The Ontario government says it would be happy to acquire a statue of Sir John A. Macdonald which was recently removed from the City Hall building in Victoria, B.C.
The bronze sculpture of Canada鈥檚 first prime minister was removed on Saturday, in what Victoria鈥檚 mayor called a gesture of reconciliation. Indigenous groups have argued that Macdonald is disproportionately honoured in Canada given his role in creating the residential school system and otherwise harming Indigenous people.
While supported by Indigenous groups, the statue鈥檚 removal has also drawn criticism, particularly from conservative politicians.
Federal Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer described turfing the statue as an attempt to 鈥渆rase history鈥� and said Macdonald鈥檚 鈥渕istakes鈥� could be acknowledged even with the statue remaining in place.
Ontario鈥檚 Progressive Conservative government voiced similar opinions Monday when the matter came up in the provincial legislature.
Goldie Ghamari, the PC MPP representing the Ottawa-area riding of Carleton, said she was 鈥渟hocked鈥� by the decision made in Victoria, which she described as 鈥減olitical correctness run amok.鈥�
She asked Sylvia Jones, the province鈥檚 minister for culture, sport and tourism, what the government would do 鈥渢o preserve John A. Macdonald鈥檚 legacy and encourage a more fulsome teaching of Canadian history.鈥�
Jones responded that the province has written to Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps to say the province would be 鈥渉appy鈥� to find the statue a new home in Ontario.
鈥淗istory matters, and we need to acknowledge the important role that Sir John A. Macdonald played in Canada and Ontario鈥檚 history,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淗e did more to found our nation than any other Father of Confederation.鈥�
Jones went on to say that Macdonald鈥檚 record 鈥渋s a cause for much discussion鈥� and encouraged Ontarians to visit statues to learn more about Canadian history.
鈥淗istory is complicated. People are complicated,鈥� she said.
It was not immediately clear if Helps has responded to Ontario鈥檚 offer. The mayor has previously said that the statue, which was created in 1981, will be stored in her city 鈥渦ntil an appropriate way to recontextualize Macdonald is determined.鈥�
鈥淲e do not propose to erase history but rather to take the time through the process of truth-telling and reconciliation 鈥� to tell this complex and painful chapter of Canadian history in a thoughtful way,鈥� Helps said in .
The statue was replaced outside Victoria City Hall by a temporary plaque which commemorates Macdonald as both Canada鈥檚 first prime minister and 鈥渁 leader of violence against Indigenous peoples.鈥�
The plaque was vandalized over the weekend, with a large X being scratched across its face. The two lines in the X meet near the word 鈥渧iolence.鈥�
Helps said the vandalism 鈥渨as to be expected鈥� given the intensity of the debate around the statue鈥檚 removal.
鈥淓motions are running high,鈥� she told reporters.
鈥淲hat we will be doing in the next few months 鈥� is continuing the conversation with the community about reconciliation.鈥�
With files from CTV Vancouver Island
