‘Statues can be replaced, children can’t’: Indigenous leaders react to Canada Day protest

Canada Day protests through downtown Winnipeg culminated in the toppling of a statue of Queen Victoria at the Manitoba legislature, and local Indigenous leaders are speaking out about the incident.

A smaller statue of Queen Elizabeth II on the grounds was also taken down.

Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) Grand Chief Arlen Dumas told 680 CJOB he was part of a march along Portage Avenue but wasn’t at the legislative grounds when the statues fell.

Dumas said he doesn’t condone the incident, but said emotions were high at the march, in recognition of more than 1,000 children recently discovered in unmarked graves at residential schools across the country.

“There’s a lot of anger, there’s a lot of sadness, there’s a lot of grief. It’s a whole multitude of emotions and we’ve got to make sure that we’re giving people the proper resources and the proper supports,” he said.

“I believe there would have been other ways to address the issues of those statues and what they represent, but fundamentally, statues can be replaced but those lost children that we’re finding can never be.

“The trauma that’s been inflicted on people isn’t going to go away easily.”

Dumas said a positive takeaway from Thursday’s march was the overwhelming support from Winnipeggers of all walks of life.

“I think yesterday was an incredible show of solidarity,” he said.

“I truly appreciate all the people who walked down Portage with us. It was truly a sea of orange; there were people of all backgrounds there.”

4:54Statues torn down at Manitoba legislature

Chief Glenn Hudson of Peguis First Nation told 680 CJOB he was also encouraged by the diverse support on Thursday.

“A lot of people walked with us — not only Indigenous people, but a lot of non-Indigenous people, and it was great to see that level of support,” he said.

“For the people that were there — (there was) a lot of pride in terms of walking together and working together. I think it’s so important for us as First Nations, as Indigenous people … like we always have, we reach out to other communities and we work together in finding solutions in going forward.”

Hudson said he found the toppling of the statues “disappointing,” and said in his conversations with other chiefs, many agreed with him — but he understands the anger and frustration that caused it.

“It’s something certainly that I wouldn’t promote,” he said, “but when, you know, your family, your parents, your grandparents and in cases some children didn’t even come home … there’s anger, there’s frustration.

“I know the people there at the (legislature) looked like a younger crowd and certainly those that carried out that act were a younger group.

“They’re frustrated, they’re angry, but they have to understand there’s a process in terms of addressing these outstanding issues.”

Hudson said he’s hopeful this outpouring of support can lead to Indigenous people and government sitting down and working together to fulfill treaty obligations and “make this a better country than what has been shown in the past.”

The province told Global News it’s currently reviewing the details of Thursday’s events on the legislature grounds with the appropriate officials.

0:49Queen Victoria statue toppled outside Manitoba legislature on Canada Day