Ottawa Citizen

The fine art of hanging our prime ministers

Unveiling official portrait a rare perk for ex-leaders, writes Arthur Milnes.

- Kingston’s Arthur Milnes, a veteran political speech writer and public historian, studied the unveiling ceremonies for a forthcomin­g book, Paying Tribute in Words and Portraits: Honouring Canada’s Late Prime Ministers.

Upon leaving office, past Canadian prime ministers carry the title “Right Honourable” for the rest of their lives. There’s also a pension — the amount depends on a prime minister’s length of service in the country’s top political job — but really not much else. With one grand exception: Between departure from office and death, we also publicly hang our prime ministers. Today is Paul Martin’s turn. His official portrait will be unveiled on Parliament Hill and the 21st prime minister will take his rightful place in Centre Block.

Like most things prime ministeria­l in Canada, the tradition of the hanging ceremonies began with Sir John A. Macdonald. Back then, however, Sir John A.’s supporters couldn’t wait to honour their chief. So it was that this Father of Confederat­ion was still in office to see his own portrait unveiled.

True to form, Canada’s greatest politician delivered a tub-thumping partisan address to his team when his portrait was unveiled in 1890. “If you look back upon the history of Canada since 1841 you will find that all the real progress that has been made by Canada, be it material or social, was made during the time when the Conservati­ve influence was predominan­t,” Sir John A. thundered. “My father before me was a Tory, and a Tory I will die.”

While you might think attending your own portrait unveiling while still in office is pretty good, another prime minister topped Sir John A.: William Lyon Mackenzie King.

As we know from his famous diary, ego was the least of the wily King’s problems. He therefore waited until then-U.S. president Harry S. Truman was visiting Ottawa in 1947 for his own portrait ceremony and made Truman sit through the event.

Another unique story involving these portraits involves famed British poet Rupert Brooke. While Sir Wilfrid Laurier was sitting for his portrait by artist John Russell in Ottawa, Brooke dropped by.

All thoughts of painting were dropped and Laurier, Brooke and Russell repaired to a nearby hotel for an afternoon of conversati­on about the arts and politics. The name of the hotel? The Château Laurier.

One of the most commanding portraits in the Prime Ministers’ Portrait Gallery is — no surprise — John Diefenbake­r’s. When it came time for his sittings with the artist he had chosen, Cleeve Horne, Dief wanted to be painted in the robes from the University of the Punjab that he had received a decade before when he was honoured with a degree while in India.

In Toronto for the sittings with Horne, Dief stayed at the Royal York Hotel. Then the unthinkabl­e happened: His flowing robe from the Punjab vanished. It remains lost to this day.

Not all past prime ministers have experience­d such artistic glory. Arthur Meighen never had an official unveiling ceremony for his. While he was alive, that is.

When Stephen Harper and then-House speaker Peter Milliken were informed of this oversight by a researcher (full disclosure, I was the researcher), Meighen’s ceremony was finally held in 2011.

In 2004, George W. Bush visited Ottawa on the same day Kim Campbell’s portrait unveiling ceremony was scheduled. After signing Parliament’s guest book, Bush asked Milliken if he would be seeing him at that evening’s State Dinner.

“No, Mr. President, I’ll be hanging a past prime minister,” Milliken replied.

“Boy, you Canadians play your politics rough,” Bush observed.

So today is Paul Martin’s day. Like all past prime ministers he (and his family) deserve the praise and honour they’ll receive. In a country that does far too little to honour past leaders and history, these portrait ceremonies stand out. They remind us that it is public service and Canada itself that matter most.

Congratula­tions, Mr. Martin. And thank you for your service.

 ?? WAYNE CUDDINGTON/FILES ?? Former prime minister Kim Campbell in 2004 unveiling her official portrait, which now hangs in the Centre Block along with those of other past prime ministers. On Wednesday, former prime minister Paul Martin will unveil his official portrait.
WAYNE CUDDINGTON/FILES Former prime minister Kim Campbell in 2004 unveiling her official portrait, which now hangs in the Centre Block along with those of other past prime ministers. On Wednesday, former prime minister Paul Martin will unveil his official portrait.

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