Registration
Entertainment
Venue/Map
Program
|
An afternoon with Sir John A.
Macdonald 
To commemorate Canada's 150th birthday, who better
to tell the tale
than the man who was at the centre of it all: Sir John A. himself.
Brian and Renee Porter, wearing their 1880’s
finery, will do a presentation about Sir John A. Macdonald called Quips
and Quotes. To get a sense of this important figure in Canadian history
you will hear quotes from contemporaries of Sir John A. who saw him in
action, along with some of his own quips and jokes. Renee will read
some excerpts from Lady Macdonald’s diary.
This was a man about whom British P.M. Benjamin
Disraeli wrote in his diary that, “ He is gentlemanlike, agreeable and
very intelligent; a considerable man.” He was a man with a great sense
of humour, who was respected on both sides of the Atlantic. As
biographer Richard Gwyn said, John A. was “the man who made us.”
Brian and Renee have portrayed Sir John and Lady
Macdonald for the past sixteen years, at numerous events in Eastern
Ontario and as far west as Toronto and London. Brian portrays the “
ghost of John A.” in a film display at Fort Henry’s new visitors’
centre opened in 2012. He was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal
in 2012.
Excepts from a Q&A with the
Brockville Recoder
Brian Porter is a historical re-enactor known for his portrayals of
Canada's first prime minister, Sir John A. Macdonald. His license plate
reads "John A 2." Since his retirement from teaching at Commonwealth
Public School, Porter has brought history alive for groups from young
children to seniors.
Q. How did you start doing historical re-enacting?
A. Historical re-enacting came for me through the Brockville Infantry
Company 1862.We have been doing that now for 20 years.
Q. Where have you done reenactments?
A. We have been to London, Fort Erie, Ottawa, all over eastern Ontario.
The biggest excitement was in 1999 -we were invited to Charlottetown to
take part in the Festival of the Fathers of Confederation. All our
expenses were paid. We paraded through the streets.
Q. How did you start doing Sir John A. Macdonald interpretations?
A. The John A. thing grew out of the Brockville Infantry Company. It
was about 1997 or '98, it was suggested that John A. Macdonald should
come and review the troops and that I should portray him. I found a top
hat and a swallowtail coat.
I was coming up to retirement at that time and thought I could do
something with this, I could go into schools and teach about history
first-person
Q. Have you done a lot of that?
A. I have done over 250 Sir John
A. events.
Q. What is that like for you?
A. I find it very exciting. It's a palatable way to get people
interested in their history. Canadians don't know their history well.
We suffer from historical amnesia. John
A. Macdonald is absolutely critical in the story of the founding of the
country.
Q. How do you prepare to create a character like Sir John A.?
A. I have done a lot of reading about Sir John A. and I have really
steeped myself in his life. When I put on the costume, I feel I really
know the man and can joke around the way he might have joked around.
Q. Does anyone ever question your interpretations?
A. Yes, sometimes. But few people know about Sir John A. anymore. What
little they know about him is that he drank. It was a hard-drinking
age, but in 40 years in Parliament, what did he accomplish? Could we
look at that? I try not to focus on his flaws all the time.
Q. What do you plan to do next?
A. I want to continue telling the story of Sir John A. There are so
many dimensions to that story. I spoke with a group of retired teachers
about the women in his life, his two wives, his handicapped daughter,
Mary, his mother, his two sisters.
Often my wife, Renee, comes with me and portrays Lady Agnes Macdonald,
Sir John A.'s second wife.
|
