Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Weird Canada

Personality overcame mistakes for this political icon.

A VERY HUMAN HERO

Rarely have politicians survived, much less continue to be honored, when they make personal mistakes. Whether it’s having an affair or abusing drugs or alcohol, when the situation is revealed, it’s the end of that politician’s political career. That is not the case with John A. Macdonald, Canada’s first prime minister. This very human man made mistake after mistake, yet he is still considered a great man and the Father of the Confederation.

When looking at his achievements, it isn’t hard to be impressed: He’s credited with the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway, the transcontinental railway; building the Canadian confederation with the addition of Prince Edward Island, the Northwest Territories, Manitoba, and British Columbia; and he created the Northwest Mounted Police. He served as prime minister twice, once in July 1, 1867 to November 5, 1873, and his second term from October 17, 1878, to June 6, 1891. His personal magnetism and drive were two characteristics that made him stand out and succeed, despite some very serious personal and political disasters.

SCADS OF SCANDALS

Macdonald’s public career and success were also fraught with equally public scandals. His binge drinking, which began in 1856, was never a secret. From being so inebriated he could barely make decisions while being in charge of the militia during a rebellion to public intoxication during a political debate, he made no efforts to hide his drinking. Yet despite this, he continued to win elections and serve in positions of great responsibility—even the highest responsibility in the confederation.

But this wasn’t Macdonald’s only scandal. He also had financial problems, at one point amassing debt of $1 million by today’s value. The negotiations for the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway just happened to occur during his 1872 election campaign. He and his colleagues received very large campaign contributions from Sir Hugh Allan, who was designated to lead the syndicate of railroad construction companies. Macdonald claimed that since he had not profited personally, he was innocent of wrongdoing. But this became a big enough scandal after the elections that Macdonald was defeated when he ran again in 1874.

Early Canadian explorers suffered from mal de raquette—snowshoe sickness.

OUT OF THE ASHES

But the weird thing is, despite the drinking and the scandals, he won the election of 1878, just four years later, and became prime minister, again. Perhaps it is just because Canadians are a forgiving lot. Or maybe it’s because Macdonald’s personal tragedies were also well known. He had witnessed the murder of his brother when he was five years old, his first wife and their first son had died, and his daughter was born with hydrocephalus. But what may have also contributed to his successful election and made him a real hero is the fact that he had overcome his binge drinking problem by 1876.

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CANADIAN WHISKY FACTS

• It can be made from any mixture of cereal grains, such as corn, wheat, barley, or rye, and has to be aged for a minimum of three years...entirely in Canada.

• Most Canadian whiskys are blends of other, made-in-Canada, single-malt whiskys.

• It’s called whisky, not whiskey to uphold the Scottish tradition.

• Canadian whisky nickname: “brown vodka.”

• Distiller Glen Breton makes a whisky that has been aged for 10 years in barrels normally used to make ice wine.

Canadians eat the third-highest amount of ice cream worldwide.