Presentation to City Council Sep 26, 2024
Introduction:
The Ten Commandments are one of the oldest sets of universal values in the world which puts some limitations on human behave. The Jews, Christians, Muslims, all use the Ten Commandments for guidance. In fact all religions including secularism and atheism, whether formally or informally support them too, for building healthy, harmonious, relationships with family, friends and neighbours within society. The Ten Commandments form a basic standard of conduct for all humanity. Without it anarchy and chaos would exist!
1. The status quo at the Assiniboine Park has been upset .
The 10 Commandments Monument stood peacefully in a quiet, respectful area of Assiniboine Park (the Formal Gardens) for over 52 years. Probably 80% of people didn’t even know it was in the park. Then in the spring of 2017 it was put in storage to make way for the construction of the Leaf Diversity Gardens. At that time there were no complaints by the public to have it removed or petitions against it, just the Assiniboine Park Conservancy Admin (APC) and their Board (a group of non elected officials) made the decision to have it permanently removed from the park for no good reason. All they had to do was simply relocate the Ten Commandment Monument to another quiet contemplative area in the park. APC said they had no place for it, but there’s over 400 acres in the park! In my opinion, APC blew it, they created a problem that didn’t exist.
2. Our Petition is to “Keep the Ten Commandments Monument in Assiniboine Park.
The 1,526 online and paper petition signers want to have the Monument put back into Assiniboine Park not just any park. The present recommendation from EPC is too broad in scope. The Monument could be put up on private land available to the public, put any on public land in the city or be put back into Assiniboine Park. Our petition calls for the Monument to be in Assiniboine Park.
3. Assiniboine Park is the Crown Jewel of Winnipeg Parks is the best and most suitable location for this monument.
The choice of Assiniboine Park for the placement of this Monument could not have been more ideal, providing access as it does for residents and visitors to have an educational opportunity for quiet contemplation of our past, present, and future. Matter of fact the original reason for the creation of Assiniboine Park was for “quiet contemplation and restful relaxation” (WFP July 12 2022 “Natural Beauty”) a perfect fit for this Monument, which needs to be restored again back into the Park.
4. Wisdom from the past
When Mayor Steven Juba and his City Councillors accepted the Ten Commandments Monument back in 1965 the fact that they chose Assiniboine Park demonstrated they wanted it to have maximum public viewing for the citizens of Winnipeg. They were honouring the universal wisdom of the Ten Commandments. Hopefully the present Council would do the same.
5. Givers of the gift really want the Monument to remain in Assiniboine Park
The Fraternal Order of Eagles (FOE) has always wanted the gift of the Ten Commandments Monument to remain in the park. Darryl Lee President of the Manitoba Chapter of FOE in a June 11th WFP article said, “We prefer it remain in the Park” and more recently at the EPC Meeting Sep 17th President of the FOE Aries 23 Stewart Smith (the actual givers of the Monument) not only wanted the see the it restored to the park but hired a lawyer to help them protect and advance their cause, to have it displayed in the park again.
6. Level of public support
Presently we have a significant public support to have the Monument returned to the Assiniboine Park: 1,562 signers both online and paper petitions, a letter of support from the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg and the Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, The Fraternal Order of Eagles (giver of the Monument gift to the City in 1965). Some out standing supporters like Gail Asper and retired Pastor Bruce Martin. On the other hand what level of support did the Assiniboine Park Conservancy (APC) have other than their own administration and Board to remove the monument. APC didn’t even send out a representative to support their request at the recent Sep 17th EPC meeting or at the Sep 26th Council Meeting!
7. Pluralism, Tolerance, & Diversity.
Retired pastor Bruce Martin spoke at Executive Policy Committee (EPC) Meeting reminding Councillors that the use of tolerance, diversity and pluralism are all good reasons for putting Ten Commandments Monument back into the Assiniboine Park. In a pluralistic society, you are always going to have some people disagreeing with each other but that’s okay. Tolerance is necessary to live in a multi cultural society. Thus a rich cultural diversity can grow when we don’t take sides seek to eliminate one group over another!
8. Historical value could be lost
Placement of the 10 Commandments Monument back into the Assiniboine Park is necessary to protect its historical and cultural value, anything less would be diminishing this Monument, in light of it’s intended purpose to have maximum viewing for those citizens who choose to view it. This would also produce a diminishing, public educational opportunity.
9. Offended Jews, Christians, and Muslims
Restoring the Monument to the same park would help mend the relationship between offended Jews, Christians and Muslim people with the City/APC for allowing the Monument to be put in storage or the last 7 years!
10. Protection of our Freedom and Safety
The Ten Commandments were not given to restrict our freedom but to safe guard it! That’s why our whole legal system has been built on it. Thus we should be proud of Ten Commandments Monument and treat it with the respect it deserves. We need to put it back in the best public location it can be, the Assiniboine Park.
In closing:
The present Executive Policy Committee EPC recommendation is definitely a step forward and we thank you for that but we feel the Mayor and the Council should consider the following motion today instead.
The 10 Commandment Monument should be relocated back in Assiniboine Park in a quiet, honourable, respectful area of the park. The City, Assiniboine Park Conservancy (APC), the Fraternal Order of Eagles (FOE) and other supporting groups could determine the location within Assiniboine Park. Seven years of disrespect in storage has been far too long! Thus this work should be completed by the end of 2025.
We would also respectfully ask the City Council to have a recorded vote today on this very important issue, so that the citizens of Winnipeg would clearly know where you stand. Thank you.
Ed Hume
Organizer of the Petition "Keep the 10 Commandments in the Assiniboine Park"