The Fascinating Story of Canada's First Murder Mystery In the year 1868 in the Ottawa Courthouse, James Patrick Whelan stood accused of the murder of Thomas D'Arcy McGee, Father of Confederation. The evidence against Whelan was purely circumstantial and doubtful at best, yet led Whelan to his death before thousands of jeering spectators in what would become Canada's last public hanging. Some 130 years later Whelan's ghost still haunts the streets of Ottawa, determined to prove his innocence and rewrite the history books. You are invited to sit in on the notorious trial and re-examine this incredibly fascinating but strangely forgotten piece of Canadian history. Meet Whelan and a host of other players in this gripping and outrageous courtroom drama. Did Whelan hang for a crime he never committed? Become a member of the jury and decide for yourself.