Ottawa Fire Fighters Memorial

April 28, 2013

More has been done with this memorial since the last time I photographed it. The plaques on it should be self explanatory.

William. B. Osgoode and John Rogers

April 28, 2013

The plaque reads:

Erected by the citizens of Ottawa to the memory of Wm. B. Osgoode, and John Rogers, of the Guards Company of Sharp-Shooters who fell in action at Cutknife Hill on the second of May 1885.

ŒVRE ÉRIGÉE PAR LES
HABITANTS D'OTTAWA
EN MEMOIRE DE
WM. B. OSGOODE ET DE JOHN ROGERS.
DE LA COMPANGIE DE GARDE DES SHARPSHOOTERS
QUI SONT TOMBÉS AU COMBAT
À CUTKNIFE HILL, LE 2 MAI 1885.
NORTHWEST REBELLION
PERCY WOOD 1888
REBELLION DU NORD OUEST
PERCY WOOD 1888

ERECTED
BY THE
CITIZENS OF OTTAWA,
TO THE MEMORY OF
WM. B. OSGOODE,
AND
JOHN ROGERS,
OF THE
GUARDS COMPANY OF SHARP-SHOOTERS,
WHO FEELIN IN ACTION AT
CUTKNIFE HILL,
ON THE SECOND OF MAY 1885.

Terry Fox

April 28, 2013

I cannot think of Terry Fox without feeling a very deep sense of loss.

The large plaque reads:

"I was lucky to do what I did. How many people ever get a chance to do something they really believe in." Terry Fox

On April 12, 1980, Terry Fox began his dream to run across Canada in support of cancer research by dipping his artificial leg into the Atlantic waters off St. John's, Newfoundland. Terry's run, which he called the 'Marathon of Hope', would do so much more by uniting Canadians in support of his heroic desire to better the lives of others.

On September 1, near Thunder Bay, Ontarion, and 5,373 kilometers later Terry's footsteps ceased as cancer reclaimed his body. Ten months later, it would claim his life. Yet Terry's heroism and determination live on in the hearts of not only Canadians but all people worldwide who continue to pursue his dream by raising money annually in the fight against cancer.

Terry's steps still echo in the lgacy he continues to weave today through the example he set for all of us that dreams can come true.

This plaque was unveiled by Terry's parents, Betty and Roland Fox, on the occasion of the rededication of the Terry Fox statue, July 1, 1998, in the presence of His Excellency the Right Honourable Romeo LeBlanc, Governor General of Canada, the Right Honourable Jean Chrétien, Prime Minister of Canada, the Honourable Sheila Copps, Minister of Canadian Heritage, Mr. Bob Chiarelli, Regional Chair, Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton.

TERRY FOX
1958 - 1981

"I was lucky to do what I did. How many people ever
get a chance to do something that they really believe in."
Terry Fox

On April 12, 1980, Terry Fox began his dream to run across Canada in support
of cancer research by dipping his artificial leg into the Atlantic waters off
St. John's Newfoundland. Terry's run, which he called the 'Marathon of Hope',
would do so much more by uniting Canadians in support of his
heroic desire to better the lives of others.
On September 1, near Thunder Bay, Ontario, and 5,373 kilometers later,
Terry's footsteps ceased as cancer reclaimed his body. Ten months later
it would claim his life. Yet Terry's heroism and determination live on in
the hearts of not only Canadians but all people worldwide who continue
to pursue his dream by raising money annually in the fight against cancer.
Terry's steps still echo in the legacy he continues
to weave today through the example he set for all of us
that dreams can come true.

This plaque was unveiled by Terry's parents, Betty and Rolland Fox
on the occasion of the redediction of the Terry Fox statue
July 1, 1998

In the presence of
His Excellency the Right Honourable Romeo LeBlanc, Governor General of Canada
the Right Honourable Jean Chretien, Prime Minister of Canada
the Honourable Sheila Copps, Minister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Bob Chiarelli, Regional Chair-Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton

TERRY FOX
1958 - 1981
The greatness of the human spirit
L'eminence du courage de l'homme

Sculpture: John Hooper, Hampton N.B. 1983
Commissioned by the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton
Commandée par la municipalité régionale d'Ottawa-Carleton

The sculptor for the Terry Fox statue also sculpted the firefighter at the Canadian Firefighters Memorial.

Henry Albert Harper

April 28, 2013

The plaque on this memorial reads:

Erected by the public to commemorate the heroism of Henry Albert Harper MA who in an effort to save the life of Miss Bessie Blair was drowned with her in the Ottawa River on the sixth of December, 1901 in his twenty-eighth year.

Galahad . . . .
cried, "If I lose myself
I save myself."
Tennyson, The Holy Grail

Erected by the public to commemorate
the heroism of
Henry Albert Harper MA
who in an effort to save the life
of Miss Bessie Blair was drowned
with her in the Ottawa river on the
sixth of December 1901 in his twenty
eighth year.

Tower Clock Bell

28 April, 2013

The plaque for this bell reads:

This bell was taken from the ruins of the clock tower destroyed by fire February 3, 1916.

"The fire raged fiercely for hours. The main tower was not touched until about 11 p.m., and one of the most pathetic incidents of the night, which moved the spectators, was the striking of the midnight hour by the old tower cloock. There seemed almost a human touch as its familiar tones boomed out from the mass of flames."

From the 1916 report of the Deputy Minister of Public Works.

The Victoria Tower Bell Monument was restored by Public Works and Government
Services Canada in cooperation with the Canadian Bankers Association.

This bell was taken from the ruins
of the clock tower destroyed by fire
February 3, 1916

"The fire raged fiercely for hours. The main tower was not touched until about 11 p.m. and one fo the most pathetic incidents of the night, which moved the spectators, was the striking of the midnihgt hour by the old tower clock. There seemed almost a human touch as its familiar tones boomed out from the mass of flames."

From the 1916 report of the
Deputy Minister of Public Works

This bell which belonged to the tower clock of the old Parliament Buildings was taken from the ruins of the building after their destruction by fire on February 3rd 1916.

On that memorable night the bell continued to strike the hours until midnight although the tower itself was ablaze from nine o'clock in the evening. After sounding the last stroke of twelve it crashed through the flames to the base of the tower.

Women Are Persons!

April 28, 2013

This memorial is called 'Women Are Persons!' The photographs of its plaques will explain what it's about and who the women are. I call it, 'The Tea Party.' Briefly, the five women depicted; Henriette Edwards, Nellie McClung, Louise McKinney, Emily Murphy and Irene Parlby; were instrumental in having it made official that women are persons. To me this really reflects extremely badly on society in general in Canada in the 1920s that it was necessary to get this officially legislated.

Women are Persons!

The 'Persons' Case of 1929 is a celebrated landmark victory in the struggle of Canadian women for equality. For years, groups had repeatedly requested that a woman be appointed to the Senate, often naming Judge Emily Murphy as their candidate. Howvere, five successive federal governments maintained that women were ineligible to serve in the Senate on the basis that they were not "qualified psrsons" according to Section 24 of the British North America Act of 1867.

In 1927, Judge Murphy invited four Alberta leaders - Henrietta Muir Edwards, Louise McKinney, Nellie McClung and Irene Parlby - to join her an petition the Government for an interpretation of the word "persons" in Section 24. In 1928, the Supreme Court ruled that, according to the British North America Act, women were not qualified for the Senate. The famous 5 then persuaded the Prime Minister to appeal the decision to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council of Great Britain, the final court of appeal for Canada until 1949.

On October 18, 1929, the Privy Council reversed the Supreme Court decision:  ". . . their Lordships have come to the conclusion that the word "persons" in s. 24 includes members both of the male and femail sex, and that therefore, the question propounded by the Governor General should be answered in the affirmative, and that women are eligible to be summoned to and become members of the Senate of Canada . . ." In the decision, the Chancellor of the Privy Council, Lord Sankey, compared the British North America Act to "a living tree capable of growth and expansion". He added that "the exclusion of women from all public offices is a relic of days more barbarous than ours, but it must be remembered that the necessity of the times often forced on man customs which in later years were not necessary."

Thereafter, women were eligible for appointment to the Senate. Although none fo the Famous 5 became senators, these determined nation builders achieved a victory of great symbolic importance, and their many contributions paved the way for women to participate in other spects of public life.

The newspaper with the headline "Women are Persons" that Nellie McClung is holding reflects some of the actual headlines of newspapers of the day.