The Farm (Canada)

The Farm (French: La Ferme) is a historic farmhouse and the official residence of the Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada. It is located in Gatineau Park in the community of Kingsmere, Quebec, Canada; near the country's capital, Ottawa. The Farm has been managed and maintained by the National Capital Commission since 1986. In addition to the Farm, the Speaker of the House of Commons is also provided a two-room apartment in Centre Block on Parliament Hill.[1] The residence and its 1.74 hectares (4.3 acres) of grounds are not open to the public.[2]

The Farm La Ferme (French)
The Farm in autumn 2007
General information
Type	Official residence
Town or city	Kingsmere, Quebec
Country	Canada
Coordinates	45°29′00″N 75°50′52″W
Current tenants	Anthony Rota, Speaker of the House of Commons
Owner	The Queen in Right of Canada
Landlord	National Capital Commission
Technical details
Floor area	5,000 square feet (460 m^2)
Grounds	1.74 hectares (4.3 acres)
Website
ncc-ccn.gc.ca/places/the-farm

History

The residence was originally part of a farmstead built by settler Henry Fleury in the mid-19th century.[2] William Lyon Mackenzie King, the 10th Prime Minister of Canada, privately purchased the farmstead in 1927 to incorporate it into his country estate at Kingsmere Lake. King had the house renovated in 1935 to serve as a summer home, building two new wings as well as adding heating and indoor plumbing systems.[2]

Upon his retirement from politics King spent more time at the Farm and it was where he died on July 22, 1950.[3] In his will he bequeathed his entire country estate "to the government and people of Canada" and expressed a desire for the residence to be used by future prime ministers. The grounds of the Mackenzie King Estate were absorbed into Gatineau Park, however 24 Sussex Drive had already been designated the official residence of the Prime Minister of Canada so the Farm was instead designated as the residence for the Speaker of the House of Commons in 1955.[1]

References

1. McMahon, Tamsin (June 2, 2011). "Why eight people are battling for Speaker of the House". National Post. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
2. "The Farm". National Capital Commission. Government of Canada. Retrieved April 26, 2020.
3. "Parks Canada - Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada - The Grave Site of William Lyon Mackenzie King, Former Canadian Prime Minister". November 2, 2014. Archived from the original on November 2, 2014. Retrieved October 29, 2019.

External links

• Official website
• "Toporama - Topographic Map Sheet 31G5". Atlas of Canada. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved January 27, 2010.