Friday, December 14, 2018

The Usual Suspects

Leaving the Memorial Chamber, I paused to photograph the other lion carved into the wall here.


The nearby window also caught my eye, as did another of the nearby carvings.


I also took a chance to photograph down into Confederation Hall, as that was where I was going.


Coming down a flight of stairs, I paused to photograph down the hall that leads to the Commons foyer. Portraits of the prime ministers line both walls, and the last members of a tour group were headed that way. Portraits are generally done when a prime minister has left office. The previous PM, Stephen Harper, has not yet had his done. I suspect if he does, it might be a sort of Dorian Gray situation where he stops aging and the portrait captures his inner monster as time progresses, hence the delay. :)


I showed you a couple of the portraits earlier in the series, and I've got four more of them here, hence the post title. John Turner succeeded Pierre Trudeau as Liberal leader and Prime Minister of the country in 1984, spending merely eleven weeks in the job before being turfed out in the election he called.


The man who defeated him was the Conservative leader Brian Mulroney, who would occupy the office from 1984-1993.


The Liberals retook the reins of power that fall, and Jean Chretien won elections as leader on three occasions, serving as prime minister from 1993-2003.


His finance minister and party rival Paul Martin succeeded him in office, becoming Liberal leader and Prime Minister when Chretien retired. In the election that followed, Martin's Liberals lost majority status in Parliament, holding on as a minority government until 2006 when the tables turned. The newly reconstituted Conservatives came back to power, and the dread age of darkness that is otherwise known as the Rule of Stephen Harper, Dark Lord of the Sith, began.

34 comments:

  1. I certainly do love the lion! And the Christmas decoration.
    The rest is so different to what we have here. A painted portrait of ex-chancellor Helmut Kohl or even Angela Merkel - unthinkable. I guess...

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  2. I love the Christmas decorations among all those other more formal decorations.

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  3. The Christmas lights certainly brighten up the solemn, serious architecture. Maybe Stephen Harper will suddenly appear dressed as Father Christmas!

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  4. The hall looks nicely decorated.

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  5. I am sure the delay in the inclusion of a portrait of of Dictator Harper is the fact that they are having trouble finding people who can adequately portray delusion, arrogance, hunger for power and disdain for the electorate. Maybe in a while they will have to find an artist south of the border for Trumpie and he could be commissioned to do both. Or better yet, let’s just have a blank canvass on the wall. That would adequately reflect Harper’s achievements.

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  6. ...so you had periods of darkness too!

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  7. very cool. Christmas decor. i enjoy the shots ...it is kind of like due to the darkness (they almost glow, kind of?) that they are headless ... kind of mysterious. ( ;

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  8. Hello, the decorations and lights are pretty. I like the lion. Enjoy your day and have a happy weekend!

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  9. @Iris: it started with our first PM, John A. Macdonald, who died while in office, but he'd had a portrait done late in life. After that it became protocol to have one done, regardless of how brief your time was, at some point after you were retired from office.

    @Joan: so do I.

    @John: that would take a reordering of the cosmos for him!

    @Francisco: thank you!

    @Sharon: it does indeed.

    @David: hah! That sums him up rather nicely!

    @Tom: yes. In retrospect though, given a choice between Harper and Trump, I'd go with Harper. That's not an endorsement for Steve, just that the alternative is literally the worst human being alive.

    @Beth: they do!

    @Eileen: thanks!

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  10. Confederation Hall is magical in its decorations. And I laughed at the description of the Sith Lord. :-)

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  11. Hello William.
    Great post and wonderful pictures!
    Like the lion and the beautiful Christmas decorations!
    Nice paintings and portraits! Thank you for sharing!
    Have a lovely weekend!
    Dimi...

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  12. Very elegant and detailed carvings! And I love the beautiful Christmas lights!

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  13. You are not a fan of Mr Harper. I really love your pics shooting down into the hall from above, William.

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  14. The Confederation Hall and that long corridor are beautiful. The Christmas decoration give it some extra glance that it in fact doesn't need to be impressive.

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  15. Unfortunately the DArk Lord is still active in Canadian politics.

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  16. I like the designs and Christmas decorations. Nice portraits too. Have a happy weekend!

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  17. The carvings are really beautiful.
    Very impressive.

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  18. @DJan: it fits him!

    @Dimi: you're welcome!

    @Tamago: so do I.

    @RedPat: is it that obvious? :)

    @Jan: that they are.

    @Red: yes, he's poisoned the federal Tories with his manner of doing things for many years to come, and he won't take a hint and go away.

    @Lady Fi: so do I.

    @Nancy: thanks!

    @Catarina: they are!

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  19. Nicely decorated ! Your Prime Ministers look handsome, ours except one, were always fat and ugly !!

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  20. They have wonderful decorations. Nice new header too, William!

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  21. Wonderful capture of the light from the Stained Glass Window and photos of the historical carvings ~

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

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  22. I like the whole series---love the long hall shot
    MB

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  23. The decorations are beautiful to see.

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  24. @Gattina: well, Harper had a pretty black soul.

    @Jennifer: they are!

    @Marleen: thank you!

    @Carol: thanks!

    @MB: so do I.

    @Bill: that they are.

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  25. Lots of wonderful detail in the carvings.

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  26. Thanks for sharing this, William. Quite a wonderful spot.

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  27. A very nice post, with great photographs.
    I think the decorations look lovely.

    All the best Jan

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  28. I love the portraits of the prime ministers.

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  29. A very large and beautiful place! The Xmas decorations show up nicely. And I love your header photo - very impressive! I'm going to return soon but this is just checking in. Hope you're doing well and I wanted to wish you a very happy holiday season!

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  30. @Happyone: there is.

    @Klara: definitely.

    @Jeanie: you're welcome.

    @Jan: thanks!

    @Marie: I do too.

    @Lowell: thanks!

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