WARMINGTON: Sir John A Macdonald’s memory erased in a day by PDSB

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BRAMPTON — It didn’t take lengthy for the Peel District College Board to erase Sir John A. Macdonald and 200 years of Canadian historical past.

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Till Wednesday, a Brampton faculty had been named after Canada’s first Prime Minister for many years.

Not anymore.

Simply hours after the board renamed the college, the Sir John A. Macdonald signal was taken down and changed.

“Welcome to Nibi Emosaawdang Public College,” the signal out entrance of the Centre St. N. faculty learn Thursday.

Even the college’s emblem was faraway from the health club’s flooring and partitions, and social media accounts had been deactivated.

“The title Nibi Akik was provided as a means of honouring Josephine Mandamin and all water walkers,” says the board. “The title lends itself to environmental activism (particularly when led by feminine group members as is customary in Indigenous tradition as Josephine Mandamin modeled), a give attention to science, expertise, engineering and arithmetic (STEM), and facilities the themes of reconciliation, fairness and social justice, that are aligned to the Peel District College board’s commitments to anti-colonialism, anti-racism, anti-oppression.”

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However it additionally banishes the reminiscence of Macdonald. It’s insanity and other people from all political backgrounds ought to finish such madness.

The board’s “Fairness Audit” coverage requires “the Peel District College Board (PDSB) to evaluation all practices, insurance policies, and procedures, and guarantee they’re developed and applied utilizing anti-racist, anti-oppressive and anti-colonial ideas” and this consists of “evaluating books, media, and different assets at present being utilized in faculties for educating and studying English, Historical past and Social Sciences to make sure that they’re inclusive and culturally responsive, related, and reflective.”

However whereas doing so, this ridiculous re-writing of historical past scrubs the achievements of the person who oversaw the beginning of the nation in 1867. It additionally sends a message that anyone could be cancelled as soon as judged by a 2022 lens from a time earlier than Canada even had electrical energy. It’s not honest to use immediately’s requirements to a distinct time.

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“I don’t help erasing Canadian historical past,” Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown instructed the Toronto Solar. “John A. Macdonald was our founding Prime Minister and we ought to be happy with the nation he gave beginning to, not making an attempt to erase it from the historical past books our founding fathers.”

Brown, at present vying to be Canada’s subsequent Conservative get together chief and subsequent prime minister, mentioned whereas he thinks it’s a “stunning” tribute to honour Nibi Emosaawdang, it “could be completed at a brand new faculty to be in-built Canada’s quickest rising metropolis.”

However in a press release the board mentioned, “consideration to vary the title of the college, mascot or image, has occurred by a good and inclusive course of rooted in an understanding of settler colonization, anti-oppression, anti-racism, and its affect on First Nations, Metis and Inuit Peoples,” and that The Mississaugas of the Credit score, The Credit score River Metis, The Peel Indigenous Community of Worker, the Indigenous Community and the Credit score River Metis Council had been consulted.

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One mum or dad, who didn’t wish to be named for worry of blowback being thrust upon his kids who attend the college, mentioned he’s against this.

“We got here from a rustic the place historical past was modified and we don’t wish to see it taking place right here,” the mother and father mentioned.

From Macdonald to McGill to Ryerson, cancelling trailblazing historic leaders is a mission assertion for immediately’s woke crowd. Macdonald statues have been eliminated in Victoria, B.C., Montreal, Que., and even in his house city of Kingston. The one at Queen’s Park has been boarded up for 2 years.

What makes this one in Brampton much more doubtful is that Peel faculty board trustees had no vote.

“The Peel District College Board is at present beneath Ministry of Schooling supervision. Governance roles for the Board of Trustees have modified whereas they’re at present beneath Ministry of Schooling supervision. Throughout supervision, Trustees wouldn’t have formal governing powers. As such, they can’t put motions ahead, vote on any board actions, make any monetary choices, or change or approve insurance policies,” mentioned board spokesperson Malon Edwards.

“Peel District College Board Supervisor, Bruce Rodrigues, considers suggestions just like the renaming of Sir John A. Macdonald Sr. Public College. at board conferences,” Edwards added.

That occurred March thirtieth and by March 31, the historical past of Sir John A. Macdonald in Brampton was historical past.

jwarmington@postmedia.com