Rideau Club

The Rideau Club is a noted social club in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1865 by John A. Macdonald, it was created two years before Canada confederated as a nation. It was originally located near the Parliament Buildings and was the meeting place both for Canada's political elite and for the city of Ottawa's social and business elite. It is a private, members-only club.

The club building, located for years across the street from the Parliament Buildings, burned down in October 1979. The club is now located on the top floor of a downtown office tower on Bank Street. At the time of the fire, the Government of Canada was attempting to expropriate the club's property to serve as part of a future U.S. embassy.

It was reported to be the first club in Canada (and one of the first in North America) to disallow the use of the blackball tradition which allowed clubs to subtly discriminate against Jewish potential members, after succumbing to pressure from Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson, among others, to admit Louis Rasminsky, Governor of the Bank of Canada.[1]

Similarly, in the 1970s, after seeing controversy over its all-male policy, the club allowed female members and at the same time removed restrictions on female guests. There is a portrait of the first female member, Jean Pigott, in one of the event rooms. She was accepted to the Rideau Club in 1979, the same year as the fire.

Each room on the south side of the club is dedicated to a significant person in Canadian history. Most are named after former prime ministers of Canada, but one is named after Yousuf Karsh. It is filled with famous portraits taken by him and left to the Rideau Club after his death.