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Edward Blake (1833-1912)

A black and white photograph of a man seated on an arm chair and holding an open book in his lap; he wears glasses and a suit

Edward Blake, c. 1870s: Ewing/National Archives of Canada/C-30444

During his political career Edward Blake served as the Premier of Ontario (1871-1872) and the Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada (1880-1887). He visited the Armoury in 1874 and delivered the now famous Aurora Speech, later renamed A National Sentiment. The following year he was appointed to Prime Minister Alexander Mackenzie’s cabinet as the Minister of Justice and the President of the Queen’s Privy Council Council for Canada.