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.

  • Cancel Culture is the real problem

    by Clay, over 3 years ago

    We need to stop removing everything that someone may find offensive. Just because you are offended by something does not mean you are right. All cultures have done things they are not proud of, and hiding your history solves nothing. He was the first PM of Canada and deserves public recognition. Period.

  • Is humility honorable?

    by Mo, over 3 years ago
    If humility is at all an honorable trait, I would hope that our leaders of the past had enough of it to decline the peppering of our landscape with likenesses of themselves.

  • Don't Be An Armchair Coach/Critic

    by Participate Regina, over 3 years ago
    Great leaders accomplish great things because they take risks and are decisive. They make the best decisions they can with the information they have available. Will they be right 100% of the time? Of course not. But the test of greatness is not "what mistakes did the individual make" but rather "what did they accomplish". Their lives need to examined in the context of the totality, not the isolated events.


    Leave the statue where it is and tell the WHOLE story. Provide historical context. Ask questions. As the sign outside the Oskar Schlinder Museum in Krakau Poland says: "Ask yourself... Continue reading

  • His legacy lives on ... sadly

    by Anonymous , over 3 years ago

    John A. wanted the Indians dead, enforced genocide, made children suffer unspeakable horrors.

    To the people crying about the history being erased, it's not. The fact is John A's history still isn't being taught. He imposed a pass system on First Nations people so they couldn't hunt or get supplies. Then he forcefully refused his fellow humans food to the verge of STARVATION.

    He had full control of Indian Affairs and could have changed the starvation policy, but instead he pushed it even harder.

    THOUSANDS of First Nations people, including children LITERALLY STARVED TO DEATH because Macdonald wanted -- and... Continue reading

  • What I’ve taught my children

    by Fairness for all, over 3 years ago
    I’ve taught my children when they see something they don’t want to be a part of, they need to walk away.


    I've taught my children that the past prejudices I’ve had to live through, do NOT get a vote in how they live their lives.

    I’ve taken my children to the statue to explain both sides, and they’ve decided this statue has no affect on who they will become.

    please use the money you’d spend on this statue removal and relocation, on training new police officers.


  • Deleting history

    by Tired of the complaints about history, over 3 years ago
    If we delete all bad in history most would be gone. We need to understand that all humans have endured pain and suffering at one point or another in history. Learning from history is a necessity for humans to grow and be better. If we negate all the bad, we will repeat it. We still have a country that we can try and be proud of. Let's look forward and not back.

  • History

    by Kevmucha123, over 3 years ago
    Hi I belive this is just a way to cancel culture and city caving to the few that want statues removed for something that happened many years ago who ever these people are keep canceling Dewdney ave Davin school and others also what about Chinese and railroad how many die no complaints

    I have two Cree kids and it doesn't effect them in anyway its history

    KEEP STATUE WHERE IT IS

  • History

    by fatkatz, over 3 years ago

    History is not there for you to like or dislike. It is there for you to learn from it. And if it offends you, ever better. Because then you are less likely to repeat it. It’s not yours to erase or destroy. It belongs to all of us.

  • The First Crime Minister Of Canada

    by R.Smoke, over 3 years ago

    Not to be diluted in any way but a leader should always be there for its citizens and not the other way around, Sir John A Mcdonald was an extremely vicious leader of Canada and he used his authority to its maximum extent, and all we got out of it was a rail road, what about the Chinese lives that were sacrificed in order for his dream, should I even mention the head tax implementations on them aswell...or the starved and already beaten members of Canadas 1st nation inhabitants for which he thought was a great idea to not only... Continue reading

  • Sir John A, McDonald

    by marg, over 3 years ago
    Keep statue where it is. Sir John McDonald was our first Prime Minister. He was instrumental in helping to create our country with the resources that were available to him at the time. No one is perfect. I strongly disagree with placing the statue that was commissioned and paid by taxpayers. What is the problem these days to destroy and deface our history.