Hope And Looking Ahead

Picking up where I left off yesterday in the Museum's Canada History Hall, this photograph was on the wall. It was originally taken during the Constitution negotiations in 1981; Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau is at the left in the shot, while at the right is the premier of Quebec at the time, Rene Levesque. The latter was rarely seen without a cigarette dangling from his lips- he might well have slept with a cigarette in his mouth.

This large photograph dates back 50 years, taken on July 1st, 1967 during the centennial celebrations in front of Centre Block. The photographer of the original? The landscape photographer Malak Karsh.

A display panel nearby goes into detail on Terry Fox, the young amputee marathon runner who lost a leg to cancer at 18 and set out to run across Canada from east to west to raise money for cancer research. Starting in St. John's Newfoundland in April 1980, his marathon a day journey caught the imagination of the country, ending near Thunder Bay in Ontario when the cancer had returned. He died in 1981, but his example has continued to inspire others, and each year, runs in his name are held in Canada and beyond to raise money for cancer research. One of his T-shirts is on display.

The relationship between Canada and the United States is examined here as well, including the Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas comedy characters Bob and Doug Mckenzie. Other panels include quotations from Pierre Trudeau and American president John F. Kennedy about the relationship between the countries. With the last of these shots, both national flags are at half mast in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, a shot taken in Gander, Newfoundland, where numerous international flights bound for the United States were taken in on that day.

This is the second copy of a stained glass window that has been placed in Centre Block on Parliament Hill in recent years. Metis artist Christi Belcourt designed this window titled Giniigaaniimenaaning (Looking Ahead) as part of efforts to recognize residential school survivors and their families among the ongoing efforts at reconciliation with First Nations peoples. Its counterpart is placed above the west entrance into Centre Block.

This ceremonial headdress is on an extended loan to the Museum from its owner. Phil Fontaine is a former National Chief of the Assembly Of First Nations, serving in that role from 1997-2009, and a member of the Sagkeeng First Nation of Manitoba. 

I neglected to photograph the details on this, but this ceremonial attire is also of First Nations origins.