The City of Regina removed the John A. Macdonald statue from Victoria Park Tuesday and it is now in storage.
This comes after Regina city council voted in favour of its removal on March 31.
The statue has recently become a contentious issue, given the controversial historical figure’s role in establishing colonial systems that oppressed Indigenous peoples across the country.
Statues in other communities have been subject to vandalism and protest, and many have been removed.
Macdonald has become notorious for his influence on the creation of Canada’s residential schools.
In June, the City of Regina began consultation with elders and community members, including artists and cultural groups, on how best to proceed.
The city chose not to tell the public when the statue was coming down, due to concern over safety.
“The date of the move was not released in advance due to security reasons and to ensure the area could be kept safe as the work was completed,” the city told Global News in an email Wednesday.
“A public art collection curator was on site to ensure that the statue was properly handled and safely transported to storage until it can be re-installed in a new location.”
The city said it is still exploring new locations for the statue’s relocation and that a recommendation will be brought to city council by early 2022.
Additional context regarding Macdonald’s legacy will be added to the statue for when it is placed in its new home.
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