Sir John A. Macdonald got a 197th birthday present from the Canadian government, but it’s a bit of a fixer-upper.
The historic Bank of Montreal building on Wellington Street across from Parliament Hill will be renamed in honour of Canada’s first prime minister.
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre, decked out in a Victorian frock coat and cravat for the occasion, announced the dedication on Wednesday.
“In addition to honouring his role in the creation and development of our great nation, the naming of the Sir John A. Macdonald Building pays homage to his influence on the transformation of Ottawa from its beginnings as a logging town to a world-class capital,” Poilievre said.
The Sir John A. MacDonald Building will be a venue for parliamentary ceremonial events and large meetings, but first it requires extensive restoration work, which begins this year and is to be completed in 2015.
