Oct 18 2021 — Arthur Milnes — National Newswatch — It is a big day in Canadian political history as we pause, as always, to mark the birthday of one late Prime Minister, while also marking the maiden address in the House of another. It was on this date in 1919 that Canada’s 15th Prime Minister, Pierre Elliott Trudeau was born. He went on to […]
Oct 17 2021 — Arthur Milnes — National Newswatch — On this date in 1977 federal politics forever changed with the arrival of televised proceedings of the House of Commons. The debate still rages about whether this has turned out to be a blessing or a curse. Some days I think the former, and then I’ll watch some of the proceedings on another day and […]
Oct 16 2021 — Arthur Milnes — National Newswatch — A brilliant Rhodes Scholar and lawyer began his rise through Canadian political history on this date in 1978 with his first election to the House of Commons. I speak, of course, of Bob Rae, one of the great political orators of his generation. Mr. Rae was to play a key role from the opposition benches […]
Oct 15 2021 — Arthur Milnes — National Newswatch — We look north of 60 today on Art’s History to send out birthday greetings to the Premier of Yukon, Sandy Silver. Born in 1969, in Nova Scotia, Mr. Silver studied at storied St. Francis Xavier – whose famed alumni include Brian Mulroney, Allan J. MacEachen, Lowell Murray and Frank McKenna. Sandy Silver became a math […]
Oct 14 2021 — Arthur Milnes — National Newswatch — There were a lot of Tories across Canada celebrating on this date in 2008 as Prime Minister Stephen Harper was confirmed in Canada’s top political job by Canadian voters. The PM and his party won 16 more seats than they had two years before, while the Liberals under Stéphane Dion lost 18 seats. When Parliament […]
Oct 13 2021 — Arthur Milnes — National Newswatch — Today’s entry from the annals of Canadian political history needs no introduction from yours truly. With the October Crisis of 1970 as backdrop, CBC journalist Tim Ralfe recorded an impromptu interview with then Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau as the PM entered the Centre Block on Parliament Hill. This interview remains today, arguably, the most famous […]
Oct 12 2021 — Arthur Milnes — National Newswatch — No matter the results of last month’s election, Liberals and Conservatives alike can celebrate by looking back on special anniversaries from their history with great pride today. In fact, there are so many important moments that fell on this date I had trouble choosing one. At the end, I decided to mark all of them. […]
Oct 10 2021 — Arthur Milnes — National Newswatch — It was a good time to be an Ontario Liberal on this date in 2007 as Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty was given his second majority mandate by Ontario voters. McGuinty had first come to power four years earlier after defeating Progressive Conservative Premier Ernie Eves and his team. All told, McGuinty would lead his party […]
Oct 9 2021 — Arthur Milnes — National Newswatch — Political legend Danny Williams made Newfoundland and Labrador history on this date in 2007 with the re-election of he and his party with a large majority mandate and almost 70 percent of the popular vote. In doing so, Williams increased his party’s representation in the House of Assembly by nine seats. By the time he […]
Oct 8 2021 — Arthur Milnes — National Newswatch — It was on this date in 1895 that future Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier delivered one of the most famous speeches ever made by a Canadian political leader. I speak, of course, of his “Sunny Way” address, delivered at Morrisburg, Ontario, in the run-up to the 1896 election. His backdrop was the debate over French language […]
Oct 7 2021 — Arthur Milnes — National Newswatch — It was on this date in 2011 that Alison Redford of Alberta became her province’s first-ever female Premier. One week earlier she’d been elected PC leader in Alberta. Premier Redford had served in the provincial cabinet of Ed Stelmach as Minister of Justice and Attorney General. Before that, she had brought a remarkable resume to […]
Oct 6 2021 — Arthur Milnes — National Newswatch — Prime Minister Brian Mulroney made history on this date in 1989, announcing that Her Majesty the Queen had officially approved the appointment of Saskatchewan’s Ray Hnatyshyn as Canada’s next Governor General. From a Ukrainian background, Governor General Hnatyshyn would serve with distinction in his Vice-Regal post until his term ended in 1995. He is particularly […]
Oct 5 2021 — Arthur Milnes — National Newswatch — Today, of course, is the birthday, in 1829, of the man who should be known as the favourite President of the United States by all Canadians. I speak of Chester A. Arthur, the 21st President to preside over affairs in our neighbouring country. In 1880 the delegates electing a Presidential candidate chose Mr. Arthur as […]
Oct 4 2021 — Arthur Milnes — National Newswatch — On this day in 1957 a Canadian engineering marvel was rolled out for Canadians to view for the very first time. I speak, of course, of the famed Avro Arrow, a plane meant for the Royal Canadian Air Force that eventually would take on mythological status. The cutting-edge jet was designed to reach speeds in […]
Oct 3 2021 — Arthur Milnes — National Newswatch — Many – rightfully – argue that Prime Minister Brian Mulroney’s greatest legacy is his reaching the famed Free Trade Agreement with the United States on this date in 1987. After tough negotiations with the Reagan Administration — who will ever forget the disputes, often played out in public, between Canada’s Chief Negotiator Simon Reisman and […]