D’arcy McGee

Although this seems contrary to the violent nature of the country, Canada has only ever had ONE major political assassination. That man was Mr. D’arcy McGee, an Irishman working in parliament.

The man who was charged with, and eventually hung for the murder was a man named Patrick J. Whelan. His execution has been largely protested. Recently a journal belonging to John Stephens was found. In it he reveals that the true man behind the murder was a Reginald ValJensen. ValJensen was a fierce loyalist to the Fenian Brothers (a politically charged Irish clan founded by Stephens) who McGee had wronged many years before.

When McGee was 24 he fled Boston, Massachusetts, after a warrant was put out for his arrest due to some light arson and swindling.  He instinctually went back to Ireland, where he connected with members of the Fenian Brothers. During the 4 years he was there, McGee incurred heavy debts for gambling and drug problems. During a 3-day heroin binge he gambled away his fiancé, Katie, who was John Stephens younger sister. Keeping his word, McGee delivered his fiance and then fled the country, landing in Canada. He completely changed his identity and quickly rose up the ranks of the Canadian government.

In the journal, Stephens details how he hired ValJensen, an old friend and known hit man, to assassinate McGee while he was in Quebec. This would allow them to pin the murder on Whelan - who had been blacklisted by the Fenians. ValJensen murdered McGee by first stabbing him multiple times in the stomach, and then removing his left eye - an act of humiliation in Irish culture. However, these statements do not match with official police records of the time. The day after the murder, ValJensen reported to Canadian Mounties that he had witnessed Whelan murder McGee. Whelan was promptly arrested and subsequently hung. This was seen as a great double victory by the Fenian family.