John A. Macdonald Legacy Review

Consultation has concluded

Please see the Legacy Review page on Regina.ca for updates on this project

As a community, we learn through the diverse experiences and perspectives that are our shared history.


The City of Regina invites you to join a community conversation on the legacy of Sir John A. Macdonald. The intent is to foster understanding and telling a complete story of Macdonald’s legacy, both his contributions to Canada as prime minister and founder of Confederation as well as the harmful impact his policies have had on Indigenous peoples and other ethno-cultural communities.

These conversations follow City Council’s decision on March 31, 2021 to relocate the Macdonald statue from Victoria Park. The statue is currently in secure storage in a City facility while consultation activities continue and Administration works with partners to identify options for a new location. A progress report on this work will be considered by City Council in spring 2022..

Since initiating a legacy review of the statue in June 2020, City staff have met with First Nations and Métis Knowledge Keepers, as well as Indigenous artists, curators and academics to seek guidance on how the statue can support a more complete story of the impact of Macdonald’s policies upon First Nations and Métis peoples and other ethno-cultural communities. .

While many historical texts document the negative impact of the Macdonald government’s policies on Indigenous and other ethno-cultural communities, many participants shared how these policies are still impacting them and their families today. For some, the statue is a regular reminder of colonial policies that relocated and restricted the movement of Indigenous Peoples, left their ancestors weaker and more prone to disease, and created residential and day schools.

Telling the full story is an important part of the City’s responsibilities as an institution engaged in Truth and Reconciliation. Moving forward, the City is considering programming and other resources to support increased understanding of Macdonald’s legacy.

We invite residents impacted by Macdonald’s legacy to use this online community to share their stories and the stories of their families. Through this, we hope to relearn a more inclusive history the experiences of Regina’s people.

Please see the Legacy Review page on Regina.ca for updates on this project

As a community, we learn through the diverse experiences and perspectives that are our shared history.


The City of Regina invites you to join a community conversation on the legacy of Sir John A. Macdonald. The intent is to foster understanding and telling a complete story of Macdonald’s legacy, both his contributions to Canada as prime minister and founder of Confederation as well as the harmful impact his policies have had on Indigenous peoples and other ethno-cultural communities.

These conversations follow City Council’s decision on March 31, 2021 to relocate the Macdonald statue from Victoria Park. The statue is currently in secure storage in a City facility while consultation activities continue and Administration works with partners to identify options for a new location. A progress report on this work will be considered by City Council in spring 2022..

Since initiating a legacy review of the statue in June 2020, City staff have met with First Nations and Métis Knowledge Keepers, as well as Indigenous artists, curators and academics to seek guidance on how the statue can support a more complete story of the impact of Macdonald’s policies upon First Nations and Métis peoples and other ethno-cultural communities. .

While many historical texts document the negative impact of the Macdonald government’s policies on Indigenous and other ethno-cultural communities, many participants shared how these policies are still impacting them and their families today. For some, the statue is a regular reminder of colonial policies that relocated and restricted the movement of Indigenous Peoples, left their ancestors weaker and more prone to disease, and created residential and day schools.

Telling the full story is an important part of the City’s responsibilities as an institution engaged in Truth and Reconciliation. Moving forward, the City is considering programming and other resources to support increased understanding of Macdonald’s legacy.

We invite residents impacted by Macdonald’s legacy to use this online community to share their stories and the stories of their families. Through this, we hope to relearn a more inclusive history the experiences of Regina’s people.

Share your story

What’s your story? We are especially interested to hear the stories that are unique to you and your experience. If you don’t have a story, you can also share your thoughts and ideas about local history and other issues or ideas that might be worth exploring. You can also upload photos, videos and insert links. 

We want this to be a safe space for everyone to share thoughts, feelings and opinions. Words are powerful, so please make sure yours are respectful to all. By sharing, you are helping to foster a community conversation that can give us all a better understanding of our collective history.

Thank you for sharing your story with us.
CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.

  • Bad outweighs any good

    by Nm1, over 5 years ago
    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... Continue reading

    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.

  • Mixed legacy

    by Norman, over 5 years ago
    As someone who studied Canadian and prairie history, Macdonald did both things of which we should be proud and things of which we should be ashamed. He played a key role in bringing together Canada West, Canada East, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick in Confederation. Later he played a key role in founding the NWMP and building the national railroads, which both fulfilled a promise to British Columbia and helped physically link Canada from west coast to east coast. Without him, it is likely Canada would never have become a united country and that large parts would have become part... Continue reading
    As someone who studied Canadian and prairie history, Macdonald did both things of which we should be proud and things of which we should be ashamed. He played a key role in bringing together Canada West, Canada East, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick in Confederation. Later he played a key role in founding the NWMP and building the national railroads, which both fulfilled a promise to British Columbia and helped physically link Canada from west coast to east coast. Without him, it is likely Canada would never have become a united country and that large parts would have become part of the USA.


    However, Macdonald was also a bigot who thought that the indigenous peoples were inferior and also disliked French Canadians. Even though the Metis and first nations had legitimate grievances in Manitoba and what is now Saskatchewan and Alberta, and even though Louis Riel had tried to present his people's grievances peacefully only to be ignored Macdonald insisted he be hanged as a traitor.,

    Only, Riel was not a Canadian. He was born in the Red River settlement in what is now Manitoba, but was then Rupert's Land - British territory controlled by the Hudson';s Bay Company. He was a British subject, legally. It's arguable at best whether Canada had a right to try him for treason, and in light of what we now know, it was the wrong thing to do.

    Riel should be recognized as a Father of Confederation. The statue of Macdonald should stay in place because hiding or moving it does not change history or make anything right, Instead, there should be an additional statue of Riel, and there should be information giving context to what both did.

  • American or Brit?

    by PeaceFeather, over 5 years ago

    Had SJAM not pursued uniting and creating our nation we would not have Canada. He is more the father of confederation than George Washington is the father of the USA.

    Yes, white colonial history is bad but SJAM is not uniquely a bad or evil person. He chose to be active in building a nation -- this was not the easy path. He chose to give the indigenous male the ability to vote -- this was not the easy path. (Laurier revoked the indigenous vote because their votes will overwhelmingly in SJAM's favour - the "MacDonald Franchise" ). Imagine if... Continue reading

    Had SJAM not pursued uniting and creating our nation we would not have Canada. He is more the father of confederation than George Washington is the father of the USA.

    Yes, white colonial history is bad but SJAM is not uniquely a bad or evil person. He chose to be active in building a nation -- this was not the easy path. He chose to give the indigenous male the ability to vote -- this was not the easy path. (Laurier revoked the indigenous vote because their votes will overwhelmingly in SJAM's favour - the "MacDonald Franchise" ). Imagine if we were treated as equals since confederation? That was SJAM aspiration. Everything else is simply revisionism in a new unenlightened interpretation.

    Please keep the statue as we have much to learn of our shared history. Both bad and some good. Preserve this conversation do not edit history like Russia or China does

  • If not for Sir John A. MacDonald and others there would not be a Canada and more likely another state in the USA. The indigenous people who feel so hard done by in Canada should look to the south to see how their counterparts were treated.

    by Rob, over 5 years ago

    Leave the statue where it is!


    Leave the statue where it is!


  • Its part of our heritage

    by M, over 5 years ago
    No matter what has happened in the past, its in the past. We have moved forward as a country to get past obstacles that were created in mistake. But its in the past. Sir John A Mcdonald also did great things for our country and our people in a whole. Yes mistakes were made, but guess what we are human, we all make mistakes. But like I said we have also corrected those mistakes. The past is the past and we need to move forward but also not forgetting about how our past had created our futures. Taking this statue... Continue reading
    No matter what has happened in the past, its in the past. We have moved forward as a country to get past obstacles that were created in mistake. But its in the past. Sir John A Mcdonald also did great things for our country and our people in a whole. Yes mistakes were made, but guess what we are human, we all make mistakes. But like I said we have also corrected those mistakes. The past is the past and we need to move forward but also not forgetting about how our past had created our futures. Taking this statue down is a joke and shouldnt happen. It goes to show that our govt has no back bone and gives in to every whiny person that cries wolf. Removing the statue is removing our heritage.

  • Sir John A MacDonald statue location

    by Tekla, over 5 years ago

    It is unfortunate that Sir John A MacDonald statue is being removed from Victoria Park because many tourists look for points of interest when visiting a city and statues with plaques are often an attraction -- it certainly is for me when I visit cities.

    Since it will no longer be in Victoria Park the next suitable place would be in gardens in front of Government House. Plaque stating the important role Sir John A. MacDonald in development of Canada and another plaque stating how political intentions of the time to help educate indigenous children went wrong would be appropriate.

    ... Continue reading

    It is unfortunate that Sir John A MacDonald statue is being removed from Victoria Park because many tourists look for points of interest when visiting a city and statues with plaques are often an attraction -- it certainly is for me when I visit cities.

    Since it will no longer be in Victoria Park the next suitable place would be in gardens in front of Government House. Plaque stating the important role Sir John A. MacDonald in development of Canada and another plaque stating how political intentions of the time to help educate indigenous children went wrong would be appropriate.

    Considering the Government House relationship with the Crown and Lieutenant Governor being Saskatchewan representative of the Monarch and the role of the Monarch at the time of Sir John A Macdonald being prime minister Government House it the place for Sir John.

  • Respect Indigenous Voices

    by SJ, over 5 years ago
    The voices of Indigenous Canadians are the ones we need to be listening to at this time. J.A.M created and enforced policies centred around the genocide of peoples and cultures. Honouring those that directly and indirectly caused such pain and suffering is a shame and a ongoing dark mark on our country. Either remove it, or destroy it. J.A.M has no right to be honoured when he stepped on others and disregarded human lives to meet his goals.
    The voices of Indigenous Canadians are the ones we need to be listening to at this time. J.A.M created and enforced policies centred around the genocide of peoples and cultures. Honouring those that directly and indirectly caused such pain and suffering is a shame and a ongoing dark mark on our country. Either remove it, or destroy it. J.A.M has no right to be honoured when he stepped on others and disregarded human lives to meet his goals.

  • Tell it as it was.

    by Lamplighter, over 5 years ago
    Leave the statue up but somewhere less prominent. Include a large plaque outlining what McDonald was famous for and infamous for. Tell the good that he did and the harm that he did. Make it clear that the statue does not exist to exalt MacDonald but simply to symbolize his role in Canadian history, good and bad.

    I think it's better to reveal the man's policies and actions for better or worse, in a very public way, then to destroy the statue in the hope that doing so will help to destroy modern day racism directed at indigenous people. Because... Continue reading

    Leave the statue up but somewhere less prominent. Include a large plaque outlining what McDonald was famous for and infamous for. Tell the good that he did and the harm that he did. Make it clear that the statue does not exist to exalt MacDonald but simply to symbolize his role in Canadian history, good and bad.

    I think it's better to reveal the man's policies and actions for better or worse, in a very public way, then to destroy the statue in the hope that doing so will help to destroy modern day racism directed at indigenous people. Because it won't. Use the statue as a teaching tool illuminating the realities and setting aside the myth.

  • Canada's Cultural Balkanization Continues

    by Bender, over 5 years ago

    Whether the statue is melted down, hung in effigy, put in a museum, or left in that park won't change a thing. And labeling Sir John A. Macdonald's policies as genocidal is a farce. Had that been the intent, he and his peers certainly didn't try very hard, given that we're now able to have this discussion.

    It must be incredidbly convenient to blame others for your your own situation, to take no ownership for your own actions. But the finger pointing and shame game is clearly working, so we'd all better get used to it.



    Whether the statue is melted down, hung in effigy, put in a museum, or left in that park won't change a thing. And labeling Sir John A. Macdonald's policies as genocidal is a farce. Had that been the intent, he and his peers certainly didn't try very hard, given that we're now able to have this discussion.

    It must be incredidbly convenient to blame others for your your own situation, to take no ownership for your own actions. But the finger pointing and shame game is clearly working, so we'd all better get used to it.



  • indians are a cancer

    by Mr.Peeks, over 5 years ago

    Build more john a statues and put them on every street corner

    Build more john a statues and put them on every street corner