Soldier’s memorial in St. Catharines latest piece of history cancelled

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So much for Lest We Forget.

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When it comes to Canadians who served their country in war and died, they always say we will remember. Until, of course, it’s no longer politically correct to do so.

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Then we erase. Hide, smear and banish as well.

For 138 years, fallen soldier Private Alexander Watson’s statue stood tall in downtown St. Catharines in tribute not only to a young man who served his country, but to soldiers who fought and died in Canada’s name.

But just like that, on Thursday he was gone.

City Council decided that since he fought for the 9th Winnipeg Battalion Rifles in the May 9 to 12, 1885 North West Resistance’s famous Battle of Batoche in Saskatchewan against Metis and Indigenous sympathizers, this memorial flies in the face of Canada’s quest for reconciliation and it must be cancelled.

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“It’s a shame because it’s a rare piece of Canadian history,” local historian Dan McKnight said. “Erected in 1886, this was the oldest statue to a military person in Canada.”

“You can’t change your history by removing statues like this, but you can learn from them,” he added.

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There was, said McKnight, a real opportunity to introduce education about this battle, how Metis leader and member of parliament Louis Riel was captured and hanged for treason, and the ongoing relations between Canadians and First Nations people.

They could have erected other statues or plaques offering the differing perspectives of that time in contrast to how things are currently. But today’s political leaders keep tearing down statues of yesterdays.

Sir John A. Macdonald was Canada’s prime minister when this battle occurred, which no doubt is part of the impetus to vanish this era from sight.

“But I don’t think people from 140 years ago should be held to the standard of what is acceptable today,” said McKnight. “They forget, Watson was just a private who was sent out to serve his country. He did that admirably and was shot and killed doing it.”

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Watson, engaged to be married and just 28 years old, died on May 15, 1885 – three days after he was shot – becoming a casualty of war almost three decades before the First World War.

Valour Canada say the Battle of Batoche saw the Canadian militia report eight dead and 46 wounded. While the Metis side suffer 16 deaths and up to 30 wounded.

St. Catharines radio station 101.1 FM reported Mayor Mat Siscoe saying, “The battle this statue stands in memorial of represents a government subjugating a race of people standing up for their rights. The Northwest Resistance epitomizes the anger of Indigenous peoples over stolen lands and broken treaties.”

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City Council there voted 12-1 to remove the Watson memorial and relocate the statue to a nearby cemetery.

Only brave Councillor Joe Kushner voted against the move.

McKnight said others on council agreed with Kushner that there must be a better way to reflect on the past than removal, but no one wanted to be labelled as racist, so they bowed to the pressure.

Removing this statue does not help with any of the grievances. In fact, in many ways, it eliminates any discussion going forward at all since it will no longer be in front of city hall to spark debate. Hopefully today’s politicians are not judge as harshly as they judge their predecessors.

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“Originally they were talking about actually burying it,” said McKnight.

Thanks to the efforts of him and others, they were able to ensure the statue will be moved to Victoria Lawn Cemetery where the private, and all of that history, will be buried and hidden away from the public.

You can bury the past and people from it, but you can’t change history.

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