A small, rough & tumble logging town named Ottawa was officially proclaimed the capital of the Province of Canada on December 31, 1857.

Almost everybody knows that Queen Victoria selected Ottawa as Canada’s capital. But few are aware that the city’s selection was anything but a gentile affair. In fact, the Queen was only asked to help after years of sterile political wrangling between contending factions in Parliament. There were more than 200 votes on the issue. Even after the Queen had made her choice, it didn’t go down well with some and was challenged in Parliament. At the end of the day, Canadian legislators only narrowly ratified the Queen’s decision; a change of three votes from yea to nay would have nixed it.
Queen Victoria Chooses Ottawa – The Historical Society of Ottawa

When the Dominion of Canada was established in 1865, Ottawa became the capital of the new country. In 1965 Canada released a stamp celebrating the capital’s 100th anniversary. The new stamp was designed by Gerald Matthew Trottier, using his own water colour painting of Parliament Hill. 

Trottier transformed his painting into one of Canada’s iconic images of Ottawa for the city’s 100th anniversary. 

Centenary of Proclamation of Ottawa as Capital 
Designed by Gerald Mathew Trottier
Engraved by Gordon Mash ad Yves Baril