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| Sir John A. immortalized in plastic |
The Kingston Whig Standard-Sarah Crosbie
Kingston-11/26/2003-Osprey Media Group
A Montreal company has turned the Father of Confederation into a 15-centimetre plastic action figure.
The toy hit shelves in September and was first available at Bellevue House, Macdonald’s former home on Centre Street where he lived in 1848.
Now, Macdonald is available at 20 stores across Canada. In downtown Kingston, he’s not for sale at places you might expect like City Hall.
If you want a Sir John A. action figure, you’ll have to go into The Jungle.
With rock music blasting from the speakers, the store is packed with hemp paraphernalia, Bob Marley, Che Guevara and Ozzy Osbourne posters, silver-studded leather belts, funky mood rings and temporary tattoos.
And then there’s Sir John A., tacked up on the wall behind the cash register, next to Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon 30th anniversary vinyl record, a book titled Anarchism: The Feminist Connection and boxes and boxes of Homer, Marge, Lisa, Maggie and Bart Simpson collectible toy sets.
Bill Stevenson is the owner of The Jungle. He ordered two dozen Sir John A. action figures and has sold about half of the $19.95 figurines since he got his shipment in September.
“A couple of people have thought it was kitschy,” Stevenson said yesterday, looking at the doll.
“People have said, ‘I’ve already got a Gumby, maybe I’ll get this now.’ ”
Stevenson said he decided to stock Macdonald because he thought the figure was sort of neat. He’s a big believer that Canada should have a Sir John A. Macdonald national holiday.
“We’re in Kingston. That’s why I went for it. If you’re in the States, I’m sure you can probably get a Bill Clinton one,” he said.
Stevenson’s biggest-selling figurine is Gumby, followed by characters like Gumby’s sidekick Pokey. Stevenson said people might fall for the Macdonald doll for the same reason they like characters like Betty Boop.
“It’s all about nostalgia,” he said.
Across the street at Kingston Gaming Nexus, a shop that specializes in games and collectibles for “gamers” – people who love games, especially computer and fantasy role-playing ones – there’s just one Sir John A. available.
Don’t get the wrong idea. The figures aren’t exactly selling like hotcakes. Store owner Michael Wibberley has only sold three Sir John A.s and he’s hoping the last one will go before Christmas. If there’s an unexpected rush on the toy, he said he might consider ordering some more.
Wibberley said customers have pretty much the same reaction when they see the doll on display with Lord of the Rings action figure Legolas and Star Trek’s Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy.
“People ask, ‘What the hell is that?’ ” Wibberley said, looking at Sir John A.
“He’s tremendously out of place here. I just figured he’d be cool.”
Wibberley said gamers are often history buffs but they’re more into medieval history and the Dark Ages.
He said Confederation just doesn’t seem as hip as the periods in history known for sword-wielding warriors and damsels in distress.
Sonia and Andrew Nafekh own Nafekh Technologies Inc. in Montreal. For years, they distributed toys and then, a year-and-a-half ago, decided to start designing and producing their own action figures.
Sir John A. is the first figurine in a new line called Canadian Legends. The doll was a hit at this month’s Liberal leadership convention in Toronto. Even though Canada’s first prime minister was a Tory, the doll sold quite well among the Grits.
The doll also got a big boost when the Canadian Toy Association named it one of the must-have toys for the holiday season, ahead of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and WWE action figures like Hulk Hogan and The Rock.
Macdonald is advertised as a toy for children over the age of six – though it might be tough to convince a kid this is the must-have toy this Christmas.
Macdonald’s arms and head move but there are no fun props or changeable outfits, just plastic 19th-century style eyeglasses, an endtable and books. The doll also comes with a pamphlet that tells the story of Canada’s first prime minister and a quiz so Canadians can test themselves on how much they know about the man.
“We’re hoping to educate Canadians about Canadian history,” Nafekh said, noting she’d like school boards to order the doll for their classrooms.
Though the doll is made in China, Nafekh said much of it is Canadian. She used the National Archives in Ottawa to research Macdonald’s history and penned the story in both English and French. Her company also scoured Canada’s archives for photos to give to the sculptor who created the model.
Nafekh said Sir Wilfrid Laurier – or Wilfred – is probably going to be the next doll on the market. The company spelled the prime minister’s name “Wilfred” on the Macdonald box.
Nafekh said they’ve also had requests for Terry Fox, Wayne Gretzky and Pierre Elliott Trudeau dolls. |
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