John A. Macdonald, who was born on January 11, 1815, was far more than Canada’s first Prime Minister. He was one of the principal architects of Confederation. The peace, security and prosperity that Canada continues to enjoy with each passing generation would not have been possible without the hard work and vision of Sir John A. and others in crafting a stable and enduring constitutional order.
During a speech in 1861, Macdonald famously stated “If I had influence over the minds of the people of Canada, any power over their intellect, I would leave them this legacy: ‘Whatever you do, adhere to the Union. We are a great country, and shall become one of the greatest in the universe if we preserve it; we shall sink into insignificance and adversity if we suffer it to be broken.’”
Happy 200th Birthday to Canada’s Founding Father.