The City of Regina is asking the community to participate in a conversation about the legacy of Sir John A. Macdonald.
The move comes after City Council decided to remove the statue of Canada’s first Prime Minister from Victoria Park downtown in light of Macdonald’s role in the implementation of residential schools.
Mayor Sandra Masters says she’s hoping to have meaningful conversation and share Macdonald’s full story.
“As a figure in our country’s history, he’s incredibly important, as are some of the repercussions of his policies,” said Masters. “What we’re really hoping for is that citizens enter into that dialogue with recommendations for where they would like to see that educational piece, and what else they would like to see in terms of that display. Do we put Louis Riel with him, and tell the story of how that all played out between 1850 and 1900?”
The city is encouraging people who have been directly impacted by Macdonald’s legacy to share their stories.
Masters says from a reconciliation standpoint, it’s important to tell the truth from both sides.
“Understanding that I’ve been privileged, significantly privileged, to be the mayor of a city that is the capital city of Saskatchewan because of the CP Rail, that’s Sir John A. Macdonald’s legacy,” said Masters. “What else is his legacy are family disintegration, the separation of children from their traditional and cultural beliefs. We have much to be proud of, but there’s also significant impact from some of those issues.”
People can share their opinions and stories on Be Heard Regina’s website.
