PRELIMINARY STEPS
The desire to commemorate the centenary of Brock's death-day—October 13th, 1912—took form at a meeting of the United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada, held at Toronto on April 11th, 1912, when, on the motion of Mr. John Stewart Carstairs, B.A., a committee, consisting of Colonel Ryerson, Lieut.-Colonel W. Hamilton Merritt, Mr. J. S. Carstairs, and Mr. C. E. MacDonald, barrister, was appointed to draft a suitable programme for the celebration of "Brock's Day."
This committee submitted the following report at a meeting of the Association held on September 17th, 1912, Colonel Ryerson presiding:
"Your Committee begs leave to report that as, within their knowledge, no action has been taken by either the Federal or Provincial Government to celebrate the Centenary of the death of Sir Isaac Brock on Sunday, October 13th, 1912, they recommend as follows:
"(1) That recommendations be made to both the Federal Government and to the Provincial Government of Ontario, that in view of the fact that General Brock in June, 1812, found himself at the head of a panic-stricken people in the presence of a powerful invader, and that a few months later, when he fell at Queenston Heights, he left that people united, fearless and invincible, it is believed that there should be a national demonstration that will be in effect only less impressive on the public mind than was the passing away of the man himself at Queenston Heights a hundred years ago.
"(2) That the demonstration might take the form of a royal salute from every cannon in the land on Sunday, October 13th. This would be a matter to be arranged by the Minister of Militia.
"(3) Every church in Canada might be requested to hold some sort of a memorial service on Sunday, October 13th.