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.

  • 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 3 years ago

    Leave the statue where it is!


  • Its part of our heritage

    by M, over 3 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

  • Sir John A MacDonald statue location

    by Tekla, over 3 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

  • Respect Indigenous Voices

    by SJ, over 3 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.

  • Tell it as it was.

    by Lamplighter, over 3 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

  • Canada's Cultural Balkanization Continues

    by Bender, over 3 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.



  • awahš

    by acahkos, over 3 years ago

    i’m anihšināpē-nêhiyaw-siksika & a member of Muscowpetung First Nation. i wouldn’t be alive today if my great-grandparents, grandparents, and father did not survive residential school. and i believe the statue needs to be destroyed... not moved. insinuating that there’s merit in macdonalds actions, that his image deserves visibility, that he’s a ‘founder’ instead of a colonizer who pursued “Aryan character”, is embracing the effects of his (ongoing) genocide & his ambition to annihilate Indigenous people. there’s nothing celebratory about Canada’s history, nor Regina’s, as settlement occurred without consent, under duress of sickness introduced through the fur trade & intentional slaughter... Continue reading

  • That which has no roots cannot grow

    by Meyer, over 3 years ago

    A common gloat among Canadians over the last few years has been the self assurance that we are more progressive or enlightened than Americans. Some liberals and college students will snarkly reply that we aren't, but the evidence speaks for itself. Without Sir John A McDonald, half of Canada would likely have fallen into American territory during their aggressive expansion following the Civil War. McDonald advocated providing aid to starving First Nations groups out west. For this, he was derided as a radical in the House of Commons.

    So many people in Canada share a common story, my grandparents included... Continue reading

  • John A Macdonald Statue

    by Afterlife, over 3 years ago
    A Western Development Museum would be a perfect venue to host historic monuments/statues. The statue should be accompanied by a written record of its historic (factual) relevance to Canada.

  • History

    by karenell, over 3 years ago
    History should not be hidden but all aspects of it good and bad should be made available to all.

    If one looks at the past...there were all sorts of mistakes and errors in thought process and that will

    Continue even into the future. What is good for one time is not good for all time. Give the whole story for whatever is called up...let it be known to all. Do not hide. There is good and bad in all

    Decisions and everyone has their opinion of what is right, justified or needed. Let us not be so critical of what... Continue reading