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Volume 2 - ElectricCanadian.com

Volume 2 - ElectricCanadian.com

Volume 2 - ElectricCanadian.com

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1867 TO 1901 69advisability of opening a branch at Ottawa was consideredby the directors. Apparently the newly elected administrationof the Hon. Alexander Mackenzie had intimatedthat it would wel<strong>com</strong>e such a step, for "the presidentwas requested to visit Ottawa at his earliest convenience forthe purpose of securing suitable office ac<strong>com</strong>modation, andconferring with the Minister of Finance and the Postmaster-General" with regard to having part of the Dominion Governmentbusiness transferred to the bank. The Minister ofFinance was the Hon. Richard Cartwright, with whomSenator McMaster had differed during the debates on Sir1Francis Hincks' Bank Act, and the Postmaster-General wasthe Hon. D. A. Macdonald. 2 It is evident that this time therewas no disagreement, for in April, 1874, the Ottawa branchwas opened in the Victoria Hotel block. The minutes of theBoard show that The Canadian Bank of Commerce had donebusiness with the previous administration as early as March,1870, when it received from the Government a deposit of$50,000 to be used for the purchase of United States silver.Apparently, by March, 1873, the directors had <strong>com</strong>eto the conclusion that an institution of the importance ofThe Canadian Bank of Commerce should have some regardfor appearances, for in a quaintly worded resolution of thattime it was ordered that the board-room be furnished "in arespectable manner."During 1874 three other branches were opened in Ontario,in Lucan, Windsor, and Cayuga. Lucan was closed duringthe summer of 1883, when the business was moved to1Seepage 41.2The Hon. Donald Alexander Macdonald (1816-1896) was a native of the provinceof Quebec. In early life a railway contractor, he served for a time as warden of thecounties of Glengarry and Dundas. He entered Parliament in 1857, representing thecounty of Glengarry in the House of Assembly, and after Confederation, in the Houseof Commons, until 1875. In 1873 he was chosen by Alexander Mackenzie as Postmaster-General,and held that position until appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Ontarioin 1875. In 1880, at the close of his term as Governor, he retired from public life, andtook up his residence in Montreal until his death in June, 1896.

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