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150 Years Since Confederation

By: Graham Iddon


April 21, 2017
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This deserves a bank note

In 1967, the Bank of Canada issued a one-dollar bill commemorating the centennial of Canadian confederation. At a glance, it looked just like the existing one-dollar design but for a discreet Centennial logo on the front. An engraving of Parliament Hill’s original Centre Block replaced the Prairie scene on the back. It was a simple and elegant commemoration, but not one to embrace the evolving culture of a progressive, mid-20th century Canada. In the last 50 years, we have certainly become more aware that Canada’s cultural and regional diversity is a key part of our nation’s identity. However, it’s an enormous challenge to represent such concepts on a 7 by 15 centimetre piece of polymer. I’m afraid a fine old engraving of Centre Block just wouldn’t cut the mustard these days.

Some runs of the 1967 Centennial notes had their serial numbers replaced with “1867 1967.” Nowadays, the notes with serial numbers are rare finds.

This engraving was once used on the face of an 1872 Dominion of Canada $100 bank note.

On 7 April, the Bank of Canada unveiled the design of an upcoming bank note that commemorates Canada’s 150th birthday and I can safely say that the mustard has been definitively cut.

Compare the large number of visual elements of this note with those of the 1967 note.

Almost all Canadians should be able to discover pride in or be able to identify with one of the landscapes featured.

It’s a note featuring a number of Bank of Canada firsts among its imagery. The most obvious is that it has four portraits and among them is a First Nations person. In fact, it’s the first time that anybody apart from a prime minister or royalty has been highlighted on one of our notes.

The portraits on this note are of parliamentarians. All of them can be considered nation builders who have contributed greatly to the growth and maturation of Canada. They come from different backgrounds and represent different eras. Only Sir George-Étienne Cartier and Sir John A. Macdonald are contemporaries. Still, although they were close partners in Confederation, their differing cultures brought some often contrasting issues to the table. These two represent a foundation stone of Canadian identity: a single nation forged from diverse peoples, building a unique culture.

The journey of Canadian identity hasn’t been easy and, over time, more cultures and many more points of view have found voice. Agnes Macphail, as the first woman member of Parliament (elected 1921), and James Gladstone (Akay-na-muka), as the earliest First Nations person appointed to the Senate (appointed 1958), represent those milestones of inclusion that promote the ever-encompassing unity of the Canadian peoples.

John A. Macdonald was one of the Fathers of Confederation and Canada’s first prime minister. Under his leadership, the nation was founded and expanded.

A Father of Confederation, George-Étienne Cartier viewed Confederation as a safeguard for French Canada and other minorities.

A human rights advocate, especially for women, Agnes Macphail was elected to Parliament in 1921—Canada’s first female Member of Parliament.

Committed to the betterment of Indigenous peoples, James Gladstone (Akay-na-muka) became a senator in 1958.

Thousands of Canadians took part in a public consultation about what sort of imagery and themes would, for them, best celebrate the sesquicentennial of Confederation. One thing that was very clear was Canadians’ interest in and their identity with the land. Regional identities run deep and the landscape is where they begin. You can imagine that no single image could represent Canada for a majority of its people. So, on the reverse is another first: a portrayal of multiple facets of the vast Canadian landscape. Five beautiful vignettes of major Canadian landscapes from coast to coast and to the North span the back of this note. Like the face of the note, diversity is the underlying theme of the back, for few countries can boast a landscape of such striking variety as Canada’s.

Like the most recent series of Bank of Canada notes, this note is rich with all sorts of symbolic details. I will leave those as well as the landscape imagery to another blog but, enquiring minds can check out the Bank of Canada website where they can find details on the stories behind the Canada 150 note.

A good crowd and lots of media filled the Bank’s atrium to see the new bank note revealed.

Governor Poloz speaking

Governor Poloz wore a carefully chosen purple tie for the event.

Assembly of First Nations Chief Perry Bellegarde greets the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor.

The bank note unveiling ceremony was brief and to the point. The substantial turnout included guests representing the regions featured on the back of the note, First Nations and Inuit leaders, and family members of James Gladstone and Kenojuak Ashevak (who created Owl’s Bouquet, shown in the clear window) as well as stakeholders from universities, government, museums and archives. Sitting quietly in the crowd was the ever-modest Jorge Peral of the Canadian Bank Note Company—the immensely talented engraver and art director who was lead designer on this note.

1,2,3…a perfectly synchronized pull! (and no rehearsal)

Keep in mind, of course, that the real bank note is much smaller.

The note was revealed by Bank of Canada Governor Stephen S. Poloz and the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance. Ms. Petitpas Taylor spoke about the features and people on the face of the note while Governor Poloz described the process of developing this note and introduced us to the elements on its back.

Claudette Commanda, a First Nations elder, gives an eloquent blessing to the event.

The Kudlik (Qulliq), the traditional Inuit oil lamp, is lit by Inuit Elder Manotik Thompson during her blessing ceremony.

Governor Poloz ended the official speeches by saying, “I hope this bank note captivates your imagination and instills pride in who we are and how far we have come as a nation. It celebrates our land, our history and our culture.” Following the Governor were two blessing ceremonies performed by Inuit Elder Manotik Thompson and Algonquin Elder Claudette Commanda representing Canada’s Inuit and First Nations peoples. There was a substantial First Nations and Inuit presence at this ceremony, including Assembly of First Nations Chief Perry Bellegarde. It was apt. As Elder Thompson pointed out in her blessing, “We have made a very big statement with James Gladstone on there—to say that we are equal in Canada and we are moving forward with that relationship.”

Uh, Governor, we need that back!

We want to hear from you! Do you have an idea for a blog post you’d like to see?
Content type(s): Blog posts

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April 4, 2023

Caring for your coins

By: Graham Iddon


Coin collecting can be a fun and fascinating hobby. But there are a few things you should know to keep your collection safe and in good condition. Because coins aren’t as robust as you might imagine.
Content type(s): Blog posts
March 22, 2023

Security is in the bank note

By: Graham Iddon


Collage, photo of wild west street, old bank notes, old counterfeiting brochure.
Security printing is a game of anticipating and responding to criminal threats. Counterfeiting is a game of anticipating and responding to bank note design. This cat and mouse relationship affects every aspect of a bank note.
Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Economics, Financial literacy Grade level(s): Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5
February 2, 2023

Teaching art with currency

By: Adam Young


From design to final product, bank notes and coins can be used to explore and teach art, media and process.
Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Arts Grade level(s): Grade 05, Grade 06, Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5
January 20, 2023

New Acquisitions—2022 Edition

By: David Bergeron, Krista Broeckx


It’s a new year—the perfect time to look back at some notable artifacts the Museum added to the National Currency collection from 2022. Each object has a unique story to tell about Canada’s monetary and economic history.
Content type(s): Blog posts
December 6, 2022

Money: it’s a question of trust

By: Graham Iddon


Photo collage, parking meter, old bank notes and an early bank card.
The dollars and cents we use wouldn’t be worth anything to anybody if we didn’t have confidence in it. No matter if it’s gold or digits on a hard drive, public trust is the secret ingredient in a successful currency.
Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Economics
November 14, 2022

The day Winnipeg was invaded

By: David Bergeron


People on the street were randomly stopped and searched, and some were even arrested and imprisoned in an internment camp. Even German marks replaced Canadian currency in circulation—in the form of If Day propaganda notes.
Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): History Grade level(s): Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5
October 18, 2022

Positive notes

By: Krista Broeckx


The imagery on the Bank of Canada’s 1935 note series depicts the country’s rich industrial history.
Content type(s): Blog posts
June 16, 2022

Army bills: Funding the War of 1812

By: David Bergeron, Graham Iddon


In 1812, British North America had no banks and little currency. With the prospect of war drying up supplies of coins, the government of Lower Canada decided to issue legal tender notes called “army bills” to pay for troops and supplies.
Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Economics, History
May 5, 2022

Between tradition and technology

By: Graham Iddon


Collage, man at an easel, paintings of birds and a goose illustration with comments written on it.
What was proposed was a complete about-face from the philosophy behind recent security printing. If photocopiers could easily deal with the colours and designs of the current series, then the next series should be bold and simple.
Content type(s): Blog posts
April 21, 2022

Teaching the green economy

By: Adam Young


From windmills and solar panels to electric cars, signs of the green economy are all around us. Check out our resources for how to teach about the green economy.
Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Business, Economics, Geography, Science, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5
April 4, 2022

Talk to your kids about money

By: Heather Montgomery


Collage, ceramic pig on background of a bank book and a stamp folder with kids on it.
Introduce important financial skills to your children, and help them plan for their futures with free resources from the Bank of Canada Museum and others.
Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Financial literacy Grade level(s): Early childhood / Kindergarten, Grade 01, Grade 02, Grade 03, Grade 04, Grade 05, Grade 06, Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5
March 3, 2022

Teaching inflation during the COVID-19 pandemic

By: Heather Montgomery


COVID-19 has had an unprecedented effect on the economy: closing businesses, driving down demand and interrupting supplies. With news stories and popular culture addressing inflation and supply chain issues, now is the perfect time to explain this key economic concept to your high school students.
Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Economics Grade level(s): Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5
February 3, 2022

Queen of the bank notes

By: Graham Iddon


Few of us have ever met her, and it’s likely none of us are even remotely related to her. Yet, Canadians have carried her picture in their wallets for generations now. She’s Queen Elizabeth II and has been our monarch for over 70 years.
Content type(s): Blog posts
December 22, 2021

New acquisitions–2021 edition

By: David Bergeron


The Bank of Canada Museum is responsible for the National Currency Collection, and part of its mandate is to foster and develop that collection. Despite the challenges of collecting during a pandemic, curators at the Bank of Canada Museum have acquired some unique artifacts—including some that document the pandemic itself.
Content type(s): Blog posts
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