Residences: Homes of Canada's Leaders

For the first time ever, Canadians can look behind the private doors of these three public homes. Originally built in the mid-1800's by prominent businessmen of the day and converted, a century later, for use by Canada's top political leaders, these beautiful buildings are steeped in the heritage and history of Canada. They have served both as homes for relaxing with family and friends as well as formal settings for the entertainment of kings, queens and presidents. The houses have been transformed with each new resident-Mrs. Pearson's Canadiana Room becomes a children's playroom and a coach house and a porte-cochere are now no more. However, the charm of the old lingers today, as the reader will see on a personal guided tour through the rooms and grounds of each of the houses. Pierre Berton, Chairman of The Heritage Canada Foundation, notes in his foreword to the book, that apart from Maryon Pearson, Pierre and Margaret Trudeau and her own husband, [Ms. McTeer] is the only living Canadian to have occupied all three residences. Thus she brings a special intimacy to her descriptions and an inner knowledge of each home that enhances the value of the work. She has, of course, done more than this. Every house has a story; but these houses, by their nature and their years, have many. Ms. McTeer has not only dug into the past of all three, she has also taken the trouble to interview several of the former owners. The results are often surprising. With the help of photographer Ted Grant, Maureen McTeer has selected 75 black and white and 15 colour photographs of the homes and the families who lived in them and the result is a long overdue look into three of Canada's most fascinating heritage homes.