Mr. Speaker, on June 15, 1841, the first Parliament of the United Provinces of Canada was opened by Governor General Lord Sydenham in Kingston, Ontario. One hundred and sixty years later, Kingston has been recognized by both the federal and provincial governments as Canada's first capital, and June 15 is officially recognized in Kingston as First Capital Day.
Shortly after the union of Canada in February 1841, a large building on the shore of Lake Ontario and Kingston that was originally commissioned as a hospital, was rented out to the new Government of Canada to house the legislative council and the legislative assembly. Eventually, however, Kingston's insufficient number of office buildings forced parliament to move to Montreal where it opened on November 28, 1844.
Thanks to the hard work of Mr. Ian Milne and Dr. Margaret Angus, the founders of First Capital Day, the occasion of Kingston's choice as Canada's first capital has been marked with much celebration for the past three years.
On behalf of myself and the very popular member for Kingston and the Islands, I would like to congratulate those behind the organizing of First Capital Day in Kingston and wish them a very successful celebration this June 15.