Timeline: The history of the controversial Prime Ministers Path in Wilmot Township
Originally meant to honour 150 years of confederation, the Prime Ministers Path project in Wilmot Township has been splashed with controversy for nearly a decade.
Monday night, council is set to vote on a recommendation from the First Peoples Group that says the project should be scrapped altogether.
The group's report calls for the remaining four statues to be removed and for council to discontinue any future expansion.
Here is a timeline of the controversial Prime Ministers Path's history.
2013
In 2013, a group of private citizens raised money in hopes of seeing 22 former Prime Ministers moulded in bronze stand together somewhere in Waterloo Region.
Kitchener's Victoria Park was the first prospective home, but city council rejected the notion after hearing strong opposition.
2015
Wilfrid Laurier University's Waterloo Campus offers to host the statues. Mere months later, the university backtracked and removed the Sir John A. MacDonald statue after a petition highlighting his role in forming residential schools gained traction.
"Erecting bronze statues of people essentially celebrates them, rather than trying to provoke dialogue or anything else," said Laurier professor Jonathan Finn, who started the petition. "So this seemed to be just a pure celebration of Prime Ministers, which to me seems 20 to 30 years out of date."
2016
Wilmot Council unanimously approved the installation of what would eventually be 22 statues in front of Castle Kilbride in Baden, calling it the Prime Ministers Path.
The decision was made without public consultation. Mayor Les Armstrong said the public wasn't asked because the township wasn't paying for anything, simply offering space.
At the time, the project coordinator said the life-size figures were always meant to highlight both the positive and negative history.
"We want to look at not just our Prime Ministers, but the successes and failures of our country and how it influences all of us looking towards the future," Jim Rodger, then co-ordinator of the Prime Ministers Pathway Project, said in 2016.
That year, the first statue, of Sir John A. MacDonald, was installed.
2017
Three more statues were installed in 2017. They were of Sir Robert Borden, William L. Mackenzie King and Lester B. Pearson.
2018
A statue of Kim Campbell was installed in the Prime Ministers Path.
2020
In the spring, the Sir John A. MacDonald statue was covered in red paint and accompanied by summer sit-ins.
In July of 2020, council voted to undertake a pubic engagement process on the project. First Peoples Group was retained to design and lead the engagement strategy.
By the fall, council voted to remove the Sir John A. MacDonald statue and place it in storage.
Four additional statues were slated to be installed in 2020, including John Abbott, John Thompson, Mackenzie Bowell and Charles Tupper, but were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They were postponed again as a result of a review of the project.
2021
First Peoples Group complied a report following the public consultation process.
"Based on what we have heard, First Peoples Group advises the Township of Wilmot Council to consider immediately removing existing statues related to the Prime Ministers Path and to discontinue any future expansion or investment in the Prime Ministers Path as it exists today," reads the group's recommendation.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Israel attacks Iran, Reuters sources say; drones reported over Isfahan
Israel has attacked Iran, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters, as Iranian state media reported early on Friday that its forces had destroyed drones, days after Iran launched a retaliatory drone strike on Israel.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.