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Epoch Times
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
The Other John Macdonald—the One Who Opposed Confederation
Commentary John Sandfield Macdonald was Canadian born and bred—something that was unusual among his political contemporaries at the time. Sandfield (he was referred to by his middle name) lost his mother when he was eight. An adventurous boy, he tried a few times to run away, thwarted on one occasion when an indigenous man demanded 50 cents to paddle him across to the U.S. side of the St. Lawrence River, but he had only 25 cents. He attended Cornwall's famous Grammar School established by Anglican churchman John Strachan, and upon graduation in 1835 articled in the law firm of the top local Tory, Later, Sandfield exercised his wanderlust by travelling the Niagara peninsula and playing cards aboard paddle steamers on Lake Erie. He once won $19 gambling against 'Sweet William' At the time, Sandfield had the high-level job of Queen's Messenger, carrying dispatch boxes between the British Ambassador in Washington, D.C., and the Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada. Miss Waggaman's first language was French, and she spoke Spanish too. She was a pretty good catch for the lanky man from Glengarry! So exciting was the six-foot-three Sandfield's company that she, also tall and dark, ran away from Mademoiselle Bujac's finishing school in Baltimore to elope with him, and they were married in New York. According to his biographer, Bruce Hodgins, Sandfield's pride was such that he Related Stories 4/25/2025 4/11/2025 Sandfield was first elected to the Assembly of the United Province of Canada in 1841, representing Sandfield's political star was rising but he was outmanoeuvred by Sir Francis Hincks, who found him too independent-minded. Sandfield felt 'let go to pasture like an old Composite photograph titled 'First Parliament of Ontario,' showing the members in session in the legislative chamber of the Parliament Buildings in 1871. Public Domain Sandfield stood up for the ' There were many coalitions in those days, one of them led briefly by Sandfield and Sicotte in 1862–63, and another by Sandfield and Antoine-Aimé Dorion in 1863–64, as co-premiers. As far as they were concerned, the Double Majority worked well to secure the interests of both halves of Canada. When proposals came for a wider Union, Sandfield cried foul. He opposed Confederation as an 'American' scheme. The federal principle was American, as were the idea of 'one from many,' and a Senate of the provinces. Provinces resembled U.S. states, loosely united under 'Ottawa,' a Canadian version of Washington, D.C. Sandfield resented how quickly Confederation's proponents were trying to push it through. And he argued, not unreasonably, that there should be elections in each province before such a big change was accepted. Sandfield believed the United Province would work just fine 'if we were free from demagogues and designing persons who sought to create strife between the sections.' He invoked his own Canadian birth—adding that the troublemakers had arrived 'yesterday' full of 'audacity.' Men like George Brown, John A. Macdonald, and Thomas D'Arcy McGee were not born in Canada. Sandfield didn't believe Confederation would do anything to eliminate the province's political, language, and religious conflicts—and in that he was correct. Sandfield was highly regarded for his integrity and courage—but some resented that, as they saw it, he did not always control his temper, and tended to ' Despite his opposition, Sandfield adjusted to Confederation once it became inevitable. In 1867, he travelled upriver by steamboat to Ottawa where he was the His term as a reforming premier was quite successful, working to populate northern Ontario and build railways, though he suffered from two accusations. The public found him too subservient to Sir John A.—and John A. found him too independent. He also never quite let go of the Old Canada centred on its greatest metropolis of Montreal. In the winter of 1872, he fell ill. 'A touch of the horse distemper,' he called it. He had suffered from fevers before, 'chill shadows of the evening of life.' Doctors said his repeated fevers meant that his heart was now fatally 'displaced and impaired.' Having lived a life of service, he did not regret leaving his body behind, calling it a 'bag of old bones.' Having received the last rites, he died at Ivy Hall surrounded by his extended family on June 1 at age 59. Hodgins Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
BBC News
27-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Conversion plans for former Richmond Grammar School
A former grammar school in the Yorkshire Dales could become a community centre, under plans due to be considered by Grammar School, which was founded in the 14th Century, taught pupils including the author Lewis Carroll but closed in Grade II listed building has been vacant since then, despite previous efforts to bring it back into community use.A proposal, drawn up by the Richmondshire Building Preservation Trust, would see it become a centre for "cultural activities and digital enterprise". It would also focus on providing opportunities for young people, allowing them to access activities in their local Yorkshire Council's executive will discuss a report on 6 May, which sets out plans to transfer the council-owned site to the preservation trust. 'Last chance saloon' Deputy council leader Gareth Dadd said: "This is an exciting opportunity to bring opportunities and experiences for local communities and visitors to Richmond that would normally only be seen in large towns and cities."The proposals do have a strong focus on young people which would allow them to take up a host of new opportunities, bringing digital to the Dales. "It is a major ambition for us as a council to ensure that we can bring vitality and enterprise to our market towns."If approved, the preservation trust would launch a fundraising campaign to finance the Dadd added they were in the "last chance saloon" because the building would have to be sold if this project did not former grammar school site has a current market value of about £370,000. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
28-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Parkrun to attract 'alphabeters' in search of letter Q
The organiser of a new Parkrun believes it could attract people from far and wide because of its obscure 5km (3-mile) event at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, in Horncastle, Lincolnshire, is the first in the Harrison said it would appeal to people hoping to complete the "A to Z of Parkruns", because venues beginning with the letter Q are rare."Alphabeters" are enthusiasts who seek to finish Parkruns starting with all 26 letters, for example from Aberdeen to Zielony Jar, Poland. According to Mr Harrison there are only two other "Qs" in 64-year-old running enthusiast, who also volunteers at Parkruns in Lincoln, said he "liked to help others"."If I can make people happy and they enjoy it, that's good enough for me." Global success Mr Harrison said it was "absolutely wonderful" to have a course in Horncastle after spending about five years finding the ideal course features four laps around the school's grass playing fields, with runs every Saturday at 09: started in London in 2004 as a weekly "free-for-all" 5km event. There are now more than 1,200 around the events rely on volunteers, with more than 400,000 helping to organise runs in the of all ages and abilities gather on Saturday mornings, with a start time of 09:00 or 09:30, depending on the to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
BBC News
03-03-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Campaigners celebrate u-turn on Daventry playing field sale
Campaigners are celebrating news that a plan to sell off a popular open space for housing has been Northamptonshire Council has said the proposal to fund town centre improvements by selling the Eastern Way playing field will not be included in the latest Daventry authority said the change of heart was in response to "valuable feedback from residents".One of the founders of a campaign to save the field said she was "absolutely delighted" by the decision. The playing field was once attached to Daventry's Grammar School but is now used for events like the weekly parkrun and touring is also popular with dog walkers, exercise lovers and people who just want some fresh air. When the latest Daventry Masterplan was made public last year, two women who lived nearby were so horrified by plans to sell the field off to fund town centre improvements that they started a campaign to save than 2,000 people signed a petition and more than 1,000 attended a rally on the field in Lister, the Conservative-controlled council's cabinet member for local economy, culture and leisure, said: "Having listened to the feedback we've received from Daventry residents, Eastern Way is a cherished recreational space and residents do not want to see new housing on the site."We will explore other ways to help secure the investment needed." Liz Scott, one of the founders of the campaign, said she was "absolutely delighted."She added: "We're just so grateful to everyone who's helped us."The campaign's co-founder, Judith Morris, said: "Our supporters have been very vocal - they all emailed their councillors, wrote to their MP, signed the petition, and that's ultimately what's made an impact." Wendy Randall, who lives in Daventry and is the Labour opposition leader on the council, joined a celebration on the field over the weekend but felt residents needed to remain said: "It's definitely the right decision, but they haven't said they won't ever do anything on it."Daventry people do not forget."Ms Scott added: "We can't rest on our laurels."We've saved the field for now, we'd really like to save it permanently." Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
