The Farm (Canada)

The Farm
La Ferme (French)
The Farm in autumn 2007
Map
General information
TypeOfficial residence
Town or cityKingsmere, Quebec
CountryCanada
Coordinates45°29′6″N 75°50′28″W / 45.48500°N 75.84111°W / 45.48500; -75.84111
Current tenantsGreg Fergus, Speaker of the House of Commons
OwnerThe King in Right of Canada
LandlordNational Capital Commission
Technical details
Floor area5,000 square feet (460 m2)
Grounds1.74 hectares (4.3 acres)
Website
ncc-ccn.gc.ca/places/the-farm

The Farm (French: La Ferme) is a historic farmhouse and the official residence of the Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada. It is located in Gatineau Park in the community of Kingsmere, Quebec, Canada, near the country's capital, Ottawa. The Farm has been managed and maintained by the National Capital Commission since 1986. In addition to the Farm, the Speaker of the House of Commons is also provided a two-room apartment in Centre Block on Parliament Hill.[1] The residence and its 1.74 hectares (4.3 acres) of grounds are not open to the public.[2]

History

The residence was originally part of a farmstead built by settler Henry Fleury in the mid-19th century.[2] William Lyon Mackenzie King, the 10th Prime Minister of Canada, privately purchased the farmstead in 1927 to incorporate it into his country estate at Kingsmere Lake. King had the house renovated in 1935 to serve as a summer home, building two new wings as well as adding heating and indoor plumbing systems.[2]

Upon his retirement from politics King spent more time at the Farm and it was where he died on July 22, 1950.[3] In his will he bequeathed his entire country estate "to the government and people of Canada" and expressed a desire for the residence to be used by future prime ministers. The grounds of the Mackenzie King Estate were absorbed into Gatineau Park, however 24 Sussex Drive had already been designated the official residence of the Prime Minister of Canada so the Farm was instead designated as the residence for the Speaker of the House of Commons in 1955.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b McMahon, Tamsin (June 2, 2011). "Why eight people are battling for Speaker of the House". National Post. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c "The Farm". National Capital Commission. Government of Canada. Retrieved April 26, 2020.
  3. ^ "Parks Canada - Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada - The Grave Site of William Lyon Mackenzie King, Former Canadian Prime Minister". November 2, 2014. Archived from the original on November 2, 2014. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
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