"Holding Court" John A. Macdonald Statue

Tell us what the Holding Court statue means to you?

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  Honouring Genocide and White Supremacy is Wrong

  by Riel Brown, over 5 years ago
  Statues are not history lessons. They are monuments that honour and memorialize an individual or an event.History lessons are taught in families, schools and communities, and should not be conflated with statues.

  
  

  John A. MacDonald was Canada's first Prime Minister and he both endorsed and instituted the genocide of the Indigenous Nations of what is now known as Canada. He was an avid white supremist who supported the enslavement and ownership of black and brown-skinned human beings by white-skinned human beings.

  
  

  He was not a good or honourable man, and he should not hold a place of honour in this... Continue reading

  Statues are not history lessons. They are monuments that honour and memorialize an individual or an event.History lessons are taught in families, schools and communities, and should not be conflated with statues.

  
  

  John A. MacDonald was Canada's first Prime Minister and he both endorsed and instituted the genocide of the Indigenous Nations of what is now known as Canada. He was an avid white supremist who supported the enslavement and ownership of black and brown-skinned human beings by white-skinned human beings.

  
  

  He was not a good or honourable man, and he should not hold a place of honour in this or any community.
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  Use Your Imagination

  by June Johnston, over 5 years ago
  A statue is not part of history. So removing it does not rewrite history.

  
  

  I learned in high school history from a very smart teacher the importance of looking at “Primary Sources” when evaluating historical events. If you look at letters and documents written by Sir John A., you find a racist, mean-spirited person who showed contempt for Indigenous people. Even taken in context for its time, this attitude is not something to celebrate by displaying a statue on Main Street Picton.

  Try to imagine you are an Indigenous person who has to drive by that statue every day on... Continue reading

  A statue is not part of history. So removing it does not rewrite history.

  
  

  I learned in high school history from a very smart teacher the importance of looking at “Primary Sources” when evaluating historical events. If you look at letters and documents written by Sir John A., you find a racist, mean-spirited person who showed contempt for Indigenous people. Even taken in context for its time, this attitude is not something to celebrate by displaying a statue on Main Street Picton.

  Try to imagine you are an Indigenous person who has to drive by that statue every day on the way to work.
  
  By the way, I would like to ask why almost all statues are of men? Aren’t there any famous women to commemorate?
  
  

  Lastly, I think having a person who originally helped bring the statue to Picton on the committee to recommend its fate is just wrong.
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  John A. monument

  by Richard Pearse, over 5 years ago

  It is a monument that remembers an important leader who grew up in Glenora, became a barrister, and then went on to be a leader in the establishment of this great country. John A. was a driving force for the Canada project, and was an enlightened man of his time. The monument should retain its place of pride in front of the library. It attracts many, and while Residential Schools are now seen as unjustified, when he participated in their establishment they were voluntary and introduced with the support of many indigenous leaders. We should not be tearing down monuments... Continue reading

  It is a monument that remembers an important leader who grew up in Glenora, became a barrister, and then went on to be a leader in the establishment of this great country. John A. was a driving force for the Canada project, and was an enlightened man of his time. The monument should retain its place of pride in front of the library. It attracts many, and while Residential Schools are now seen as unjustified, when he participated in their establishment they were voluntary and introduced with the support of many indigenous leaders. We should not be tearing down monuments to such leaders, but remember their good works, while debating how Canada moves forward.

  We can debate and, if we look hard enough, find fault with most leaders of that era, including men like John A. and indigenous leaders. But we need to accept that they were people of their time and see them in the context of that period in history, not by current ideal standards.
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  Scapegoating?

  by Robert (Bob) Burkinshaw, over 5 years ago

  I oppose removing the Holding Court statue of Macdonald. The motive for removing it is laudable in the sense that people do not want to honour a prime minister whose government mistreated Aboriginal people. However, removing Macdonald's statue is too simplistic a solution because it does not address the problem that Canadian society in general was quite racist and supportive of racist policies in his time. Macdonald was not unique in that regard and removing his statue seems to be a form of scapegoating. In fact, the situation might have been worse for Aboriginals if others were in power instead... Continue reading

  I oppose removing the Holding Court statue of Macdonald. The motive for removing it is laudable in the sense that people do not want to honour a prime minister whose government mistreated Aboriginal people. However, removing Macdonald's statue is too simplistic a solution because it does not address the problem that Canadian society in general was quite racist and supportive of racist policies in his time. Macdonald was not unique in that regard and removing his statue seems to be a form of scapegoating. In fact, the situation might have been worse for Aboriginals if others were in power instead of Macdonald.

  For example:

  - During the debates about providing food for western Aboriginals in the federal budget, the official opposition critic, David Mills, did not ask that the amount of money be more generous. Instead, he argued against providing food to Aboriginals who did not want to become farmers on the grounds that doing so would frustrate the law of "the survival of the fittest."

  - It is true that the federal government's involvement in residential schools began during Macdonald's time as prime minister. However, succeeding governments of both major parties did not react in horror to what his government had begun but, instead, continued to build on the system of residential schools for many decades. Mandatory attendance at those schools came after Macdonald's death.

  - While Macdonald was able to convince Parliament to grant voting rights to Aboriginals in Eastern Canada in 1885, Parliament refused to support his proposal to grant the vote to Western Aboriginals. In fact, within a few years of Macdonald's death, the Laurier government stripped the right to vote from Aboriginals altogether and it was not until 1960 that Aboriginals were granted the right to vote federally.

  if we remove Macdonald's statue because of what happened to Aborginals in Western Canada, we would be in danger of avoiding the fact that almost all of our elected officials and the general public were guilty in their views and treatment of Aboriginals. We do not encourage reconciliation when we scapegoat one person but ignore the wider problem in society.

  instead of removing the statue, there may be merit in adding an additional plaque on the statue which indicates that Macdonald's government did enact policies towards Aboriginals which reflected the racist views of his times.
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  The irony of holding court on Holding Court

  by Fred Lester, over 5 years ago

  All statues in the country which were duly commissioned by responsible people of the day should remain regardless of the emotions they instill. Defacing them is a crime against the society which placed them there. That Sir John is the focus of this debate is appropriate, being a symbol of democracy - yes, even with its flaws!
  
  

  History cannot / must not be rewritten or that society loses its collective sense of direction. Through interaction in recent years with responsible indigenous people and a UA-Edmonton native studies course, I have been educated on the errors of our past and agree... Continue reading

  All statues in the country which were duly commissioned by responsible people of the day should remain regardless of the emotions they instill. Defacing them is a crime against the society which placed them there. That Sir John is the focus of this debate is appropriate, being a symbol of democracy - yes, even with its flaws!
  
  

  History cannot / must not be rewritten or that society loses its collective sense of direction. Through interaction in recent years with responsible indigenous people and a UA-Edmonton native studies course, I have been educated on the errors of our past and agree that promoting awareness is critical to our national identity. But without those points of reference, progress is irrelevant. Tearing up everything representing the path to where we are now is counterintuitive and a very slippery slope

  Court must remain in session
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  A Time For Compromise

  by Dennis Fox, over 5 years ago
  There can be no doubt that across Canada, John A's statue has been the centre of discussion in many communities - PIcton is no different. I think by now most know of MacDonald's good and not so good history, so I am not going to repeat it. As a white male, it would be easy for me to take the position of doing nothing. That very approach is the reason why in the year 2020, we are now back dealing with an issue that should have been dealt with years ago - in other words maintaining the status quo solves... Continue reading

  There can be no doubt that across Canada, John A's statue has been the centre of discussion in many communities - PIcton is no different. I think by now most know of MacDonald's good and not so good history, so I am not going to repeat it. As a white male, it would be easy for me to take the position of doing nothing. That very approach is the reason why in the year 2020, we are now back dealing with an issue that should have been dealt with years ago - in other words maintaining the status quo solves nothing and should not be considered.

  
  

  My suggestion is pretty straight forward - relocate the statue to the courthouse - the place where John A started his career. Along with the statue, a clear and factual historical account of his time as our PM - explaining his positiver contributions, along with the policies he supported and promoted that were clearly harmful to both our Chinese and Aboriginal communities.

  
  

  The idea of perpetuating a myth or legend should never be confused with history. Canadian history is something to be proud of, but we can't ignore the truth - and isn't that what Truth and Reconciliation is all about? Truth doesn't change the history, but only adds to it. We only have to look south of our border to see how a the true history of a country has been so twisted over time, by movies and TV that this confusion now culturally divides that country. This opportunity we have to keep our history factual and honest cannot be squandered due to petty politics and personal feelings. It is time to prove that we understand and are prepared to compromise to make it right.

  
  

  
  
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  Bring it down!

  by Claudia Dias Martins, over 5 years ago

  It’s infuriating to see so much support for keeping a statue of a man who implemented racist policies and allowed for residential schools. I think it’s important for people to ask themselves why they feel so uncomfortable about the removal of a statue, but don’t feel the same degree of discomfort about the fact that our country was built on the genocide of Indigenous culture and continues to systematically oppress Indigenous people. This statue is not a symbol of an accurate history. It does not even begin to uncover the pain and intergenerational traumas Macdonald inflicted. This statue glorifies a... Continue reading

  It’s infuriating to see so much support for keeping a statue of a man who implemented racist policies and allowed for residential schools. I think it’s important for people to ask themselves why they feel so uncomfortable about the removal of a statue, but don’t feel the same degree of discomfort about the fact that our country was built on the genocide of Indigenous culture and continues to systematically oppress Indigenous people. This statue is not a symbol of an accurate history. It does not even begin to uncover the pain and intergenerational traumas Macdonald inflicted. This statue glorifies a politician whose legacy quite frankly deserves condemnation.
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  Sir John A. MacDonald must stay, tearing down statues is not reconciliation.

  by Grayson Pollard, over 5 years ago

  Sir John A. MacDonald is responsible for making the great country all of us Canadians live in today. He created the country where us Canadians enjoy human rights, the rule of law, and a free and open democracy. Radical leftists, however are trying to take away the rights we were given as Canadians and subjects of the British Empire before Canadian Confederation. We must not give in. There is no legitimate reason to tear down these statues, as they resemble a part of our history. Sir John A. MacDonald may have been responsible for the horrible Residential Schools, but I... Continue reading

  Sir John A. MacDonald is responsible for making the great country all of us Canadians live in today. He created the country where us Canadians enjoy human rights, the rule of law, and a free and open democracy. Radical leftists, however are trying to take away the rights we were given as Canadians and subjects of the British Empire before Canadian Confederation. We must not give in. There is no legitimate reason to tear down these statues, as they resemble a part of our history. Sir John A. MacDonald may have been responsible for the horrible Residential Schools, but I think we must acknowledge the negatives of our history, and celebrate the positives.
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  History speaks for itself.

  by Paul Cole, over 5 years ago
  The truth is there if we look hard enough, Reconciliation is a little more difficult in large part it relies on Trust. Trust that the right thing will be done based on the Truth thereby resulting in an equal footing or understanding. Inquiries and Commission's have been done and provided recommendations only to receive lip service through apologies and acknowledgements of the Truth ,without implementation of those recommendations the Trust issue rises again. Indigenous People have Trusted and Hoped for the right to be done since confederation based on Treaties and Agreements. Trust ???

  
  

  It worries me that a Member... Continue reading

  The truth is there if we look hard enough, Reconciliation is a little more difficult in large part it relies on Trust. Trust that the right thing will be done based on the Truth thereby resulting in an equal footing or understanding. Inquiries and Commission's have been done and provided recommendations only to receive lip service through apologies and acknowledgements of the Truth ,without implementation of those recommendations the Trust issue rises again. Indigenous People have Trusted and Hoped for the right to be done since confederation based on Treaties and Agreements. Trust ???

  
  

  It worries me that a Member of "Holding Court" Statue Working Group who seems to be lobbying for support as a Guest Speaker at a local service club meeting recently, the story appears on the Countylive.ca website. He expresses concerns about conditions set in place by the Working Group. Again Trust becomes an issue.

  "Erasing History" The irony of that phrase when you consider the fact that is exactly what John Macdonald tried to do to the Indigenous Peoples of Canada. Removing the "Holding Court" statue does not mean history is being erased in reality it means that True History is finally being acknowledged...

  
  

  
  

  
  
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  We learn from history

  by sheilamgingras, over 5 years ago
  I can honestly say , I did not realize that Sir John A had anything to do with residential schools. Now I am aware- but only because of this statue and its significance. I think we can view it as a teaching moment. We cannot undo our past but we can learn and move forward with this knowledge.

  For sure he wasn't a saint -- but who among us is?

  The other issue is that this was made and no doubt took a long time-- so are we not also offending the artist?

  I realize Mohawks Of the Bay of... Continue reading

  I can honestly say , I did not realize that Sir John A had anything to do with residential schools. Now I am aware- but only because of this statue and its significance. I think we can view it as a teaching moment. We cannot undo our past but we can learn and move forward with this knowledge.

  For sure he wasn't a saint -- but who among us is?

  The other issue is that this was made and no doubt took a long time-- so are we not also offending the artist?

  I realize Mohawks Of the Bay of Quinte are in the best position to say if it is offensive to them or not.

  Can we not have a plaque beside it explaining the history including why the decision was made to keep it or not.

  I think having the residents have our say is a great idea.