The NFB is committed to respecting your privacy

We use cookies to ensure that our site works efficiently, as well as for advertising purposes.

If you do not wish to have your information used in this way, you can modify your browser settings before continuing your visit.

Learn more
Skip to content Accessibility
Subjects (65)
History - Canada - 1867-1919 (23)

Politics and Government (2)

  • The Buildings Already Begun
    The Buildings Already Begun
    William Pettigrew 1967 17 min
    Not everyone agreed that the buildings already begun were worth finishing, but, in spite of opposition, Canada built its imposing Houses of Parliament in Ottawa on the hill above the river. From a rich archive of pictures of the federal Parliament buildings as they developed over the past hundred years, this film creates a vivid sense of being there.
  • John A. Macdonald: The Impossible Idea
    John A. Macdonald: The Impossible Idea
    Gordon Burwash 1961 27 min
    This short fiction film tells the story of John A. MacDonald’s rise to power. Canada’s first Prime Minister and one of the Fathers of the Confederation, MacDonald didn’t enjoy an easy political career. When he first shared his vision of a Dominion reaching from sea to sea – an audacious proposal regarded as uncertain even by his supporters – his opponents derided him. “The fox is out of tricks," they taunted. "Bankrupt of ideas, he offers us clouds." This film offers us a memorable flashback

Explore