OTD: Wilfrid Laurier Memorial unveiled in Montréal

On today’s date in 1953, a statue of former prime minister Wilfrid Laurier was unveiled in Montréal’s Dorchester Square (then known as Dominion Square).

Built by Canadian sculptor Joseph-Émile Brunet on the southern side of Dominion Square – facing the United States – the bronze and granite monument depicts Laurier standing beneath a granite relief of the provinces. A bas-relief of both a man and woman sharing the harvest is also shown.

In 2002, Laurier donned the $5 banknote of the central bank’s ‘Canadian Journey’ series.

A CELEBRATED CANADIAN

Laurier, who was Canada’s seventh prime minister, serving from 1896-1911, has been featured on several of the country’s banknotes since his death.

Most recently, he was depicted on the $5 note of the “Frontier” series. Entering circulation on Nov. 3, 2013, this $5 bill was not the first to don Laurier’s image.

Laurier was shown on several other banknotes issued by the Bank of Canada, including the $1,000 note of the 1935 Series and 1937 Series plus the $5 note of the 1972 “Scenes of Canada” series (including the 1979 update).

More recently, Laurier is shown on the Bank of Canada’s ‘Frontier’ series.

He also graced the 1986 “Birds of Canada” series; the 2002 “Canadian Journey” series (the series that brought us “Spocking Fives”); and the 2013 “Frontier” series.

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