Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, Erin O’Toole, was quick to speak out against the beheading of the statue of Sir John A. Macdonald in Montreal’s Place du Canada. Trudeau has yet to release a statement.
Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, Erin O'Toole, was quick to speak out against the beheading of the statue of Sir John A. Macdonald in Montreal's Place du Canada. Trudeau has yet to release a statement.
The statue has been the centre of controversy for months, as protestors claim it represents Canada's "racist, colonial, white nationalist" past.
'Defund the police' protestors brought the 125 year old bronze statue down on Saturday afternoon. O'Toole quickly spoke out against their actions and many politicians lack of leadership on the issue. The CPC leader tweeted "Canada wouldn't exist without Sir John A. Macdonald."
There is one man who has remained silent, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. He has yet to disavow the protestors and the act of vandalism. There is a good chance he will release a statement, however, there is no telling on what he might say or whether he will excuse this act of destruction.
For some clarity, Trudeau has spoke positively about Canada's first Prime Minister before, so it will be interesting to see how he navigates his reaction this time around.
Erin O'Toole has adamantly defended Sir. John A. Macdonald's name and image in the past. He has not hidden nor changed his position. Mr O'Toole, in a video released August 2018, says that "the Conservatives will stand up for our history, and for a debate so we can solve these issues not with protest and pressure, but with debate and understanding."
Macdonald is widely viewed as the founder of the Canadian state and father of Canadian Confederation.
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