Removing the statue is the first step County Council needs to take

Thank you for giving the opportunity to contribute the the discussion, and hopefully decision, on the placement of the Holding Court statue. Canada, as a white dominant society and government, is at another crossroads in its evolution - which is the capacity to address the consequences of its actions. This applies to all levels of government, which must walk the walk. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations are clear, our role in the harm done to the first inhabitants of this land and our collective conscience all say we must actively take new steps toward recognizing our past. County residents have expressed their concern for the continued placement of the Holding Court statue on Main Street Picton resulting in the Working Group and this consultation. County Council needs to recognize its own place, take leadership, and remove the statue. Removing the statue tells its voters and residents that the subject of the statue, that of a major figure in the genocide of people who lived here, in the name of prosperity of white-skinned settlers, is not appropriate in a prominent location. County Council sends messages everyday in the policy it creates, and decisions it makes. Send the right message to your voters, and make the only right decision. Relocate the statue. Better yet, replace it with one created by an Indigenous artist.