As always on Art’s History we pause to mark the birthdays of Canada’s 23 Prime Ministers. And today it is Sir Charles Tupper’s turn. Called the Warhorse of Cumberland County (Nova Scotia), Dr. Tupper strode like a political giant across Canadian politics for more than 40 years. Once Premier of Nova Scotia, he was a key Father of Confederation. And when the nation-building project was shaky, with Nova Scotia electing anti-Confederation MPs in 1867, Tupper never wavered, being the only pro-Canada MP elected in his home province in the 1867 election. Sir Charles Tupper went on to serve in various capacities in the John A. Macdonald governments of the day and spent many years abroad as Canada’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. When the government of Sir Mackenzie Bowell disintegrated in 1895-1896, the Tories turned to Dr. Tupper and he came home from London to lead his party. He only served as Prime Minister for 66 days before losing the national election of 1896 that had pitted him against Wilfrid Laurier’s Liberals.  Despite his defeat and advancing age, he stayed on as Leader of the Opposition for five more years. So happy birthday to Sir Charles Tupper, Prime Minister, Father of Confederation, proud Nova Scotian. Birthday alert: Sending out birthday wishes to Senator Jane Cordy. caption id="attachment_570808" align="aligncenter" width="236" Portrait of Sir Charles Tupper/caption Arthur Milnes is an accomplished public historian and award-winning journalist.  He was research assistant on The Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney’s best-selling Memoirs and also served as a speechwriter to then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper and as a Fellow of the Queen’s Centre for the Study of Democracy under the leadership of Tom Axworthy.  A resident of Kingston, Ontario, Milnes serves as the in-house historian at the 175 year-old Frontenac Club Hotel.