TORONTO — The Canadian Press Published on Monday, Feb. 04, 2008 4:32PM EST Last updated on Monday, Mar. 30, 2009 2:56PM EDT
An unverified signature of Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada's first prime minister, has sparked an eBay bidding war that drove its price on Monday from $45 to more than $2,500.
The Dominion Institute, which is dedicated to preserving Canada's history and artifacts, made a bid for the important piece of Canadiana, but admits budget constraints leave it with no chance of getting into a bidding war.
A card, apparently signed by Sir John, is being offered on eBay by Pattie Kelly of Worchester, Mass.
Jeremy Diamond, director of programs for the Dominion Institute, said in an interview Monday that his organization cherishes and tries to promote Canadian history, especially to young people.
“It was just a tad bit disturbing to see a piece of Canadian history up for sale on the web for something like $40,” he said.
The card is signed: “Yours faithfully, John A. Macdonald.”
Mr. Diamond said the institute has had no indication whether the National Public Archives or any other federal government body has decided to get into a bidding war for the document.
“We feel that as a piece of Canadiana that is related to the history of Sir John A. that it should be in the hands of Canadians,” Mr. Diamond said of the card.
The Dominion Institute recently came to an agreement with Canadian Heritage and the federal government as the organization that will see it promoting and celebrating Sir John's birthday each Jan. 14.
Mr. Diamond says that in the last few years, while not an official holiday, Jan. 14 has come to be recognized as a special event day for many Canadians.
The Institute's agreement with Canadian Heritage will see it spearhead efforts to celebrate and promote of Sir John A. MacDonald and Sir Wilfrid Laurier's birthdays.
It's being done, Mr. Diamond said, as a way of getting the celebration of what many people consider Canada's founding fathers out to the masses.
“When we do our polls each year we find that less and less people even know who John A. Macdonald even was,” Mr. Diamond lamented.
“To have an education campaign surrounding that is obviously very important and it dove tales very nicely with this story, too.”
The eBay bidding is to close Tuesday.
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