"Holding Court" John A. Macdonald Statue

Tell us what the Holding Court statue means to you?

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  Tearing down Statues is not Reconciliation

  by Dylan Gagnon, over 5 years ago

  Sir John A. Macdonald's actions aren't acceptable to us today and emphasis should be placed on learning about his role in the creation of residential schools and the hardship he brought upon Indigenous communities, in addition to the role he played in founding Canada.

  It must be remembered that even the Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee on which this consultation is based, the Honourable Murray Sinclair, did not believe that tearing down statues was productive for the goals of reconciliation. In an article published in the Globe and Mail three years ago he was quoted as saying the... Continue reading

  Sir John A. Macdonald's actions aren't acceptable to us today and emphasis should be placed on learning about his role in the creation of residential schools and the hardship he brought upon Indigenous communities, in addition to the role he played in founding Canada.

  It must be remembered that even the Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee on which this consultation is based, the Honourable Murray Sinclair, did not believe that tearing down statues was productive for the goals of reconciliation. In an article published in the Globe and Mail three years ago he was quoted as saying the following:

  "The problem I have with the overall approach to tearing down statues and buildings is that is counterproductive to ... reconciliation because it almost smacks of revenge or smacks of acts of anger, but in reality, what we are trying to do, is we are trying to create more balance in the relationship."

  Source: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/honouring-indigenous-heroes-better-than-debating-macdonald-sinclair/article36113299/

  If Picton wishes to acknowledge the horrible actions taken by Sir John A. Macdonald and the damage they have caused and continue to cause First Nations communities, it should add a plaque to the statue, rather than taking it down. Similarly, if Picton wishes to promote the spirit of reconciliation, it should look to add a statue, monument or some other kind of recognition of local indigenous heroes rather than destroying what is already standing, simply because it seems like a popular move at the time.
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  A Look at History

  by Deb Hudson, over 5 years ago
  There is so much history that my generation was taught in school that needs to be reexamined. I remember having to memorize the names of all the kings and queens of England in grade 9 or 10 history class at Prince Edward Collegiate Institute. Aside from being extremely boring,, the history taught was not as relevant to me (a Canadian) as it could have been. I was not taught about the cruel legacy of the Residential Schools or inhumane treatment of the residents of Africville by Haligonian officials. How much of our history is missing in our collective consciousness?

  
  

  With... Continue reading

  There is so much history that my generation was taught in school that needs to be reexamined. I remember having to memorize the names of all the kings and queens of England in grade 9 or 10 history class at Prince Edward Collegiate Institute. Aside from being extremely boring,, the history taught was not as relevant to me (a Canadian) as it could have been. I was not taught about the cruel legacy of the Residential Schools or inhumane treatment of the residents of Africville by Haligonian officials. How much of our history is missing in our collective consciousness?

  
  

  With regard to the statue of Sir John A on Picton's Main Street, I believe it should be moved to a museum with a more complete history of this person's actions. To be sure I am glad we have a country that is not part of the United States but we need to be aware of the huge cost to our First Nations people and to the Chinese labourers who built the railway.

  It would be interesting to know how and what history is being taught in our schools today.
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  Reconsidering Sir John A. Macdonald

  by Larry Tayler, over 5 years ago
  

  I posted this essay about Sir John A. Macdonald to my blog, "Making Eye Statements" (LarryTayler.com) on August 2, 2020. It takes about fifteen minutes to read.

  Reconsidering Sir John A. Macdonald

  It’s time to reconsider my opinion of Canada’s first Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald.

  I’ve enjoyed studying history for over sixty years. Inspired by gifted teachers, I majored in Canadian history at university. The more I studied history, the more nuanced it became. I once naïvely believed that history was fixed – a universally agreed set of facts, dates, causes, and consequences. Frozen in time, never to... Continue reading

  I posted this essay about Sir John A. Macdonald to my blog, "Making Eye Statements" (LarryTayler.com) on August 2, 2020. It takes about fifteen minutes to read.

  Reconsidering Sir John A. Macdonald

  It’s time to reconsider my opinion of Canada’s first Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald.

  I’ve enjoyed studying history for over sixty years. Inspired by gifted teachers, I majored in Canadian history at university. The more I studied history, the more nuanced it became. I once naïvely believed that history was fixed – a universally agreed set of facts, dates, causes, and consequences. Frozen in time, never to be reconsidered, only to be recalled.

  Then I grew up.

  The world was infinitely more complex than that. Disputed understandings of the present lead to disputed understandings of the past. New insights, evidence, and theories constantly arise and challenge established versions of events. I clearly remember the day a world-altering insight registered in my young mind: history depends on who writes it. And those who write it used to be the ‘winners’, predominantly white and male. Of the many revolutions currently roiling the marketplace of ideas, one of the most important has been the opening up of history to alternate perspectives, especially from disenfranchised, oppressed, and previously silenced voices. The cat and the mouse experience the same events very differently.

  Which brings me to Canada’s first Prime Minister, John Alexander Macdonald, aka ‘Sir John A’.

  Some background for non-Canadian readers: born in Scotland in 1815, Macdonald migrated with his family to Kingston, Upper Canada (now Ontario) in 1820. He started practising law in nearby Picton in 1833. His legal career took him back to Kingston and into politics. Ultimately, he became the prime architect of Canadian federation. Tradition calls him ‘The Father of Confederation’. As a result of his leadership, cajoling, and arm-twisting, the Dominion of Canada came into being on July 1, 1867, a date now designated as Canada Day. In the beginning, it comprised three British North American colonies: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Province of Canada (modern day Québec and Ontario). In subsequent years, Canada expanded to all the land mass north of the USA to the Arctic Ocean, with the exception of Alaska.

  Macdonald was Prime Minister twice: from 1867 to 1873; and from 1878 until his death in 1891. He was a towering, controversial figure who inspired both passionate support and deep loathing. He spearheaded the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway to bring British Columbia into the federation, connecting the country with a line of steel in 1885 – but not without scandal, rancour, and violence.

  Macdonald helped forge a country that arguably would have been swallowed up by the ravenous United States had he not stubbornly stood his ground.

  I have always had a fond spot in my heart for Sir John A. He helped found the land of my birth, the land I call home, the land I love. He was a larger-than-life figure who strode this country like a colossus. His personal life was marked by grief and tragedy. He was a notoriously heavy drinker. He was deeply flawed.

  And, it turns out, he was a racist, even beyond the standards of the late 19^th century, when Canada’s predominantly white culture was pervasively and casually racist.

  Which takes us to Canada’s infamous Residential Schools for Indigenous children and The Indian Act.

  The Indian Act was passed by the Canadian Parliament in 1876. Although Macdonald was not Prime Minister when The Indian Act was initially passed, the law was based on The Gradual Civilization Act, passed under Macdonald’s leadership in 1857 – ten years before Confederation – by the legislature of the former Province of Canada. The Indian Act codified the relationship between the Government of Canada and the Indigenous peoples of this country. And The Indian Act is still in effect, although it has been amended over the years. It is a shockingly racist, paternalistic law that has traumatized tens of thousands of Indigenous people. In the early 1880s, when Macdonald was once again Prime Minister, Residential Schools for Indigenous children were established across Canada under the authority of The Indian Act. The goal of the Residential Schools was to strip Indigenous children of their cultures and languages and to force them to become ‘white’. The Indian Act legalized the forced removal of Indigenous children from their homes and families, followed by relocation to distant Residential Schools. Most were operated by the Roman Catholic Church and various Protestant denominations. In the words of Macdonald, “An indigenous child educated where he or she lives is simply a savage who can read or write.” In Residential Schools, Macdonald intended that the kidnapped children “acquire the habits and modes of thoughts of white men.”

  The children were forbidden to speak their birth languages and forced to learn French or English. Their cultural practices were banned. And – appallingly – they were subject to massive abuse: sexual, emotional, and physical, often at the hands of priests and nuns. It is estimated that 150,000 Indigenous children were coerced into attending these schools from the 1870s until the last one closed in 1996.

  1996!

  The trauma suffered by these children is incalculable. Tragically, the trauma reverberates from one generation to the next. The profundity of the racism inflicted on the bodies, minds, and souls of these children is vast, nauseating, and heartless. And the wretched consequences continue to be felt in every corner of this land.

  If you want to learn more about the obscenity of the Residential Schools, a sobering starting point is the 2015 final report of The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC). The TRC was established in 2008 to document and assess the impact that Residential Schools had – and continue to have – on Indigenous peoples in Canada. The report’s unflinching honesty and rage needs to be required reading for every Canadian citizen. Its ninety-four “Calls to Action” remain, sadly, mostly unfulfilled.

  The second element of Macdonald’s racist legacy was his attitude towards the Chinese. In 1885, he said in the House of Commons that allowing Chinese people to settle permanently in Canada would mean that “the Aryan character of the future of British America would be destroyed.” He also considered that the 1885 passage of The Electoral Franchise Act, which took the vote away from men of “the Mongolian or Chinese race”, to be his “greatest achievement.”

  Completing Macdonald’s trifecta of racism, historians have uncovered evidence of his support for the Confederate cause in the American Civil War (1861-1865) and even suggest that these sympathies influenced his choice of the word “Confederation” to describe the new Canadian nation.

  Let that one sink in.

  (See “Reconsidering the Underground Railroad: Slavery and Racialization in the Making of the Canadian State” by retired Queen’s University/University of Toronto professor Abigail Bakan, Journal of the Society of Socialist Studies, Spring 2008, pages 18-19.)

  So, when I examine John A. Macdonald’s legacy, I see institutionalized, state-sanctioned racism.

  I often hear people say that we mustn’t judge the past by the standards of the present. I disagree. That’s what the modern study of history is predicated upon: contemporary eyes critically examining the past while discerning guidance for the future. And sometimes these contemporary historians discover that our past leaders behaved very badly indeed, even by the standards of their own day.

  So the conundrum becomes: how do we recognize the contributions of such figures in our past, while acknowledging the profound damage their policies and actions caused?

  Which brings us to Holding Court, the 2015 statue of Sir John A. Macdonald by the gifted Canadian artist Ruth Abernethy. The statue stands in front of the Picton Public Library and commemorates Macdonald’s first court case in Picton, October 8, 1834, although the details of this case are disputed.

  Holding Court is the source of controversy in Prince Edward County: some staunchly defend the statue as a celebration of Picton’s – and Canada’s – heritage, while others want it removed because of Macdonald’s traumatic treatment of Indigenous peoples. Red paint has been thrown on it twice in recent weeks.

  Full disclosure: in 2015 I donated money to The Macdonald Project, the organization that proposed and raised money for the creation of Holding Court. My opinions about Macdonald have evolved since then; were that fund-raising campaign held today, I would not support it.

  The County of Prince Edward, the municipal government that is the custodian of Holding Court, has established a community consultation process about the statue’s future. Representatives of the nearby Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte are part of this process. I will follow the consultations closely.

  My views: Holding Court cannot continue as it currently exists. The painful reality of Macdonald’s racism and treatment of Indigenous people demands – at the very least – contextualization and recognition of the ongoing trauma.

  One option is to relocate Holding Court to Picton’s Macaulay Heritage Park for display in a museum setting.

  In any case, it cannot stay where it is, as it is.

  Another approach would be to remove the figure of Macdonald from Holding Court, while keeping the empty witness chair on public view. I like the powerful metaphor of that image – an eloquent reminder of my country’s unwillingness to acknowledge its past.

  Thanks to the miracle of Photoshop, here's my version of Holding Court, without Macdonald. I recognize, by the way, that artist Ruth Abernethy might object to having the two elements her sculpture split apart.

  So....to sum up:

  I have had people – white people – tell me that, while they claim to understand the anger felt by Indigenous peoples about their racist treatment in the past, it is now time for them to let go of that anger and move on. In other words, “Get over it.” The mind-numbing racism of this thinking leaves me speechless. The racial wounds are so profound and deeply embedded in Canadian society that a simplistic push for ‘closure’ trivializes and exacerbates intergenerational Indigenous suffering, leading to further traumatization. Rather than healing the trauma, such a push merely reflects white reluctance to acknowledge Canada’s reprehensible treatment of Indigenous peoples.

  I hope that this modest essay helps promote a healing path. Thank you for reading it..
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  Move It Elsewhere

  by Ashley Reilly, over 5 years ago
  My partner was born and raised in the county, half his life in Picton, and we've discussed at length what we think.

  Sir John A Macdonald's actual house is only a few blocks away, it is already used as a museum to teach about him. It makes the most sense to us for the statue simply to be moved there, as it's a more appropriate location, and have it be used as a teaching tool. Whether we agree with the man or not he played a significant role, in this area especially because he settled here, and erasing him does... Continue reading

  My partner was born and raised in the county, half his life in Picton, and we've discussed at length what we think.

  Sir John A Macdonald's actual house is only a few blocks away, it is already used as a museum to teach about him. It makes the most sense to us for the statue simply to be moved there, as it's a more appropriate location, and have it be used as a teaching tool. Whether we agree with the man or not he played a significant role, in this area especially because he settled here, and erasing him does a disservice to our goal of not repeating past mistakes. He doesn't need to be showcased in the middle of town as an idol, or put on a pedestal, but the statue doesn't need to be destroyed either. A ground-level position outside his house with a plaque providing well-rounded and accurate historical information (Good, bad, ugly, etc) seems like a compromise that could appease both sides of this issue.
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  Is there a better way to signify the destruction of Canada than by tearing down the monuments of our founder?

  by Shane Hanthorn, over 5 years ago

  I think it's important to keep this statue for many reasons and I think that this new trend of 'cancel culture' as they call it, is extremely toxic and it all comes down to poor attitude. My roots here in Canada and in the county, both European and Native, date back as long as anybody's, and I think the problem that we really have here comes down to perspective and how we choose to look at things. When I see a monument of Sir John A, I don't see a monument representing a racist man who did things that we... Continue reading

  I think it's important to keep this statue for many reasons and I think that this new trend of 'cancel culture' as they call it, is extremely toxic and it all comes down to poor attitude. My roots here in Canada and in the county, both European and Native, date back as long as anybody's, and I think the problem that we really have here comes down to perspective and how we choose to look at things. When I see a monument of Sir John A, I don't see a monument representing a racist man who did things that we now see, in this day, to be wrong, I see a monument representing the first Prime Minister of Canada, the country I love. I know about the good and the bad things this man did. I also know that it was a different time and that throughout history, a lot of people did a lot of things that we now know see as morally wrong. But they didn't then, and we weren't there so who are we to judge? We should look at those things as a reminder of how much we have endured and how much evolved as people and as a country, look at that aspect of it in a positive way, and be proud and keep things moving in the right direction. This idea of erasing history is shameful, wrong, and illogical.
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  Statue should remain to teach the next generation.

  by Nicole Smith, over 5 years ago

  I think the statue should remain to serve as a teachable moment for the next generation. There are many areas of history that I was never taught in school because it was considered shameful and a blemish on Canada's history. Now that I've educated myself, I'm very disappointed that it wasn't even mentioned in school. I'm fearful that the removal of statues commemorating problematic individuals will do the same concerning the story around them. It's difficult because we don't want to glorify them but we also need something to serve as a reminder of the past. I feel that if... Continue reading

  I think the statue should remain to serve as a teachable moment for the next generation. There are many areas of history that I was never taught in school because it was considered shameful and a blemish on Canada's history. Now that I've educated myself, I'm very disappointed that it wasn't even mentioned in school. I'm fearful that the removal of statues commemorating problematic individuals will do the same concerning the story around them. It's difficult because we don't want to glorify them but we also need something to serve as a reminder of the past. I feel that if the statues disappear, conversation will too. If it's decided to be unacceptable in public, at least put it in a museum. Include information about his role in Canadian government -- both positive and negative.
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  Disrepectful in our Town Center

  by Angela Martins, over 5 years ago

  This statue shows disrespect for my family and people before me. Indigenous lives were taken by the thousands at the hands of and command of this so called man. Keep him if we must and put your plaques up, but take him away from town center into a museum or at a court house so we do not have to see this man once again starring down on us each time we walk down the main street. Many people were heros, but not on display like this monster is. He is not one we are all proud of

  
  

  This statue shows disrespect for my family and people before me. Indigenous lives were taken by the thousands at the hands of and command of this so called man. Keep him if we must and put your plaques up, but take him away from town center into a museum or at a court house so we do not have to see this man once again starring down on us each time we walk down the main street. Many people were heros, but not on display like this monster is. He is not one we are all proud of

  
  
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  Study first ... decide later

  by Steve Campbell, over 5 years ago
  This issue is filled with outrage, for Sir John's previous acts. It's like it's always been in the County ... you can be a great benefactor to the community ... or in this case the birth of a country ... and yet your mistakes can blacken any of your contributions in a heartbeat, for the rest of your life.

  Keep in mind Sir John gave the voting rights to indigenous people, and Laurier took it away. Also note that Mac did not create residential schools, but inherited them from the former ruling powers, much to the agreement of the House... Continue reading

  This issue is filled with outrage, for Sir John's previous acts. It's like it's always been in the County ... you can be a great benefactor to the community ... or in this case the birth of a country ... and yet your mistakes can blacken any of your contributions in a heartbeat, for the rest of your life.

  Keep in mind Sir John gave the voting rights to indigenous people, and Laurier took it away. Also note that Mac did not create residential schools, but inherited them from the former ruling powers, much to the agreement of the House of Commons, and pretty much everyone in the world at the time.

  The treatment of natives, and pretty much every non-white in Canada, was abominable. According to press, there is an indigenous person on the jury (just one?). I suggest we listen to him/her, because the feedback I get from the indigenous community is all about reconciliation and reconstruction. It's only us white guys who are looking for vengeance for a 100+-year-old crime.

  Sir John means nothing to them. He's dead. What happens now, to help native communities across the country? Well, we'll just be happy to take away a statue, and call it a victory, and lean smugly back in our easy chairs. That's what white people like us do. Lack of water and services in native communities? Spousal abuse? Abuse by the police? Who is standing up for that? Whew! At least we really, really helped the natives by fighting over a chunk of metal. Get rid of Sir John? Problem solved!
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  First Prime Minister.

  by Charles Pitt, over 5 years ago
  The sign entering picton says ....Picton a proud loyalist town. We have ties to Mr MacDonald like it or not. Was he perfect? No. But he did help make the country what it is today. I feel the statue should stay. It's part of our heritage. Maybe I'm wrong... After all I was born here... So was my parents and their parents. I think if the statue gets us all to talk then it's a good thing.

  The sign entering picton says ....Picton a proud loyalist town. We have ties to Mr MacDonald like it or not. Was he perfect? No. But he did help make the country what it is today. I feel the statue should stay. It's part of our heritage. Maybe I'm wrong... After all I was born here... So was my parents and their parents. I think if the statue gets us all to talk then it's a good thing.
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  History should not be forgotten

  by Laura Coulas, over 5 years ago

  History should NEVER be forgotten as it is a reminder of the past, what happened then which was the norm for these times but also a learning experience for all on what NOT to do in the future. You can't just wipe away the past as Sir John A. MacDonald was a great and wise man for his times and only did what he thought was good for this great country. As a nation, we have evolved into a multicultural, accepting country and as our first prime minister, he should be honored for his contribution to helping us become what... Continue reading

  History should NEVER be forgotten as it is a reminder of the past, what happened then which was the norm for these times but also a learning experience for all on what NOT to do in the future. You can't just wipe away the past as Sir John A. MacDonald was a great and wise man for his times and only did what he thought was good for this great country. As a nation, we have evolved into a multicultural, accepting country and as our first prime minister, he should be honored for his contribution to helping us become what we are today.

  This statue to me means the upholding of the law and the rights of everyone to seek justice, honesty, and truth. We all make mistakes but mistakes can be fixed or reversed and Sir John A. MacDonald proved this in his actions in his role as Prime Minister of Canada.

  .