Canada’s political history is incredibly rich, filled with remarkable events, achievements, and visits by prominent national figures. Yet in its early years—when Canadian politics was still taking shape—not everything went smoothly. In the mid-19th century, Ottawa witnessed the murder of a federal parliamentarian who played a direct role in establishing Confederation. Thomas D’Arcy McGee was a significant figure in the formation of Canada as a separate state, and it was precisely this prominence that cost him his life. Read more at ottawayes.com.
Thomas D’Arcy McGee’s Story
Thomas McGee was originally from Ireland, where he lived from his birth in 1825 until 1857, when he decided to move to Canada. He enjoyed a successful career in journalism and was also an active public figure who spoke on behalf of Irish interests in Canada, advocating for Ireland’s freedom. At the time, the Fenian Brotherhood was also active, seeking to establish an independent Irish Republic through armed rebellion.
Thanks to his public activism and eloquent oratory, Thomas McGee entered the political sphere. He was appointed Minister of Agriculture in Ottawa under Prime Minister John A. Macdonald. His speeches were often memorable; he had a remarkable gift for public speaking and truly had the power to captivate large audiences.
McGee also took part in the 1864 constitutional conference, a landmark gathering devoted to the founding of a new country—Canada. This conference eventually led to the creation of the British North America Act in 1867.
The Murderers and Their Motives
Thomas McGee was killed soon after the British North America Act was proclaimed in 1868. These two events were closely linked. His killer turned out to be an Irish member of the Fenian Brotherhood named Patrick Whelan. The Fenians were far from indifferent to the establishment of a new Canadian nation, aiming instead to seize Canadian territories and then trade them to Britain in exchange for Ireland’s freedom.
When Thomas McGee first arrived in Ottawa, he delivered powerful speeches on Irish independence. Over time, however, as his political career advanced, he became a strong supporter of creating a Confederation and building a new Canadian nation. For the Fenians—given McGee’s Irish heritage—his actions amounted to betrayal, leading them to plan his assassination.
The murder of this Canadian politician, one of the founders of Confederation, took place in the spring of 1868, late at night as Thomas D’Arcy McGee returned home from work. The Fenians, led by Patrick Whelan, ambushed him near his house and shot him in the back of the head, killing him instantly.
McGee’s funeral, held in honour of this gifted orator and Canadian politician, was a large-scale event attended by countless mourners. Ottawa hosted memorial gatherings where politicians delivered heartfelt speeches commemorating Thomas McGee and warning of the Fenian Brotherhood’s threats.
Not long after, Patrick Whelan, the assassin, was captured and sentenced to a public execution—the last time such a sentence was carried out in front of the public in Canadian history.
In tribute to Thomas D’Arcy McGee, who made an invaluable contribution to the development of the Canadian nation, a commemorative plaque was installed on Sparks Street in Ottawa at the spot where he was killed.