On June 12, 2010 the RB Bennett Commemorative Centre opened at the Museum in honor of Canada’s 11th Prime Minister the Right Honorable Richard Bedford Bennett. On hand as guest speaker at the event was Canada’s 17th Prime Minster the Right Honorable John Turner.
Now it might seem strange that a Liberal Prime Minister such as John Turner would take part in the opening of a centre dedicated to a Conservative Prime Minster, but that was the type of man that was John Turner. He recognized the role that Bennett played in Canadian life and was there to pay him tribute.
At the time of the Grand Opening Mr. Turner had just turned 81 years old and he regaled the audience with his families connection to RB Bennett. Mr. Turner said::
As a boy growing up in Ottawa in the 1930s, it was my good fortune to meet Richard Bedford Bennett, Canada's 11th prime minister, on many occasions. I recall a friendly man with a booming voice who gave me chocolates once in a while.
A man with progressive views for his time about women, he was responsible for bringing my late mother, Phyllis Gregory (later Ross), into Canada's public service during the Great Depression. She soon rose through the ranks, a single woman with two young children to raise, and became the senior-ranked female public servant in the land.
For the rest of her life, my mother respected and admired Bennett for this and his countless contributions to Canada. Like me today, she never understood as time went on the largely negative portrayal he received before history - when he's even been considered at all.
John Turner like RB Bennett saw his party go down in defeat during his tenure as leader, mainly due to circumstances beyond their control. We would like to thank John Turner for his many years of service to the Canadian people and for his warmly felt words at our Grand Opening ceremony 10 years ago.
Thank you sir.
We will be lowing the Bennett Flag to half-mast in his honor.
