So I was looking through Canadian Parliament using Google Maps for a pet project when I came across something that caught my eye. The Imgur image link are screen caps I took to show where this information is located as well as my thought process.
Images 1-4:
This shows from the main entrance where the room is located.
Image 5:
This is the interior of the room in question.
Image 6:
Shows engravings on the wall of the previous office users. When Googling their names, it becomes clear that this is the Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada's office.
Image 7:
Who is this on the wall?
Image 8:
It is Thomas More. Who is Thomas More? He was the Lord Chancellor to King Henry VIII Oct 1529 - May 1532, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Dec 1525 - Nov 1529, Speaker of the House of Commons (UK) Apr 1523 -Aug 1523. He was also well known for being a lawyer, judge, philosopher, and author.
His most notable work being Utopia (1516). This book is a commentary of socialism set in a fictional story, some say he was a critic and some say he supported it.
By the time Marxists came around, they believed it was too simplistic. But is clear that there are parallels between the philosophies.
Image 9:
These are notable questions that arose as I studied the portrait.
Why is it shaped like a pentagon?
Why is the links of the chain shaped like the letter S over and over?
What is the symbol above the pendant?
Image 10:
What is the pendant supposed to be?
Image 11:
Could it be?
Image 12:
Comparison photo from before 2013 (when google maps 3d captured the interior of Parliament). The caption states it is Milliken, in the photo. Note his name is engraved in image 5. But in image 13, you can see that Milliken's name is not yet engraved on the wall.
Image 13:
Now I tried to compare paintings to see whether Milliken had different artwork hung.
Image 14:
Now compared to Google Maps from 2013.
Personally I think they are different. I came to the conclusion on the basis that the top left corner of the art in Milliken's office is more of a lighter/blueish colour, whereas the Google Maps 2013 image is darker and more green.
If I am wrong please let me know.
Image 15:
So who held the position of Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada in 2013?
Andrew Scheer.
Now, assuming that Scheer chose his artwork to hang, why would he specifically hang the portrait of Thomas More?
Note Winston Churchill is also on the wall. To people who have actually looked at WWII more than our grade 10 history class will teach, you will see that the Allies actively committed war crimes in their bombing campaigns. Real history should not be so kind to the man who approved firebombings of civilian targets that held no strategic or military importance.
I know that Scheer is no longer in the spotlight, and no longer running for the office of Prime Minister. I just found this absolutely astounding.
Love this!