Move it to a museum

Whether we acknowledge it or not, a statue in a prominent public place honours the person, what they have done, and what they represent. It's a symbol of pride in this person.

I for one, do not want to honour this man. We can all agree that he had a significant role in forming this country and also in significantly damaging the lives of its Indigenous peoples for generations. It's a complicated legacy and history which cannot be properly addressed with a plaque at the bottom of a statue.

In school, most of us were not taught the harmful things he did, only the sunny version that leaves out Indigenous peoples' experiences. We need to do better at acknowledging the full story, and I believe that can begin by placing this statue in a museum. It can then be placed in exhibit where people can learn about the full picture and include the perspective of elders, residential school survivors, and Indigenous leaders along with the perspective of white settlers.

We can use this as a learning opportunity to better educate the public and future generations about the history of this man and his legacy.

I think consulting the public was a good idea by the city and that that conversation should continue for what we replace the statue with. My suggestion is to commission a new piece of art/statue that honours the history of Saskatchewan in a more inclusive manner.