knighted in 1892, increasing his importance in Canada. Mowat was himself the author of two small books in the field of Christian apologetics: Mowat also documented his government's first 18 years of Ontario government (from 1872 to 1890) in an 1890 book. Legacy After his death, Wilfrid Laurier placed Mowat's policy of sectarian tolerance second in historical importance only to his role in giving Confederation its character as a federal compact. He credited Mowat with giving Ontario "a Government which can be cited as a model for all Governments: a Government which was honest, progressive, courageous, and tolerant". By nature a secretive individual, he left instructions in his will that resulted in the destruction of nearly all his papers. Mowat is honoured by a statue in Queen's Park. Mowat Avenue in Kingston is named in his honour. Mowat is the inspiration for the naming of The Mowat Centre, an independent Canadian public policy think tank associated with the School of Public Policy & Governance at the University of Toronto. The Sir Oliver Mowat Collegiate Institute in Toronto was named in his honour. Queen's University organized a two-day historical colloquium in 1970 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Mowat's birth. Mowat was portrayed by David Onley (the 28th Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario) in the Canadian TV series Murdoch Mysteries in 2013 in the episode "The Ghost of Queen's Park." Mowat was portrayed by Kingston actor Patrick Downes, in 2015, in Kingston-based Salon Theatre's stage productions featuring the life of John A. Macdonald, staged during the Bicentennial celebrations of Macdonald's birth. The building where Mowat and Macdonald practiced law together in the 1830s, on the east side of Wellington Street between Princess and Brock Streets in Kingston, was renovated, restored, and expanded, from 2014–18, but has had its heritage elements preserved, insofar as possible, under direction from Kingston City Council. The building re-opened as the 'Kensington' in 2018, and now features, on its street level, an alley portraying historical and heritage aspects of its past, along with the Macdonald-Mowat relationship. References Further reading Articles , a short scholarly biography Books (historical) Books (general) External links Oliver Mowat family fonds, Archives of Ontario Ontario Plaques – Sir Oliver Mowat Toronto Plaques – The Macdonald-Mowat House 1872 The Mowat Centre website Oliver Mowat-Biography — Canada history Oliver Mowat — Marianopolis Sir Oliver Mowat (book) — JSTOR Oliver Mowat — Lieutenant governors of Ontario Oliver Mowat