John A. Macdonald statue draws polar responses from Regina mayoral candidates in debate

One question in Monday's Regina mayoral debate drew a lot of attention and conflicting answers.

It revolvedaround the John A. Macdonald statue in Regina's Victoria Park.

The city is doing public consultation about the statue after years of advocates calling for its removal and for the renaming of Dewdney Avenue.Candidates were asked their opinion during the event, which washosted by the Regina and District Chamber of Commerce and AccessNow TV.

"What is your position on the removal of the John McDonald statue in Victoria Park and the renaming of Dewdney Avenue," moderator John Hopkins asked.

Darren Bradley was first up to answer. He said he was against moving the statue.

"That is our history. That would be to me, like removing Auschwitz. People go there, we need to remember all that stuff. That is crucial for our children to learn history," Bradley said.

George Wooldridge said he took exception to Bradley's comparison, as Wooldridge's grandparents fought in WW2. Wooldridge said he would leave the statue issue up to the people via a plebiscite.

"It's time to talk to the people, because the fact is, is that there was a genocide against our First Nations people. There was decisions made by Sir John A. Macdonald that were reprehensible," Wooldridge said. "I think we need to ask the people. So I would say, let's put it to a plebiscite on both issues."

Jerry Flegel said the city needs to providecontext for the statue and that both sides of history need to be detailed.

"It's not without its flaws and some of the views are completely out of line in today's context. However, he was a driving force in founding our country, a country that today is a beacon of the world for acceptance and inclusion," Flegel said.

"Of course, we're not perfect and we have work to do, but we should not look into failings in our country. Rather, we should celebrate its meanings to be Canadian and always seek to make life better in Regina."

Sandra Masters said that without representing the Indigenous side of history, the statue cannot stay how it is.

"Any emblem of colonization in the absence of the Indigenous story can't continue on. We are Pile of Bones. I'm quoting somebody here, but we are a pile of bones," Masters said.

"What matters is that that statue exists wherever it exists in the context of the full history for what occurred in our province and in our country. To do anything less than that is extremely disrespectful and incredibly hurtful."

Michael Fougere said a city report will be back before city council in January. He said there are a lot of hurt people in the city and it would be good to have both sides presented.

"We have to learn from history and tell the whole story of Sir John A. Macdonald, the good and the bad. He was our first prime minister. Without him, we wouldn't have Canada," Fougere said.

"But he did many things that were atrocious and we need to know that."

Jim Elliott went further, saying it should be removed or moved and Dewdney Avenue should be renamed. He said the process would be a way to engage with Indigenous people.

"When you look at them both, you essentially see a city that isin fact embedded into the colonialism that started it. And so one way to rebuild and rebirth the city is to, in fact, engage with our First Nations communities and in fact, give them a place that they can call their own," Elliott said.

Tony Fiacco said the removal or moving of the statue would bea part of Truth and Reconciliation.

"If doing those two things leads to Truth and Reconciliation or is a step towardit, I think that I wouldn't have a problem with it," Fiacco said.