Lawyer, columnist and Save Our History founder Mark Johnson joins Stephen LeDrew to discuss his campaign to make candidates take a public position on the future of Sir John A. Macdonald statues removed from public spaces.
Johnson says Save Our History has contacted candidates asking a straightforward question: should Macdonald statues be returned to public view, or should they remain in storage?
For Johnson, the argument goes far beyond statues. He sees the issue as part of a larger debate over how Canadians understand their history, whether the country should take pride in its founders while acknowledging their failings, and how much influence unelected institutions should have over public memory.
Save Our History describes itself as a non-partisan grassroots movement dedicated to preserving Canadian historical statues and school names. The organization is currently campaigning for the restoration of Macdonald statues in several Ontario communities.
LeDrew and Johnson also discuss education, colonialism, Canadian identity and whether candidates should be forced to tell voters exactly where they stand on controversial historical questions.
Topics Covered:
Save Our History: https://www.saveourhistory.ca/
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