OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Jan. 11, 2016) - Every year on January 11, the anniversary of the birth of Sir John A. Macdonald, Canadians are encouraged to think about the contribution our first prime minister made toward the creation and direction of our country.
Born in Glasgow, Scotland, but raised in Kingston, Ontario, he practised law before being elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada in 1844, at the age of 29. He went on to become joint premier of the Province of Canada, first with Étienne-Paschal Taché and later with George-Étienne Cartier.
During the time of Cartier's premiership, the province made up of Upper Canada (Ontario) and Lower Canada (Quebec) faced many issues and threatened to dissolve. Sir John A. Macdonald worked hard to find similarities and points of agreement. His leadership, along with Cartier's, helped forge the new concept of a country and nation that came into being on July 1, 1867.
As we prepare to mark the 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017, let us consider the immense influence Sir John A. Macdonald had on the founding of our country. I encourage you to learn more about his life and his vision for a country that values diversity, democracy and freedom.
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