Statues are erected to honour individuals in our society. “Gassy” Jack Deighton never deserved this honour, and his likeness being displayed prominently in Gastown is a terrible symbol of Vancouver upholding and honouring violence towards and oppression of Indigenous People. Deighton took a 12 year old Squamish girl to be his wife at the age of 40, impregnating her with his child at her young age. This is not the kind of person we should be upholding and honouring, a pedophile’s likeness should not be prominently displayed in the center of Gastown for fun tourist photo ops. This is not about erasing history, but about reconciliation. It is about taking steps towards no longer upholding and enforcing violence and oppression towards the Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island.