Bad outweighs any good

It disheartens me to read that fellow Canadians can value economic and political contributions more than humanity.

I fully understand that John A. MacDonald helped to develop this country into what it is today. We can speculate what would have happened to our government, political boundaries, and subsequent culture, but none of that happened, so we'll never know. What we do know is that we have developed into a great country, but one that also has a very dark, racist, and genocidal past (and present) that many don't know about and don't like to talk about.

Our school system and colonialist culture has succeeded to misinform and perpetuate this racism.

Over the last year I've been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to be educated with a more accurate version of our history. I'm embarrassed that it that it took over 30 years for me to learn this.

Being a leader means being accountable for your own actions and the actions of those who you are leading. It is without a doubt that John A. MacDonald and several others are culpable for crimes against humanity (Chinese head tax, residential schools, Louis Riel, etc.).

No amount of good that one person does can outshine the lives, culture, and freedom lost by Indigenous people.

We're learning, growing, and trying to do better. Removing this monument is one very small step to show that we're serious about reconciliation.