Take a Halloween tour through prime ministerial grave sites - National Post

Copy URL Facebook Linked In X (Twitter) Loading account options Sign In Manage Account Close account menu Sign Out By Mick Gzowski October 31, 2026 at 9:04 a.m. OTTAWA — In the spirit of Halloween, this video shows you the dark side of Parliament. It takes you to the graves of Canada’s deceased prime ministers and tells you how they got there.

The grave of Canada’s first Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, has suffered several attacks of vandalism.

Parks Canada repaired that damage, as it’s their job to maintain prime ministerial memorials.

Reports of the grave condition of Alexander Mackenzie’s resting place, Canada’s second Prime Minister, helped motivate the creation of a national program to care for PM grave sites.

Parks Canada installs a Canadian flag and an awareness panel at each PM’s grave site and is responsible for the ongoing maintenance and conservation of the grave sites.

By 2001, commemoration ceremonies were held for 13 of the 15 deceased prime ministers.

This video illustrates how the markers of the dead reveal something about the lives of our Prime Ministers.

We also show you the only Prime Minister not buried in Canada.

Part entertainment and part history, the video gives a brief synopsis of every deceased Prime Minister’s life and demise.

The story of two Prime Ministers who met in university and became bitter rivals for life.

One Prime Minister who believed he could communicate with his dead mother.

Another who died of a heart attack an hour after being sworn into the Imperial Privy Council.

And the last PM to govern from the Senate.

And the only one fired by a Governor General.

And finally, you’ll find out who was the last prime minister unable to speak French.

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