Tuesday, December 4, 2018

An Empty House Of Commons

This is the ceiling of the House of Commons lobby, adorned with Canadian symbols like the maple leaf or the fleur-de-lys, and symbols that represented cabinet ministeries at the time of the reconstruction of Centre Block.


Another view looks up at some of the sculptures.


This is the carved inscription past the left doors into the House of Commons area.


There is a lobby area between the foyer outside and the Commons itself. As there's not really enough room in the Commons for a tour group to stand, tours stay out here, but the glass wall is more than adequate to get good views inside. The governing party sits over on the left, the opposition parties here on the right, and the Speaker presides over things at the far end. Public galleries for viewing proceedings are up above. Taking its lead from the British example, the colour scheme in the Commons is green, while over in the Senate it is in red, a nod to the House of Lords at Westminster.


I photographed some of the stonework and glass at the top of this space looking in.


The tour led on, towards the Library of Parliament. Along the way I took the chance to photograph a couple of portraits of prime ministers that are down here. They are done after a prime minister has left office. This one is Lester Pearson, prime minister from 1963-68.


Kim Campbell was our first female prime minister, though spent considerably less time in the role, serving as Conservative PM from late June 1993 to early November. To be fair, she took on the job when her predecessor, Brian Mulroney, no doubt sensing electoral disaster, left the post in the final year of his second term. The fall election she called proved him right, as the Conservative party was nearly wiped out that time.


The path to the Library of Parliament goes down the length of the Hall of Honour. Sculptures can be found adorning the walls, and the arches of the ceiling are quite a sight. We'll pick up inside tomorrow.

37 comments:

  1. i like the ceiling it looks very special !

    ReplyDelete
  2. Our parliament buildings use the same red and green schemes and the building adornments are also Australian symbols like the maple leaves etc on yours and has portraits of Prime Ministers. So similarities but very different buildings.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow, that is a huge difference to our parliament!
    Ours looks cheap in comparison (well, as is the politics itself).

    ReplyDelete
  4. Nice variety of angles! Did you know that if you scroll down while looking at that first photo, it appears to change?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Nice. Your House of Commons reminds me of the British.

    ReplyDelete
  6. The building itself looks so elegant. To me, it has touches of the Middle East.

    Janis
    GDP

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hello, great tour. It is a beautiful place. Happy Tuesday, enjoy your day!

    ReplyDelete
  8. It's cool that we can access it so easily.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Very impressive place. So nice that you can visit and take photographs of the interior.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm thrilled to have visited (virtually) with your photos. You pick just the right shots, in my opinion.

    ReplyDelete
  11. @Gattina: I quite agree!

    @Lady Fi: yes it is.

    @Joan: that doesn't surprise me.

    @Iris: I love this style of architecture.

    @Linda: I just noticed that myself!

    @Francisco: thank you!

    @Jan: it's certainly inspired by Westminster.

    @Janis: I think I can see that.

    @Tom: it certainly is.

    @Eileen: thank you!

    @Anvilcloud: it is!

    @Nancy: I agree.

    @Barbara: thanks!

    @Marie: so do I.

    ReplyDelete
  12. The wall sculptures are awedome. I mean, awesome! Funny typo!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I also enjoyed the sculptures, and the portrait of the first female Prime Minister. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Saw inside the house of commons recently on a television programme we have over here in the UK called Great Canal Journeys. The last one was the Rideau canal from Kingston to Ottawa:)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hello William!
    I like the ceiling and the sculptures are very beautiful!
    Thank you for the tour through your wonderful pictures!
    Have a lovely day!
    Dimi...

    ReplyDelete
  16. That is a fine portrait of Pearson. Thanks for the tour of the building features, William.

    ReplyDelete
  17. How fun to get a peek inside the Canadian House of Commons. Thank you very much.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Parliament building tours are always interesting as there is so much to learn.

    ReplyDelete
  19. @Jennifer: thanks!

    @DJan: I imagine that portrait is probably going to go to the West Block for the duration of the temporary Commons.

    @Rosie: that would fit such a program.

    @Dimi: thank you!

    @RedPat: it is a good portrait.

    @Sharon: you're welcome.

    @Red: there is!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Wonderful building that obviously owes a lot to the House Of Commons at Westminster. I hope that don't adopt some of the bad behaviour that is often seen (and heard) in our Parliament.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Oh, William. This is a very fine building indeed. Lovely photographs.

    All the best Jan

    ReplyDelete
  22. A beautiful building, William. I especially love the arches and sculpture.

    ReplyDelete
  23. A grand looking building, William. Nice photos!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Beautiful building and I would love looking at that ceiling, as well as everything else you have shared. Thanks William!

    ReplyDelete
  25. A beautiful building. What a fantastic ceiling.

    ReplyDelete
  26. @John: every once in awhile you do wonder, but it's been generally better under the current government.

    @Jan: thank you!

    @Jeanie: so do I.

    @Bill: thanks!

    @Denise: you're welcome.

    @Happyone: I quite agree.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Wonderful stonework of all kinds.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Really beautiful! Governments don't seem to skimp when it comes to surrounding our legislators with adornment.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Beautifully shown details of the House William ✨

    ReplyDelete
  30. Wonderful photos of Parliament ~ looks very similar to London's ~ ^_^

    Happy Day to you,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

    ReplyDelete
  31. @Beth: thanks!

    @Catalyst: definitely.

    @Kay: well, that's true.

    @Grace: I think so!

    @Carol: there's a lot of Westminster influence.

    @Klara: that it is.

    ReplyDelete