Kingston politician says John A Macdonald statue should go back up

Councillor Jeff McLaren wrote an opinion letter for the Whig-Standard, where he said that erasing history "is never a good policy."

"Now that the Cataraqui Cemetery has decided not to take the statue of Sir John A. Macdonald, the next city council will need to decide what to do with it," he wrote, arguing that "Sir John A.’s statue should never have been taken down."

"Now after an appropriate time of mourning, it is time to put Sir John A.’s statue back up."

"Erasing history is never a good policy. However, it is by adding perspective that we advance history. This requires respect for the truth — especially when it isn’t a truth one likes," he wrote.

The city decided to remove the statue last year, and it has stayed in storage until councillors decided what to do with it. The Cataraqui Cemetery where Macdonald was buried voted against hosting the statue.

"Sir John A. Macdonald has achievements worth celebrating and commemorating. His achievements are not diminished by his flaws," he wrote.

"The traditional cultural perspective he represents is a legitimate one that should not be silenced. It happens to be my ancestral cultural perspective: He was the first prime minister, a Father of Confederation, he united this country with its first transcontinental railroad and prevented American expansion north of the 49th parallel... His actions also had a deep influence on many First Nations peoples, on the Chinese who helped build Canada’s first transcontinental railway and on people of African descent who were here at Confederation. These groups’ life experiences were formed, in part, by the events of the past and the actions of Macdonald in a different way than the majority. Fairness requires the freedom and the opportunity to voice the perspective of groups who experience history differently," he wrote.

McLaren then proposes that the former statue space be used to present "the perspectives of the different groups who were affected by Macdonald’s legacy. The city should allow each group to commemorate in a culturally suitable fashion," arguing that in his European heritage, great achievements are celebrated with statues on pedestals. "The city should put Sir John A.’s statue back up. For First Nations, I understand statues are not culturally significant, so the city should facilitate whatever it finds appropriate if and when it is ready to express how it wishes to commemorate Sir John A," he wrote.

"We cannot choose with whom we cohabit on this land, but we can treat the various factually legitimate perspective equally and give them an opportunity to have a voice."