Letters - Erasing history does nothing for betterment of our nation

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Published on Monday, August 20, 2018

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Neepawa Banner & Press

Sir John A. MacDonald was a flawed figure as most politicians are.

He was first elected to the legislature of the Province of Canada in 1844. In 1857 he became premier of the politically unstable province. By 1884, with the support of George Brown, he undertook formation of a confederation of provinces that led to the enactment of the British North America Act in 1867 and the birth of Canada.

He served as Prime Minister from July 1967 until November 1873 when he resigned due to the Pacific Scandal which involved government bribery in building of the Canadian Pacific Railway. He was re-elected in 1878 and served until his death in 1891. He was a formidable force in creation of the Dominion of Canada and in the completion of a transcontinental railway.

Recent articles have panned him as the architect of the residential schools program, but this is erroneous.Residential schools for aboriginals were first tried in what is now New Brunswick around 1880 but failed. However residential schools were operated in Upper Canada from the 1830s and onward. They became the template for later schools. During the 1870s plains aboriginals favoured residential schools during treaty negotiations. They felt that would enable their young to learn the skills of the newcomer society and help them make a successful transition to a world dominated by the strangers.

I do not apologize for Sir John. He was amongst other things an unethical rascal and the man who authorized the hanging of Louis Riel. That is part of our history.

I admit that the residential school system was thoroughly corrupt and mistreated the children it was charged with educating and helping to transition to a better life. We failed our aboriginal people abysmally, but long after Sir John was dead.

I am appalled at those who want to erase Sir John’s name from public buildings and tear down statues of the man. Macdonald, despite his flaws, was a monumental force in the creation of our nation. Most of those whining that his memory must be erased have done nothing for the betterment of our society or nation. They are lazy, indolent, uneducated gremlins seeking to destroy what they do not understand and have no knowledge of.

The Victoria City Council members should hang their heads in shame for removing a statue of Sir John. It avoided a confrontation with local activists by engaging in an act of historical vandalism.

John Feldsted

Winnipeg, MB