Behind the Parliament Buildings, atop a stone pedestal – cast in bronze and wearing one of those peculiar beards without mustaches that were popular in the 19th century – stands a statue of Thomas D’Arcy McGee, one of Canada’s most controversial fathers of Confederation.
A prominent Irish nationalist, McGee used his talents as a journalist, poet and public speaker to advocate for a stronger national identity in both Ireland and Canada.
Born to an Irish Catholic family, McGee left Ireland permanently to avoid being arrested for his involvement in the Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848. He spent close to a decade in the United States, but became disillusioned with American expansionist policies and moved to Canada in 1857.
In the Montreal publication the New Era, he promoted immigration and economic development through the construction of the railroad and protective tariffs to encourage growth in the manufacturing sector.
McGee was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada in 1858. Under the first Conservative government, he served as minister of agriculture, immigration and statistics. At the Quebec Conference in 1864, he introduced a resolution that guaranteed educational rights for religious minorities – focusing on Catholics – in Upper and Lower Canada.
McGee was assassinated in 1868 outside his Sparks Street apartment, making him the first and only Canadian victim of political assassination at the federal level.
The statue depicts McGee with his left hand outstretched. A second statue of a woman crouches at the base of his pedestal, looking up at him and holding a document labeled “Confederation.”
The statue was created by George William Hill and unveiled in 1913. It stands directly northwest of the Library of Parliament.