"Holding Court" John A. Macdonald Statue

Tell us what the Holding Court statue means to you?

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  Leave it alone.

  by Anon ymous, about 6 years ago

  There is absolutely no argument against historical context no matter how hard you kick and scream. With that being said, most of you are wrong about the context anyway. Residential schools were an inherited problem, Macdonald didn't create them.
  
  Do you eat meat? In about 100 years people are going to look at you like you're a monster, I guarantee it. You're not a monster you say? You're only doing what's normal for your generation? Well too bad, let's hope you don't do anything with your life, because your entire legacy is going to be wiped by a vocal minority... Continue reading

  There is absolutely no argument against historical context no matter how hard you kick and scream. With that being said, most of you are wrong about the context anyway. Residential schools were an inherited problem, Macdonald didn't create them.
  
  Do you eat meat? In about 100 years people are going to look at you like you're a monster, I guarantee it. You're not a monster you say? You're only doing what's normal for your generation? Well too bad, let's hope you don't do anything with your life, because your entire legacy is going to be wiped by a vocal minority of social terrorists because to them historical context isn't a thing. Only the petty reaping of pity and virtue signals matter to them. Every historical figure should be held to the standards of today, and the people of today should be held to the standards of tomorrow. The state of industrial farming is about 1000x morally worse than slavery and res schools combined, by the way. None of you can take any sort of high ground as long as that's still a thing.
  
  A country which allows a minority to rule over the majority is no longer a democracy, it's an oligarchy. Something we should have left behind in the dark ages.
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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, about 6 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, about 6 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, about 6 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, about 6 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, about 6 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, about 6 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.

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  Disrespectful and misleading

  by Golshan Abdmoulaie, about 6 years ago

  The legislative course that this man took against Indigenous people of this land is horrendous. This statue is a major dishonor and disrespect to all of us, in particular to Indigenous folks. It is time we start telling the truth about history, If we humans do not start facing our violent past we cannot evolve into a peaceful future.

  The legislative course that this man took against Indigenous people of this land is horrendous. This statue is a major dishonor and disrespect to all of us, in particular to Indigenous folks. It is time we start telling the truth about history, If we humans do not start facing our violent past we cannot evolve into a peaceful future.
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  In todays world

  by Diane Denyes-Wenn, about 6 years ago
  This statue does not give me pleasure or pain, unlike others who have suffered by the action of our first prime minister. Maybe it is time we honour and condem our history without money being spent wastefully on statues in public places. Time for change.

  This statue does not give me pleasure or pain, unlike others who have suffered by the action of our first prime minister. Maybe it is time we honour and condem our history without money being spent wastefully on statues in public places. Time for change.
• Share Take it down! It's not history! on Facebook Share Take it down! It's not history! on X (formerly Twitter) Share Take it down! It's not history! on Linkedin Email Take it down! It's not history! link

  Take it down! It's not history!

  by LFraser, about 6 years ago
  Stop glorifying racists like John A Macdonald with public statues.

  
  

  It's NOT history. Its glorification of a horribly racist man who is responsible for genocide. We dont need statues of him or any others like him.

  History is being made NOW

  Following Montréal, the writing is on the wall. Take them down! Or the will of the people will

  Stop glorifying racists like John A Macdonald with public statues.

  
  

  It's NOT history. Its glorification of a horribly racist man who is responsible for genocide. We dont need statues of him or any others like him.

  History is being made NOW

  Following Montréal, the writing is on the wall. Take them down! Or the will of the people will