OTTAWA — People walked slower in Centre Block in recent weeks as many tried to soak in the iconic building's details and history before it closed for a decade of renovations.
The current building rose from a devastating fire, and has hosted everything from champagne celebrations to funerals to violence including a deadly bombing in 1966 and a shooting in 2014.
In this episode, the "Follow-Up" podcast team indulges in some nostalgia with one last tour through Centre Block to learn about the interesting shapes and figures carved into its walls, and some salacious stories from insiders.
Listen to the full episode here:
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Detailed show notes:
(3:54) Joe Clark shares his first Centre Block memory
(6:53) Folklore of Pierre Trudeau's statuette-breaking stunt that apparently left a fawn with a broken ear
(13:15) Revealed: the secret Ottawa Senators carving in the Senate
(17:02) 1966 bombing inside the building
(23:38) Sen. Mike Duffy's recollection of that time Pierre Trudeau got into a shoving match with a reporter
(25:34) "The most beautiful room in Canada"
(27:26) That time an MP was caught butt naked in the halls
Watch: Sen. Mike Duffy shows us his Centre Block highlights: