Discover Toronto's history as told through its plaques

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The Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion (1937-1938)

Photos by Alan L Brown - Posted April, 2009

In a garden on the west side of the Legislature Buildings in Queen's Park can be found this Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada plaque. Here's what it says:

Coordinates: 43.66229 -79.39266

The "Mac-Paps" were a unit of the International Brigades, a volunteer force recruited world-wide to oppose the fascist forces bent on overthrowing the government of Spain. Formed in Spain in 1937, the battalion was named for the leaders of the 1837 rebellions in Upper and Lower Canada. Despite their government's opposition, more than 1500 Canadians volunteered to fight with the Republican forces in the Spanish Civil War. They fought courageously for their ideals, suffering heavy losses in major battles. About half survived to return home in 1939.

More Plaques in Queen's Park
Honourable George Brown 1818-1880
King's College
Lieutenant-General John Graves Simcoe 1752-1806
Lieutenant-General John Graves Simcoe 1752-1806
The Loyalists in Upper Canada
Queen's Park
Queen's Park
Queen's Park, Toronto
Robert Baldwin 1804-1858
The Royal Tour of 1939
Sir Gordon Drummond 1771-1854
Sir James Pliny Whitney
Sir John A. Macdonald 1815-1891
Sir Oliver Mowat 1820-1903
Welcome to Queen's Park
William Lyon Mackenzie 1795-1861

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Here are the visitors' comments for this page.

> Posted January 31, 2013
Where is the Mac-Pap Monument installed in Ottawa? Is anyone familiar with Terrence Rundle West's "Not in My Father's Footsteps"? The Spanish Civil War and the Mac Paps are central in this excellent work of historical fiction.
Eleanor Moore [email protected]

> Posted December 27, 2011
Reply to post of Dec. 21: The national Historic Sites and Monuments Board named the Battalion a "national historic event" in 1985, and the plaque was erected ten years later in 1995. -Wayne

> Posted December 21, 2011
I had a relative who joined the Black Watch of Canada to fight in world war two after fighting in Spain. He had to change his name, but he told me the stories and sang the songs.

> Posted July 11, 2011
A second plaque notes the origin of the rock. The plaque states: "Presented by the town of Gandesa, Spain. This rock is from the Gandesa battlefield."

> Posted May 7, 2009
1500 Canadians volunteered to fight against fascism, WITHOUT the support of the government and this is the thanks they get? Some crummy plaque on a rock that nobody will ever see? Pathetic.

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