Read on Twitter
According to @NoBordersMedia, Montreal’s John A. Macdonald statue has just been toppled. As an historian of settler colonialism in what is currently Canada, let me share some accessible resources to help folks understand why this is a positive development.
First, it is important to remember that Indigenous peoples have been challenging the lionizing - the uncritical celebration - of Macdonald for 100+ years.
It is indisputable that Macdonald was a primary architect of Indigenous genocide in Canada. My colleague @innes_rob makes the case clearly here: https://theconversation.com/john-a-macdonald-should-not-be-forgotten-nor-celebrated-101503
In terms of Macdonald's specific role in initiating, creating, and defending Canada's Indian Residential School system, I wrote this piece a few years ago: https://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2017/07/09/john-a-macdonald-was-the-real-architect-of-residential-schools.html
My colleague @crystalfraser and I made this argument artistically as part of @GHC_Comics's #RememberResistRedraw poster series: https://graphichistorycollective.com/project/poster-7-john-macdonald-father-confederation-architect-genocide
And just last week, I made the case for grappling with Macdonald's genocidal legacy on the @BertaAdvantage podcast, arguing that removing statues is not controversial, it can help generate helpful conversations + support movements for justice: https://albertaadvantagepod.com/2020/08/22/the-politics-of-statues/
In short, don't be outraged that people toppled a statue uncritically celebrating a genocidal politician, be outraged that it took this long - and that there are countless Macdonald and other statues/monuments etc celebrating colonization and genocide still standing across Canada
