-511: The first real premiers of the Province of Canada. However, to take office as ministers, the two had to run for re-election. While LaFontaine was easily re-elected in 4th York, Baldwin lost his seat in Hastings as a result of Orange Order violence. It was now that the pact between the two men was completely solidified, as LaFontaine arranged for Baldwin to run in Rimouski , Canada East. This was
10488-412: 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
10626-407: 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
10764-490: 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
10902-574: 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 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
11040-476: 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
11178-412: 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
11316-481: 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
11454-529: The individual. The Baldwin Act 1849 , also known as the Municipal Corporations Act, replaced the local government system based on district councils in Canada West by government at the county level. It also granted more autonomy to townships, villages, towns and cities. Despite the controversy, the government compensated landowners in the Rebellion Losses Bill of 1849 for the actions during
11592-598: 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 the Netherlands , her daughter, Princess Juliana (later Queen Juliana), and granddaughters, Princesses Beatrix (later Queen Beatrix), Irene , and Margriet . Though
11730-542: 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
11868-601: The local legislature. He was aided by the Executive Council and the Legislative Council. The Executive Council aided in administration, and the Legislative Council reviewed legislation produced by the elected Legislative Assembly. Sydenham came from a wealthy family of timber merchants, and was an expert in finance, having served on the English Board of Trade which regulated banking (including
12006-471: 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
12144-439: 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
12282-425: 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
12420-503: 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
12558-399: 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
12696-493: 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
12834-401: 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
12972-502: 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
13110-406: 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
13248-504: 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
13386-483: 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
13524-400: 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
13662-565: The province." In the ensuing election, however, the Reformers did not win a majority and thus were not called to form another ministry. Responsible government would be delayed until after 1848. Cathcart had been a staff officer with Wellington in the Napoleonic Wars, and rose in rank to become commander of British forces in North America from June 1845 to May 1847. He was also appointed as Administrator then Governor General for
13800-458: 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
13938-504: 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:
14076-544: The requirement of a "double majority" to pass laws in the Legislative Assembly (i.e., a majority in both the Canada East and Canada West sections of the assembly). The removal of the deadlock resulted in three conferences that led to confederation. Thomson reformed the Executive Councils of Upper and Lower Canada by introducing a "President of the Committees of Council" to act as a chief executive officer for
14214-555: 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
14352-576: 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 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
14490-455: 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,
14628-411: 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
14766-565: 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 the latter governor's wife, Lady Head, while she
14904-516: 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
15042-417: The same number as the more populated Canada East, with 650,000 inhabitants. The Legislature's effectiveness was further hampered by the requirement of a "double majority" where a majority of votes for the passage of a bill had to be obtained from the members of both Canada East and West. Each administration was led by two men, one from each half of the province. Officially, one of them at any given time had
15180-466: The same period, uniting for the first time the highest Civil and military offices. The appointment of this military officer as Governor General was due to heightened tensions with the United States over the Oregon boundary dispute . Cathcart was deeply interested in the natural sciences, but ignorant of constitutional practice, and hence an unusual choice for Governor General. He refused to become involved in
15318-460: 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
15456-450: 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
15594-466: 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
15732-402: 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 a swag fashion outwards from
15870-421: 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
16008-727: The title of Premier , while the other had the title of Deputy . Municipal government in Upper Canada was under the control of appointed magistrates who sat in Courts of Quarter Sessions to administer the law within a District. A few cities, such as Toronto, were incorporated by special acts of the legislature. Governor Thomson , 1st Baron Sydenham, spearheaded the passage of the District Councils Act which transferred municipal government to District Councils. His bill allowed for two elected councillors from each township, but
16146-628: 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
16284-914: The union of the Canadas they sought, where LaFontaine overcame linguistic prejudice to gain a seat in English Canada, and Baldwin obtained his seat in French Canada. The Baldwin–LaFontaine ministry barely lasted six months before Governor Bagot also died in March 1843. He was replaced by Charles Metcalfe, whose instructions were to check the "radical" reform government. Metcalfe reverted to the Thomson system of strong central autocratic rule. Metcalfe began appointing his own supporters to patronage positions without Baldwin and LaFontaine's approval, as joint premiers. They resigned in November 1843, beginning
16422-451: 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
16560-406: 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
16698-502: The warden, clerk and treasurer were to be appointed by the government. This thus allowed for strong administrative control and continued government patronage appointments. Sydenham's bill reflected his larger concerns to limit popular participation under the tutelage of a strong executive. The Councils were reformed by the Baldwin Act in 1849 which made municipal government truly democratic rather than an extension of central control of
16836-460: 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
16974-511: 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
17112-639: Was appointed after the unexpected death of Thomson, with the explicit instructions to resist calls for responsible government. He arrived in the capital, Kingston, to find that Thomson's "middle party" had become polarised and he therefore could not form an executive. Even the Tories informed Bagot he could not form a cabinet without including LaFontaine and the French Party. LaFontaine demanded four cabinet seats, including one for Robert Baldwin. Bagot became severely ill thereafter, and Baldwin and Lafontaine became
17250-485: 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
17388-481: Was during their ministry that the first organised moves toward Canadian Confederation took place. It was under Monck's governorship that the Great Coalition of all of the political parties of the two Canadas occurred in 1864. The Great Coalition was formed to end the political deadlock between predominantly French-speaking Canada East and predominantly English-speaking Canada West. The deadlock resulted from
17526-453: 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
17664-500: 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
17802-404: Was highly unpopular with some English-speaking Loyalists who favoured imperial over majority rule. As Canada East and Canada West each held 42 seats in the Legislative Assembly , there was a legislative deadlock between English (mainly from Canada West) and French (mainly from Canada East). The majority of the province was French, which demanded "rep-by-pop" (representation by population), which
17940-409: 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 was enlarged to three or four times the original size, mostly by way of
18078-462: Was near bankruptcy because it lacked stable tax revenues, and needed the resources of the more populous Lower Canada to fund its internal transportation improvements. Secondly, unification was an attempt to swamp the French vote by giving each of the former provinces the same number of parliamentary seats, despite the larger population of Lower Canada. Although Durham's report had called for the Union of
18216-479: 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
18354-527: Was replaced by the Department of Public Instruction, which lasted until 1876. The province improved the educational system in Canada West under Egerton Ryerson . French was reinstated as an official language of the legislature and the courts. The Legislature also codified the Civil Code of Lower Canada in 1866, and abolished the seigneurial system in Canada East. In 1849, King's College was renamed
18492-403: 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
18630-526: 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
18768-488: 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;
18906-586: 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
19044-412: 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 was chosen as the capital of the Province of Canada,
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