Charlottetown receptive to suggestions on future of John A. Macdonald statue

The municipal authorities of Charlottetown have not decided what to do with the statue of John A. Macdonald and they are receptive to suggestions from the public, according to the mayor, Philip Brown.

In the spring of 2021, the Municipality put away the statue of the first Prime Minister of Canada which was on a bench on the street corner Queen et Victoria. We also stored a portrait of Mr. Macdonald.

I think it was a good decisionsaid Philip Brownthis week. He added that these are works of art that must be protected.

A debate over the statue erupted in 2020 as other Canadian municipalities also addressed the legacy of colonialism and residential schools.

John A. Macdonaldone of the Fathers of Confederation, is widely recognized as one of the masterminds of the residential school system for Aboriginal people. This system has separated generations of Indigenous children from their parents and their respective communities.

His statue at Charlottetowna work by the sculptor Mike Haltermanwas the subject of strong criticism for almost a year while Charlottetown consulted with indigenous communities, historians and other municipalities.

People have sprayed the statue with paint or soup several times. Then, on May 31, 2021, demonstrators placed shoes in front of her symbolizing the 215 indigenous children who rest in anonymous graves on the site of the former residential school in Kamloops, in British Columbia. Charlottetown put the statue away the next day.

So as not to forget

The city council had previously decided to leave the statue where it was and change some things so that the installation depicted a more complete version of history. That could still happen, according to the mayor.

We put her on hold. But in the future, let’s say that if the provincial government decides to create a provincial museum of history and natural sciences, I think she could be part of it, explaining the whole storyaffirms Philip Brown.

The leader of the indigenous community of Lennox Island, Darlene Bernard, recommends that the statue be exhibited again, but with complete context.

We should not hide this story. This statue can be exhibited in a museum. This can explain who he was and what he did, as well as the bad things that affected the First Nations. I think we can look at her and say that’s the guy who did thisexplain Darlene Bernard.

The idea of ​​founding a provincial museum has been circulating for decades. Several governments thought about it without making a decision.

She recognizes that people will be unhappy with any public representation of John A. Macdonald. I believe without a doubt that we need to be part of the discussionshe emphasizes.

According to a report from Nicola MacLeod of CBC