Following a vote from city council, the City of Kingston has announced that it will remove the statue of Sir. John A. Macdonald from City Park on Friday. Once the statue is removed, it will be placed in storage until consultation has occurred from the local Indigenous community. If all parties agree, the statue will make its way to the Cataraqui Cemetery.
“After careful consideration, the City Council voted to remove and relocate the statue from City Park to the Kingston Cataraqui Cemetery. Engagement with the public will continue throughout the process,” says Mayor Bryan Paterson.
Paterson calls the move a “difficult decision” and will not appease everyone. Despite this, he hopes that the moving of the statue will carry on dialogue about the father of confederation.
“The City is committed to working with Indigenous Peoples, communities and Nations and all residents to pursue a united path of reconciliation and has been participating in ongoing discussions and consultation with multiple community members and organizations, including members of the Indigenous community, regarding the legacy of Sir John A. Macdonald,” added the statement from the City of Kingston.
The city calls the move a decisive step following calls from the Indigenous community and their allies to have the statue removed.
The city will begin mobilizing equipment on Thursday in preparation for the removal of the statue on Friday. The removal of the statue will begin on Friday at 6 A.M and will extend for several hours.
By August 10th, city staff is expected to report to city council, providing details on the statues installation as well as interpretative intentions for its previous City Park location.
Full details about the report from council can be found on its website.
