#41: Sir John A. MacDonald

Earlier this week we heard about Ontario Elementary Teacher's Federation motion to replace schools with his namesake and it sparked a great deal of conversation, mostly against the controversial motion. Public polls show that the majority of Canadians do not support the move, which brings to light three important facts:

1. that awareness about reconciliation is still fairly limited and hasn't been all too controversial until this point,
2. the reasons behind the removal of the name were not well communicated, and
3. the Indigenous population is nearly 4% of Canada's population, thus a majority vote in support of maintaining John A. MacDonald monuments proves that colonialism took place... that systematic methods of identity/rights stripping tactics where used to abolish Indigenous people succeeded... that naming him an architect of genocide may be warranted by minority groups (including those who built railways) who were persecuted for imperialist purposes... (cue darth vader breath sounds). The irony is almost comical.

On the bright side, press either good or bad brings awareness to the process of reconciliation in general. Personally, I think the name of John A. MacDonald should be replaced with more locally relevant names (perhaps keep it in areas where he was born, or died, or did something of local significance). Doubt I'll ever stray from my preference to focus on regional or provincial relevancy, but realize that that viewpoint is not shared by many so won't harp on it too long. While the majority and the current Prime Minister may disagree with the move, it has brought to light how far we have yet to go to share a common understanding and perspective about our shared history. At this moment in time, I think we can all agree that we disagree about how MacDonald is viewed in this country. Some see him as a hero and others as a villain, how we we all come to a common understanding will be well worth the journey and I look forward to how our leadership will proceed from here. I doubt the current public disagreement and polling will deter those who feel very strongly that MacDonald was an architect of genocide and that removal of celebratory namesakes and monuments is an act of reconciliation. 

To be clear, I'm not going to stop using $10 dollar bills and haven't really thought of MacDonald with any malice throughout my life. Even when I read the statements from MacDonald (compiled below by Indigenous Corporate Training) that relate to Indigenous people, I mostly want to understand the fundamentals of how he came by these perspectives, as colonialism did not start with MacDonald. He was a product of a well established system of colonialism, or then imperialism that began in the 15th century. Did he believe he and other western European societies were superior, likely. Was he given a task to establish a colony in one territory held by a political power from another territory, and guide the subsequent maintenance, expansion, and exploitation of that colony, likely? Was he an evil person lacking values, I can't really say. Did his policies lead to mass deaths and the erasure of the Indigenous family unit, yes. Taking all those factors in to play, I am going to stick with my perspective (even though it is on the fence) that more locally relevant names should replace his, in circumstances where he has not local relevancy. 

Here are ten statements about Indigenous people by Sir John A. MacDonald (read and come up with your own conclusions):

1. Sir, We are looking anxiously for your report as to Indian titles both within Manitoba and without; and as to the best means of extinguishing [terminating] the Indian titles in the valley of Saskatchewan. Would you kindly give us your views on that point, officially and unofficially? We should take immediate steps to extinguish the Indian titles somewhere in the Fertile Belt in the valley of Saskatchewan, and open it for settlement. There will otherwise be an influx of squatters who will seize upon the most eligible positions and greatly disturb the symmetry [organization] of future surveys. 1870 (a letter)
2. “When the school is on the reserve, the child lives with its parents, who are savages, and though he may learn to read and write, his habits and training mode of thought are Indian. He is simply a savage who can read and write. It has been strongly impressed upon myself, as head of the Department, that Indian children should be withdrawn as much as possible from the parental influence, and the only way to do that would be to put them in central training industrial schools where they will acquire the habits and modes of thought of white men." 1879
3. “It is worthy of consideration whether legislative measures should not be adopted for the establishment of some kind of municipal system among such bands as are found sufficiently advanced to justify the experiment being tried. It is hoped that a system may be adopted which will have the effect of accustoming the Indians to the modes of government prevalent in the white communities surrounding them, and that it will thus tend to prepare them for earlier amalgamation with the general population of the country.” 1880
4. “…to wean them by slow degrees, from their nomadic habits, which have almost become an instinct, and by slow degrees absorb them or settle them on the land.  Meantime they must be fairly protected.” 1880
5. “…..we have been pampering and coaxing the Indians; that we must take a new course, we must vindicate the position of the white man, we must teach the Indians what law is; we must not pauperise them, as they say we have been doing.” 1885
6. “We have done all we could to put them on themselves; we have done all we could to make them work as agriculturists; we have done all we could, by the supply of cattle, agricultural implements and instruction, to change them from a nomadic to an agricultural life. We have had very considerable success; we have had infinitely more success during our short period, than the United States have had during twenty-five years. We have had a wonderful success; but still we have had the Indians; and then in these half-breeds, enticed by white men, the savage instinct was awakened; the desire of plunder  --  aye, and, perhaps, the desire of scalping  -- the savage idea of a warlike glory, which pervades the breast of most men, civilised or uncivilised, was aroused in them, and forgetting all the kindness that had been bestowed upon them, forgetting all the gifts that had been given to them, forgetting all that the Government, the white people and the Parliament of Canada had been doing for them, in trying to rescue them from barbarity; forgetting that we had given them reserves, the means to cultivate those reserves, and the means of education how to cultivate them  --  forgetting all these things, they rose against us.” 1885
7. “We acquired the North-West country in 1870. Not a life was lost, not a blow was struck, not a pound nor a dollar was spent in warfare, in that long period that has since intervened. I have not hesitated to tell this House, again and again, that we could not always hope to maintain peace with the Indians; that the savage was still a savage, and that until he ceased to be savage, we were always in danger of a collision, in danger of war, in danger of an outbreak. I am only surprised that we have been able so long to maintain peace  --  that from 1870 until 1885 not one single blow, not one single murder, not one single loss of life, has taken place.” 1885
8. "He shall die though every dog in Quebec bark in his favour." 1885, following execution of Louis Riel for treason
9. "The great aim of our legislation has been to do away with the tribal system and assimilate the Indian people in all respects with the other inhabitants of the Dominion as speedily as they are fit to change.” 1887
10. “The third clause provides that celebrating the “Potlatch” is a misdemeanour. This Indian festival is debauchery of the worst kind, and the departmental officers and all clergymen unite in affirming that it is absolutely necessary to put this practice down.” 1894