Canada House: A History
Early in 1922, a Canadian tea merchant named Peter Larkin arrived in London. He was a natural marketer who had created Canada’s iconic Salada Tea brand and he set out to put a new face on Canada in the UK. From the time he was appointed High Commissioner to the United Kingdom on 10 February, by Prime Minister Mackenzie King, he was charged with consolidating all of Canada’s activities in Britain → view the story
Story Archive
The Neighbourhood Called ‘Little Canada’
When the magnificent Trafalgar Square and the Nelson Monument were first designed there were no plans for fountains. As you look across the square today it is as if the fountains you see have been there for ever → read the story
Alberta
Named after Queen Victoria’s fourth daughter, Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, the province of Alberta was the ninth to join Confederation — just hours after Saskatchewan → read the story
Artist Profile: Gordon Smith
In the summer of 2014, at the age of 94, Smith toured Canada House with High Commissioner Campbell. They spoke of the plans for the building as a way of representing Canada in the 21st century with its focus on Canada and Canadians. Inspired by the new vision for Canada House, Smith decided to create a special painting for the High Commission → read the story
The Queen Elizabeth Atrium
The Atrium off the Cockspur Street entrance to Canada House creates the opportunity to bring natural light into the heart of the building, to celebrate Canadian building products and design and to create a visual meeting space for High Commission staff → read the story
The Canadian Carpet Ride
Look down as you walk through Canada House and you will see magnificent Canadian oak, marble and granite — and 29 bespoke carpets commissioned to showcase Canadian craftsmanship and artistry → read the story
Artist Profile: Emily Carr
For 2015, Canada House presents Carr’s oil-on-canvas painting Wood Interior (1932-35). Graciously on loan from the Vancouver Art Gallery through the Emily Carr Trust, hopefully this is the first of many more opportunities to showcase Carr’s work in the years to come → read the story
Nunavut
Nunavut is Canada’s newest territory. It was established on 1 April 1999. The Inuit languages (Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun), English and French are all official languages of the territory. Nunavut means ‘our land’ and its dramatic landscape is both strikingly beautiful and rich in natural resources → read the story
Manitoba
In the language of the Cree First Nation, Manitoba means ‘where the spirit lives’. The province started to take its modern form when Thomas Douglas, the fifth Earl of Selkirk, used his money and political connections to purchase land and settle poor Scottish families in British North America. First, in 1803 he helped settlers from Scotland find homes in Prince Edward Island. In 1804, he focused on Upper Canada → read the story