Wilmot Township council set to decide future of Prime Minister’s Path
The fate of Wilmot Township’s Prime Minister’s Path project will soon be decided.
A presentation is being brought forward to council in a special meeting on Monday and will advise the removal of all existing statues in the community.
This comes months after a statue of Sir John A. Macdonald, which was on display in front of Castle Kilbride in Baden, was put away following multiple acts of vandalism.
“The divisiveness has been allowed to fester for a long time and I would like to see us move forward,” said Coun. Cheryl Gordijk.
The report by the First Peoples Group will be discussed ahead of the vote whether or not to remove the remaining statues from the path.
“We’re not saying eliminate, melt them down, all that, nobody is saying that,” said Guy Freedman, president of the group. “They’re saying let’s find a better way to tell a better story.”
The Indigenous advisory firm has consulted more than 450 residents since April and is recommending the immediate removal and discontinuation of the project.
“The ignoring of the Indigenous voices of our community, where we sit on two treaty lands, I think was negligent,” said Gordijk.
Freedman adds their consultation involved talking to youth and leaders tomorrow.
“It was considerable to say to the youth ‘what do you think about this? You will inherit this place,’” he said.
One youth says the statues should be removed because they inflict generational trauma for people, while another youth says the statues should stay up to bring awareness to the community about the topic.
Following the horrific findings of unmarked graves at former residential school sites, Freedman says many people wanted to resubmit and reconsider their responses.
The firm is also advising the township to create a working group to support community healing and commit to transforming engagement in the township.
Delegations will follow the presentation, with each being capped at five minutes of speaking time.
“To give it some response to people that would be in the audience listening,” said Gordijk. “There’s still ongoing trauma and pain and sorrow and grief.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
India's foreign minister reacts to murder charges, claims Canada welcomes criminals
India's Foreign Affairs Minister accused Canada of welcoming criminals from his country in response to the RCMP's recent arrests in a homicide that has roiled tensions between the two countries.
15-year-old boy stabbed in Ottawa on Thursday dies
A 15-year old boy who was critically injured after a stabbing in Nepean on Thursday has died of his injuries, Ottawa's English public school board said Sunday.
Dash cam catches moment suspected drunk driver hits parked car, sends it careening into North Shore flower shop
Police say it’s fortunate no one was injured or killed in a collision at North Vancouver’s Park and Tilford shopping centre Saturday evening that sent one vehicle careening into a flower shop and another into a set of concrete barriers outside a Winners store.
'A tiny city:' Pro-Palestinian campus protesters organize for another week
Pro-Palestinian activists have set up tents at universities in Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver and Montreal, following a wave of similar protests at campuses in the United States linked to the Israel-Hamas war.
Lawsuit against Meta asks if Facebook users have right to control their feeds using external tools
Do social media users have the right to control what they see — or don't see — on their feeds?
Princess Anne lays wreath at Battle of Atlantic ceremony; honours late Queen
Princess Anne saluted Canadian veterans and current forces members today during a ceremony at British Columbia's legislature cenotaph commemorating the Second World War's Battle of the Atlantic.
El Nino weakening doesn't mean cooler temperatures this summer, forecasters say
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
As storms moves across Texas, 1 child dies after being swept away in floodwaters
A child in Texas died Sunday after being swept away in floodwaters as storms swept across the state.
Nylander defends Leafs' core after playoff exit, Toronto again picks up the pieces
The Maple Leafs battled back from a 3-1 series deficit against the Boston Bruins with consecutive 2-1 victories - including one that required extra time - in their first-round playoff series to push the club's Original Six rival to the limit before suffering a devastating Game 7 overtime loss.