A Defining Day In Canadian History

The Baron of Banality · February 10, 2004

- On this day in 1763, the Treaty of Paris was signed ending the Seven Years War between the British and the French and Canada passed from French to British control.

- On this day in 1841, Upper Canada was united with Lower Canada as the Province of Canada and Kingston was chosen as the capital. (And it would have been a hellava lot more pleasant, livable and convenient for most of us had Kingston remained the capital of Canada rather than being replaced in some sort of cruel colonial joke by that backwater haven for mosquitos and other vermin known as Ottawa.)

Michael Hardner · February 10, 2004

Ottawa is set further back from the frontier and is, thus, more easily defended.

Case in point: has Ottawa ever been sacked and burned as York was ? Hmmm ?

The Baron of Banality · February 10, 2004

- MH - You really must learn to lighten up sometimes ... like almost all people with good taste who have been forced to live in Ottawa for a number of years, I choose to poke fun at it on a regular basis ... Jean Marchand said "the best thing about Ottawa is the train to Montreal" ... Allan Fotheringhan christened it "Fat City, the town that fun forgot" ... Goldwin Smith termed it "a sub-arctic lumber-village converted by royal mandate into a political cockpit" ... Lord Moran wrote of it "The atmosphere of Ottawa after Washington is like Belfast after Dublin" ... Sir Wilfred Laurier said "I would not wish to say anything disparaging of the capital but it is hard to say anything good of it. Ottawa is not a handsome city and does not appear destined to become one." ... GG Sir Edmond Head in his reasons for fixing the seat of government for Canada as Ottawa wrote "On the whole, therefore, I believe that the least objectionable place is the city of Ottawa. Every city is jealous of every other city except Ottawa."

Last but not least, I said "Ottawa is a city of english canadian warmth and charm and french canadian efficiency."