Apostolic Nunciature to Canada

The Holy See first created a Delegation to Canada and Newfoundland on 3 August 1899. It became the Apostolic Delegation to Canada on 31 March 1949 when the British Dominion of Newfoundland became the tenth province of Canada. Once Canada and the Holy See reached agreement on the establishment of diplomatic relations and the exchange of ambassadors, Pope Paul VI erected the Apostolic Nunciature to Canada on 16 October 1969.

Property

The nunciature was based in a building on Queen Elizabeth Driveway until it purchased Rockcliffe House in 1962. The manor is located on two hectares of grounds and has a large gate house, that was originally the stables and coach house, separating it from the street and several other out buildings.

The first home on the property, built by Duncan Reynier MacNab in 1838–39, was named "Rockcliff House" for its location. This name neighbourhood became known as Rockcliffe Park. In 1868 the property was purchased by Thomas Coltrin Keefer, son-in-law of Thomas McKay, after he had sold Rideau Hall to the government to house the Governor General. Keefer rebuilt and extensively enlarged the house. It remained in the Keefer family 1929 when it was purchased by Cairine Wilson, the first Canadian woman to be named to Senator and her husband Norman. In 1929 the building was renovated in the style of Directoire Manor Houses of France.

The house was included amongst other architecturally interesting and historically significant buildings in Doors Open Ottawa, held June 2 and 3, 2012.