Stornoway (residence) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stornoway |
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Exterior facade of Stornoway from the east
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Address | 541 Acacia Avenue, K1M 0M4 |
| Town or city | Rockcliffe Park Ottawa |
| Country | Canada |
| Coordinates | 45°27′10″N 75°40′43″W / 45.45278°N 75.67861°W |
| Current tenants | Pierre Poilievre, Leader of the Opposition |
| Construction started | 1913 |
| Completed | 1914 |
| Owner | The King in Right of Canada |
| Landlord | National Capital Commission |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Alan Keefer |
| Other information | |
| Number of rooms | 19 |
Stornoway is a special house in Canada. It is the official home for the leader of the Official Opposition. This means it's where the leader of the main political party that is not in power lives. Stornoway has been used for this important role since 1950.
The house is located at 541 Acacia Avenue in the Rockcliffe Park area of Ottawa, Ontario. It is maintained using government funds. The National Capital Commission has owned and managed the property since 1986. The house is about 5.1 kilometers (3.2 miles) from Canada's Parliament Buildings. Many ambassadorial residences are also in this area.
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Stornoway's Interesting History
The house was built in 1914 by an architect named Allan Keefer. It was first built for an Ottawa grocer, Ascanio J. Major. The second family to live there, the Perley-Robertsons, gave it the name "Stornoway." They named it after their family's old home in Scotland.
A Royal Guest During Wartime
During the Second World War, from 1941 to 1945, Stornoway had a very special guest. Mrs. Perley-Robertson offered the house to Princess Juliana of the Netherlands. Princess Juliana was living in exile with her family, including the future Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. They stayed at Stornoway during the war.
Becoming the Opposition Leader's Home
After the war, in 1950, a group of citizens bought Stornoway. They later gave it to the Government of Canada. Since then, it has served as the official residence for the leader of the Official Opposition.
Some leaders chose not to live in Stornoway. For example, Lucien Bouchard and Gilles Duceppe of the Bloc Québécois did not move in during the 1990s. They chose to live elsewhere.
Later, Preston Manning, who led the Reform Party of Canada, also first declined to move in. He felt it was too fancy and a waste of taxpayer money. However, he eventually moved in after people saw his refusal as disrespectful to his important position.
Recent Residents and Renovations
From 2002 to 2006, Stornoway had some updates. The living room and kitchen were improved. The chimney was fixed, and new carpets were put in. The hardwood floors were also shined up, and the house was painted.
Jack Layton, who became the Official Opposition leader in 2011, moved into Stornoway. However, he continued to live in Toronto when Parliament was not in session. Sadly, he passed away a few months later. His wife, Olivia Chow, and he only spent one night in the house. His temporary successor, Nycole Turmel, used the house for events but did not formally move in.
Several interim (temporary) party leaders have also lived at Stornoway. These include John Reynolds, Bill Graham, Rona Ambrose, and Candice Bergen. All other residents have been permanent party leaders.
Who Has Lived in Stornoway?
Before it became the official opposition residence, three families lived in Stornoway. The first was Ascanio Joseph Major from 1914 to 1923. Then the Perley-Robertson family lived there starting in 1923. From 1941 to 1945, the Dutch Royal Family rented the home.
Since 1950, many leaders of the Official Opposition have lived in Stornoway. Here is a list:
- George A. Drew 1950–56
- Vacant, 1956–58 (leaders did not move in)
- Lester B. Pearson 1958–63
- John Diefenbaker 1963–67
- Robert Stanfield 1968–76
- Joe Clark 1976–79
- Pierre Trudeau 1979–80
- Joe Clark 1980–83
- Brian Mulroney 1983–84
- John Turner 1984–90
- Jean Chrétien 1990–93
- Vacant, 1993–97 (leaders refused to use the house)
- Preston Manning 1997–2000
- Stockwell Day 2000–01
- John Reynolds 2001–02
- Stephen Harper 2002–06
- Bill Graham February–December 2006
- Stéphane Dion 2006–08
- Michael Ignatieff 2008–11
- Jack Layton May–August 2011
- Nycole Turmel 2011–12
- Tom Mulcair 2012–15
- Rona Ambrose 2015–17
- Andrew Scheer 2017–20
- Erin O'Toole 2020–22
- Candice Bergen February–September 2022
- Pierre Poilievre 2022–present
A Look Inside Stornoway
Stornoway is a large house with 19 rooms. It has eight bedrooms, five bathrooms, a living room, and a dining room. There is also a sitting room on the second floor. The house sits on big grounds.
Stornoway has a small staff to help the residents. This includes a chef, a driver, and a household manager. Like other official residences such as 24 Sussex Drive (the Prime Minister's home) and Rideau Hall, the public is not allowed to visit Stornoway.
Images for kids
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Andrew Scheer (right foreground) with his family in Stornoway's kitchen, in September 2019. He lived in Stornoway from 2017 to 2020 as the leader of the Official Opposition.
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See also
