U.S. President Ronald Reagan and his wife, First Lady Nancy Reagan, were in Ottawa on this date in 1981 where the new President held talks with Canada’s Pierre Trudeau. The distinguished couple had slept at Rideau Hall the night before and in his diary, Reagan commented on the couple’s sleeping arrangements.
“Quartered at Rideau house which is truly a magnificent old mansion—except that Nancy & I were in separate rooms—1st time in our marriage,” he noted.
Besides that, Reagan seemed to enjoy his visit. “It was a warm welcome with Canadians lining the streets cheering & clapping. Went to Parliament hill to meet P.M. Trudeau. Discovered I liked him. Our meetings were very successful. We have some problems to be worked out having to do with fishing, energy & environment but I believe we’ve convinced them we really want to find answers. They put on a gala at the art center—a very enjoyable show with a fantastic group of Ukrainian dancers. Dinner at Rideau house (where we are staying).”
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.
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.