On Thursday Sep 26th, 2024, 10:45 am, presenters Ed Hume, Gail Asper and Stewart Smith (President of the Fraternal Order of Eagles (FOE)# 23 who gave the monument to the Assiniboine Park in 1965) spoke in support of the EPC Recommendation:

"That the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) be delegated authority to work with the Assiniboine Park Conservancy (APC) , and other groups acceptable to the CAO, to find an appropriate and publicly accessible location, including relocation within the Assiniboine Park, for the installation of the 10 Commandments Monument: 

        A.  In determining the appropriate location, the CAO will consider the original intention of the donor as well as views of other groups in the community."

Several Councillors asked questions to the presenters to which the presenters responded. Over all a respectful, cordial, presentation took place.  Later in the day at about 3:45 pm the Council discussed the 10 Commandment Monument issue to have the Monument returned to the Assiniboine Park.  Four Councillors spoke in favour of the Executive Policy (EPC) recommendation, Councillor Markus Chambers, Councillor Russ Wyatt, Councillor Jason Schreyer and Councillor Brian Mayes.  No one spoke against the recommendation.  Mayor Scott Gillingham said he was in favour too and called the question to vote.  The recommendation passed with a unanimous support. 

Concern of the Petitioners and FOE #23

Although the recommendation allows for the return of the 10 Commandments Monument to the Assiniboine (our preference), the open ended wording "publicly accessible location" could also mean any public land anywhere in the city or even private land that is accessible to the public like at a college or university!  We are assuming that due to the wording of the second part of the recommendation, "the CAO will consider the original intention of the donor (FOE #23) as well as views of other groups in the community."(the 1562 petition supporters of "Keep the Ten Commandments Monument in the Assiniboine Park" which was the only group that presented), plus the favourable discussion of the Council at 3:45 PM,  that the Ten Commandments Monument will be headed back into Assiniboine Park.!?