16 February 2006
Canadian Pacific Railway Celebrates 125th Birthday
16 Feb 2006 is an historic day for Canadian Pacific Railway. It is the 125th birthday of
the railway's incorporation, and to celebrate the milestone the company has put its birth certificate - the Canadian Pacific Railway
Company charter - on display at Calgary's Glenbow Museum.
The charter is considered by some to be the country's most significant private company legal document, not only monetarily but
historically. The CPR company charter is on term loan to the Glenbow Museum.
"CPR's company charter, with its 69 clauses, is not just another typical corporate legal document," added CPR President, Fred
Green. "It is the multi-paged document that allowed Canada to physically link east with west. The CPR transcontinental
railway spawned by the charter provided the country with an economic and strategic artery. As well, it continues to remind us how 125
years later, CPR remains a key transportation force for moving Canada's commerce."
"This document goes right to the soul of our country and the national dream of a railway to bring us altogether - from Atlantic to
Pacific - as Canada," said Mike Robinson, President and CEO of the Glenbow Museum.
The CPR company charter will be previewed this year, and then become part of Glenbow's new permanent gallery Mavericks: An
Incorrigible History of Alberta, which will feature over 40 of "the adventurous, hard working and spirited men and women who
shaped Alberta's history." In addition to featuring the charter, the permanent gallery, which will open in February 2007, will
include CPR's railway-building general manager, William Van Horne, as one of the maverick characters.
"The CPR company charter has never been on display for public viewing, so this is a very special occasion for our company. We are
extremely pleased to have worked with the Glenbow so that Calgarians and visitors from across Canada and the world have an opportunity
to see this historic document," said Green. "From 1881 to 2003 it was kept in Montreal and Toronto and then relocated to our
North American Headquarters in Calgary three years ago. Since then it has been carefully stored and preserved."
Green noted that due to the document's age, the Glenbow's ongoing practice of handling fragile historic artifacts and artworks will
ensure the proper climatic conditions and security measures are continued to be met.
About the Glenbow Museum
Glenbow Museum is one of Canada's largest and most entrepreneurial museums. Through a variety of dynamic exhibitions and programs and
a broad collection of artifacts, art, and historical documents, Glenbow Museum builds on a commitment to preserve western heritage
while simultaneously providing visitors with a glimpse of the world beyond. Learn more at www.glenbow.org/
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