Overview

• Ontario’s Board of Internal Economy approved on May 12 the removal of the hoarding once the statue is cleaned and coated with protective film
• Speaker Donna Skelly said the monument will be fully revealed this summer under 24-hour security and accompanied by a formalized historical sign
• Sol Mamakwa, the Legislature’s only First Nations MPP, called the unveiling disrespectful and urged relocating the statue to a museum or adding an explanatory plaque
• Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation condemned the move as a setback for reconciliation and demanded permanent removal from public grounds
• A legislative committee led by Government House Leader Steve Clark will examine ways to integrate Indigenous voices and perspectives into Queen’s Park’s monuments and renovation plans