For many years Indigenous people have been begging for their cries to be heard. They have asked for civility, equality and justice, often to little or no avail. Finally, people are beginning to hear their voices and make a change. Unfortunately, we still have a long way to go.

As most of you should know, mass graves at residential schools have been discovered. Slowly, lost victims of these horrific institutes are being revealed and returned home to their lands. With this being said, we ask you, is it not then right that we cease idolizing any and all people who had a hand in the creation of these institutions?

The John A. Macdonald statue located in Gore Park, Hamilton Ontario, is a permanent monument idolizing and rewarding a man who aided in the creation of a system that took and destroyed numerous lives. Indigenous members of our community are forced to look upon the man that aided in the destruction of their families or their ancestor's families. We would not ask a Jewish person to look upon a statue of Adolf Hitler, day in and day out and expect them to be content. How is this any different? We are forcing an entire community to look upon their oppressor and asking them to endure without a word.

This petition is for the removal of the John A. Macdonald statue. Currently, the City Council is in a debate with the Hamilton John A. Macdonald Society about the statue remaining up as a significant marker of our history. We ask then, if your concern is about the erasure of our history, why not include John A. Macdonald in Canada's history books, if he is not already?

We also would like to point out that Dundurn Castle is the historical home of John A. Macdonald. For those that would enjoy learning about him, why can they not attend the house? (amendment he apparently was entertained there not lived there) The point is if it is necessary for it to be put on display why can’t it be done in a place where people can choose to see it or not.

Why is an idolization needed in the heart of Hamilton's Downtown? The answer is that it is not. 

To wrap this up, the statue holds no purpose beyond a symbol of oppression for our Indigenous community. If we are to be better and bring about a better future, we need to make changes now. We hope you will agree.