▁uniform ▁and ▁the ▁Duch ess ▁of ▁Con n aught ▁wore ▁the ▁g own ▁she ▁had ▁worn ▁at ▁the ▁King ' s ▁coron ation ▁the ▁previous ▁year ) ▁and , ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁lay ing ▁at ▁the ▁newly ▁re built ▁Centre ▁Block ▁on ▁Parliament ▁Hill ▁the ▁same ▁corner stone ▁his ▁older ▁brother , ▁the ▁late ▁King ▁Edward ▁VII , ▁had ▁set ▁on ▁ 1 ▁September ▁ 1 8 6 0 , ▁when ▁the ▁original ▁building ▁was ▁under ▁construction . ▁The ▁family ▁crossed ▁the ▁country ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁times ▁and ▁the ▁Governor ▁General ▁made ▁another ▁trip ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 2 , ▁when ▁he ▁met ▁with ▁President ▁William ▁Howard ▁T aft . ▁ ▁When ▁in ▁Ott awa , ▁Con n aught ▁maintained ▁a ▁routine ▁of ▁four ▁days ▁each ▁week ▁at ▁his ▁office ▁on ▁Parliament ▁Hill ▁and ▁held ▁small , ▁private ▁reception s ▁for ▁members ▁of ▁all ▁political ▁parties ▁and ▁dign itar ies . ▁The ▁Duke ▁learned ▁to ▁ice ▁sk ate ▁and ▁hosted ▁sk ating ▁parties ▁at ▁the ▁royal ▁and ▁vic ero yal ▁residence ▁R ide au ▁Hall ▁to ▁which ▁the ▁Con n aught s ▁made ▁many ▁physical ▁improvements ▁during ▁Arthur ' s ▁term ▁as ▁governor ▁general . ▁The ▁royal ▁family ▁also ▁took ▁to ▁camp ing ▁and ▁other ▁out door ▁sports , ▁such ▁as ▁hunting ▁and ▁fish ing . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 4 , ▁the ▁First ▁World ▁War ▁broke ▁out , ▁with ▁Canad ians ▁called ▁to ▁arms ▁against ▁Germany ▁and ▁Austria - H ung