Prince Edward County’s controversial “Holding Court” sculpture of Sir John A. Macdonald will have a new home.
On Wednesday night, Prince Edward County council passed a motion, 11-1 in favour of seeing the bronze sculpture returned to its donors, The Macdonald Project, as opposed to being placed in the proposed “Path Forward” exhibit at Macauley Church in Picton.
Ward 2 Councillor Brad Neiman was the sole opposer of the motion.
The “Holding Court” sculpture, by artist Ruth Abernethy, of a teenage Macdonald winning his first court case at the Picton courthouse, was presented to Prince Edward County in 2015 by the Project in celebration of the bicentennial of Macdonald’s birth.
In May of last year, 215 unmarked graves were found at a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C. The discovery led many in the public to focus anger towards Macdonald and his government for the development of residential schools.
The statue of Sir John A Macdonald in Picton was vandalized on Canada Day. (Photo: Steve Ferguson/Facebook)
Council decided to place the sculpture in storage after it was vandalized several times, with it often being splattered in red paint signifying blood.
Following the statue’s storage, County council began public consultation on “The Path Forward” for the Sir John A. Macdonald “Holding Court” sculpture. Tyendinaga Mohawks, the Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund, the County, historians, and the general public, all participated in the consultation.
As result, a “Path Forward” exhibit, developed in partnership with the Tsi Tyónnheht Onkwawén:na Language and Cultural Centre (TTO) and the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund, was proposed to explore the community’s reckoning with the national tragedy of the Indian Residential School system and encourage further reflection about the process of advancing truth and reconciliation.
David Warrick, chair of the Macdonald Project, says the use of the statue in the proposed exhibit goes against the group’s intention and does not reflect all those responsible in the creation of Canada’s residential school system.
“Why feature only one prime minister in the museum when 20 were in office when the schools were operating. Why focus on one? They were there before Macdonald even became prime minister in 1867. Where are the other 19 prime ministers?”
Callie Hill, Executive Director at TTO says the exhibit will provide the community with further information in regards to truth and reconciliation.
“When TTO was approached by the county museums to consider a collaborative relationship through the Path Forward project it was recognized as an opportunity to assist our neighbours in Prince Edward County to share a fuller story than the one the public had focused on, it’s an opportunity to engage in conversation.”
Reilly Goldsmith of the Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund says the proposed exhibit is a great indication of the region’s willingness to learn.
“It also provides an opportunity to show how an entire community, an entire county has come together in reconciliation and to provide that opportunity to educate and move that dial forward.”
Mayor Steve Ferguson thanked both the Macdonald Project group and artist Ruth Abernethy for the donation.
“I also want to respect what Mr. Warrick said tonight and he did mention facts and I think that’s important. But he also requested that the statue be returned and I think we should comply with that request.”
Further discussions are expected between TTO, Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund and Prince Edward County Museums as content for the proposed exhibit continues.
