Two artifacts from The Military Museums of Calgary’s Lord Strathcona collection will be on long-term display at Strathcona Resources’ head office reception – a portrait of Lord Strathcona, Donald Smith, and a bronze statue of The Last Spike, which was driven into the Canadian Pacific Railway by Smith in 1885.
Ross Prokopy, Retired Captain and member of Regimental Society Board of Directors, and Colonel Jamie Cade, Retired Colonel of Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadian) (LdSH(RC)) attended the unveiling of these artifacts.
Lord Strathcona’s Significance to Canada’s Regiments
During brief remarks, Colonel Cade shared details of Lord Strathcona’s military legacy.
In January 1900, Lord Strathcona (Donald Smith) offered to raise and equip a mounted regiment at his own expense to serve in the South African or “Boer” War. His Regiment was recruited from the cowboys and frontiersmen of western Canada to include members of the North West Mounted Police (N.W.M.P.). Today, LdSH(RC) is a Regular Force armoured unit based out of Edmonton.
Lord Strathcona’s Importance to Oil and Gas
Adam Waterous, Strathcona’s Executive Chairman, also offered words on our namesake’s contributions to the oil and gas industry.
At the age of 88, Lord Strathcona funded the first major oil discovery in the Middle East, which led to the creation of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, now known as British Petroleum (BP).
The use of his name at our company, and across our industry, honours his legacy as a prominent Canadian financier and pillar of business.
Photo caption (L-R): Colonel Jamie Cade, Adam Waterous and Ross Prokopy
