This is getting ridiculous! We cannot judge past history by today's standards. We will all agree that residential schools were a terrible failure and caused suffering and death to many, but those who set up those schools thought they were doing the best for our indigenous population! I don't believe they were being vindictive! Removing their names from history won't change the past and I think it will give Canadians a better chance of forgetting these horrible indecencies!
I do concede that the statues of Cornwallis in Nova Scotia be removed from places of prominence and put in museum grounds. Cornwallis actually put a bounty on heads of indigenous people living there, but that was hundreds of years ago. That fact cannot be erased from history but his statue is causing quite a bit of consternation in Halifax. I say decide on a new location for his statue along with a sign describing reason for its move. We must not lose this history!
We need to examine each situation like this with cool heads! If we don't, this whole process can get really silly! When you read the writings of Winston Churchill, it's not hard to notice that he was a chauvinist and a bit of a bigot! Is he next on the hit list?
How about William Van Horne and the rest of those who built Canada's national railway! They promoted the importation and exploitation of workers from China! Shall we zap them?
Why stop there? You do know that the Roman Emperors Julius Caesar and Caesar Augustus both promoted slavery and gladiator games fought to the death! Will we soon be changing the names of the months of July and August? That's how silly it could get!
Ray. What I cannot understand is how the OTF can sanction John A. but completely forget their part in supporting eugenics program and "special ed" classes to identify and manage "less desireables". Maybe they should be disbanded for their past history.
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