(1,409 kb)
(1,409 kb)
If these walls could talk... ! In fact, the walls of the House of Commons Chamber in Ottawa tell visitors the story of how Canada became a nation.
Twelve sculptures adorn the east and west walls of the Chamber. Using symbols, they depict the main roles and responsibilities of the federal government arising out of the British North America Act, now known as the Constitution Act, 1867. Carved by five Canadian sculptors, these high reliefs took their place of honour in Parliament between 1978 and 1985.
One of them, Vote, tells visitors the story of the right to vote. It is in the form of a wheel, and at its centre is an 'X,' the only legally valid sign for marking a ballot.
The spokes of the wheel, fast and slow-moving water, represent the major rivers of Canada. These waterways have been travelled by humans from the earliest times, and indeed there was a time when Canadians had to travel great distances to perform their civic duty. The faces of men and women of all races appear on the wheel, symbolizing the universality of the right to vote.
The base stone of Vote shows the faces of four persons with hair flowing in the wind. Visitors can almost hear them sing the national anthem as their mouths shape the syllables 'O-CA-NA-DA.'
Bilingualism—another noteworthy work—traces the linguistic history of the Canadian nation.
At the top of the sculpture is a herbaceous plant, the lupin, which grows all across Canada, even in the Far North. The lupin symbolizes the universality of English and French, Canada's two official languages.
At the centre, a figure in peasant-style clothing draws the attention of visitors. It offers them a reflection of themselves, as it represents the entire Canadian population: men and women, adults and children, of every socio-economic class.
The dolphin and the falcon, respectively, represent the French and the British, the first newcomers to settle in Canada. Visitors can almost feel their presence, evoked by the wild rose of England and the Madonna lily of France on either side of the central figure.
Before reaching the shores of their new land, the newcomers made a long overseas journey, symbolized by water abounding with fish. The roof over the head of the figure indicates that these newcomers made a permanent home in Canada.
On the base stone, an Inuit hunting walrus in a kayak is a symbol of all Aboriginal peoples, from cave dwellers to the present.
In addition to Vote, visitors will find the following sculptures on the east wall of the Commons Chamber: Civil Law, Freedom of Speech, Senate, Governor General and Confederation. On the west wall—alongside Bilingualism—Communications, Criminal Law, Taxation, House of Commons and Education tell their tales.