2007 Symons Medal Lecture

Honourable John Crosbie and Honourable Peter Lougheed

Newfoundland & Labrador’s political heavy hitter the Honourable John Crosbie responded to Alberta’s political icon the Honourable Peter Lougheed at the 2007 Symons Lecture on the State of Canadian Confederation. The two engaged in a lively and interactive discussion that varied from the format of previous events in the lecture series.

Speaking from his home in Calgary, Mr. Lougheed  recorded an abbreviated version of his presentation on video to initiate the discussion. Mr Crosbie then took up the challenge from Mr. Lougheed and presented his response on the state of the nation.

Sitting Premier Robert Ghiz introduced the discourse and set the stage. “The objective of the Symons Lecture is to encourage Canadians to think and talk about their country, and here we have two eminent Canadian political legends doing just that,” offered H. Wayne Hambly, Chair of the Fathers of Confederation Building Trust.  “Mr. Crosbie is always ready for discussion and debate, and along with the opening comments of Premier Ghiz, we anticipate a dynamic afternoon from these three distinguished speakers.”

The program opened with the Confederation Centre Youth Choir singing O Canada and I’m Dreaming of Home, a song they performed at the official dedication of the restored Canadian national memorial at Vimy Ridge earlier in 2007. In honour of the lecture given by the former premier of Alberta, the Confederation Centre Art Gallery displayed an exhibition entitled, Some Artists Who Have Lived and Worked in Alberta.

Established in 2004, the Symons Lecture provides a national platform for a distinguished Canadian to discuss the current state and future prospects of Confederation. The lecture is held each year to mark the anniversary of the meetings of the Fathers of Confederation in Charlottetown in 1864.