Sir George Ross, one of the premiers of Ontario, came from Melrose, Ontario. George had an interesting life. He was supposed to be a bachelor, but he had a lady friend who was an amateur painter. She painted a portrait of him. After he died, she tried to sell it to the Parliament of Ontario, to Queen's Park, but because of the risqué nature of their relationship, they refused to accept the portrait. She was a determined woman, and she had certain friends who had been friends of George, and they convinced her to paint over it. She did, and made it into Laura Secord. Now, this is the homeliest woman I've ever seen, but the portrait of Laura Secord, painted over the portrait of Sir George Ross, hangs in the corridors at Queen's Park. That might be something of interest since we are talking about the War of 1812.
On October 6th, 2011. See this statement in context.