A reflection on our history and values with potential lessons learned for the future.
by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC,
FEC, CET, P. Eng.
Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East

  After the excitement of the holiday season, January is generally a slow month in Canadian politics with Parliament to reconvene by the end of it. It is time for reflection, for the political parties to strategize and to get in shape for the political fight of the months coming.
  But this time around, January offered some big surprises on the international scene.
  First, Brexit in the United Kingdom seems to have a lifeline and a final decision will be made by the end of the month.
Another, much more significant event for Canada, was the violent removal from activity by the United States, of the chief architect of Iran's terror minded influence in the Middle East, the Revolutionary Guard General Qassem Soleimani.  This will certainly cause some reactions that might have a direct influence on Canada. We need to remember that Canada has a large Iranian Diaspora.
But leaving these issues to be settled on the world scene, let's take a look at our Canadian affairs from the perspective of our history and culture; those factors that are unique in the world and make us Canadians.
This is the month in which Sir John Alexander Macdonald, the first Prime Minister of Canada (1867-1873, 1878-1891) was born, on 11 January 1815.  He was the dominant figure of Canadian Confederation and he had a political career which spanned almost half a century.
He had a very interesting career, filled with effervescent political activity, a career we can learn much from, even today. He was a colonial leader and was one of the architects of the Confederation of Canada. He believed strongly in Canada as a country and dedicated his life to the advancement of it.
Exercising true political and leadership skills, unmatched even today, he forged unthinkable political alliances such as the alliance between the Conservative and Grits (the Liberals) lead by George Brown.
The two compromised and agreed that the new government would support the "federative principle"-a conveniently elastic phrase. The discussions were not public knowledge and Macdonald stunned the Assembly by announcing that he had reached an agreement with Brown to establish a Great Coalition. By the way, the two men were not only political rivals, but were known to hate each other.
The Great Coalition was a grand coalition of political parties that brought the two Canadas together (Canada East and Canada West) in 1864. The Great Coalition was created to eradicate the political deadlock between Canada West and Canada East.
The government at that time was unable to pass any legislation because of the need for a double majority. In order for a bill to pass in the Legislative Assembly, there had to be a vote in both the Canada East and Canada West sections of the assembly. As the French and the English could never agree on anything, this caused political deadlock. This coalition was intended to create resolution with long-term impacts in solving some of these problems and unify Canada. The coalition persisted by the government of the Province of Canada until the moment of Confederation.
The deadlock led to three conferences that preceded confederation. The first was the Charlottetown Conference, which was convened for the purpose of negotiating a Maritime union.
However, the politicians began to discuss the possibility of a larger union that would include all of British North America. This continued at the Quebec Conference where they further discussed the union of British North America and defined the details of the government's shape. They also settled on the division of provincial and federal responsibilities.
The London Conference revised the Quebec Resolutions and on 8 March, the British North America Act, 1867, which would thereafter serve as the major part of Canada's constitution, passed the British  House of Commons (it had previously passed the House of Lords) and  Queen Victoria gave the bill Royal Assent on 29 March 1867
The British announced on 22 May 1867, that Canada would come into existence on 1 July, 1867 of what came to be known as Canada Day.
Lord Monck the Governor of British North America since 1861 and a true believer in the Confederation and the First Governor General of Canada appointed Sir John A. Macdonald as the new nation's first prime minister. With the birth of the new nation, Canada East and Canada West became separate provinces, known as Quebec and Ontario.
There are people in Canada today; who engage in the dangerous practice of attempting to rewrite history, interpreting it from the perspective of today's left leaning influenced philosophy.  They advocate judging Macdonald's actions by today's standards and emphasizing to desperation, the negatives in his activity. We need to analyze his activity objectively, in the political context of his century, and not deny him the essential role he played in establishing Canada as a country.
As history is said to repeat itself, we are facing strong forces of separation in Canada both in the West and revival of them in the East.
So what can we learn from Sir John A Macdonald?  What about a new great coalition in this country to keep Canada united?