EDITORIAL: Celebrating Sir John A.
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Anyone with their head screwed on straight in this country would have been aghast at the disgusting images of a mob in Montreal tearing down a statue of Sir John A. Macdonald.
What was equally problematic was what happened afterwards.
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The vandals who did this got away, even though cops were on hand to witness it. It doesn’t seem like Montreal police are particularly seized with the idea of getting justice in response to such a symbolic assault.
It was also disturbing that a “debate” ensued on social media and even at political podiums.
Some knuckleheads actually applauded the desecration of the man who made us. Shame on them.
If you want to debate the less flattering parts of Canadian history, go for it. But to tear down a public statue with glee is plain wrong.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau didn’t do much better either, when he was finally convinced to muster a few words on the matter.
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The PM did condemn the vandals, but then quickly pivoted to a spiel where he could blame the “extreme right”. He thinks it’s conservative out there who lit the metaphorical fires that are currently blazing throughout the United States and, sadly, beginning to spark here in Canada.
Racial equality and an end to police brutality is a noble cause and that’s what many of the people taking to the streets are demanding. But make no mistake about it, there are many in the mix who are nothing more than arsonists looking to make things worse.
There were many of those troubled characters skulking about Montreal and the other protests that have been cropping up in Canada. They need to be fully denounced – by the public, media and politicians.
Sir John A. Macdonald performed the amazing feat of forging together this great country of ours.
Canada is the best country in the world, one that people strive to come to from all over. They want to share in the vision of a great nation, for which Macdonald laid the foundations.
It is more than fair to include Macdonald’s faults in history books and school lessons.
His statue must always remain though, because by celebrating Sir John A. we are also celebrating the founding of our nation.
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