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New Statues Unveiled on Wilmot’s “Prime Ministers Path” Amid Indigenous Opposition
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New Statues Unveiled Amid Ongoing Controversy
Four additional bronze statues—Sir John Abbott, Sir John Thompson, Sir Mackenzie Bowell and Sir Charles Tupper—were installed in the municipal park at Castle Kilbride in Baden, Ontario, during an afternoon ceremony. Roughly a dozen protesters described the project as “insensitive and poorly conceived.” The statues join an existing lineup that includes Sir John A. Macdonald, Kim Campbell, Sir Robert Borden, William Lyon Mackenzie King and Lester B. Pearson.
Project History and Planned Scope
The “Prime Ministers Path” was first proposed in 2013 to honor former Canadian leaders with 22 bronze statues for Canada’s 150th anniversary. After early rejections by Kitchener councillors (2014) and Wilfrid Laurier University (2016), the statues were relocated to Castle Kilbride. By 2020, the Sir John A. Macdonald statue was placed in storage following calls for its removal over residential-school ties, and the township council cancelled the project in 2021, leading to the removal of existing statues. In April of the previous year, Wilmot council voted to revive the initiative, granting Createscape Waterloo Region custody of nine statues and a 20-year display agreement. The long-term goal remains the completion of the remaining 13 statues; current plans exclude Justin Trudeau and Mark Carney to avoid “a little bit too political” implications.
Official Statements and Educational Component
Don Bourgeois, chair of the board and president of Createscape Waterloo Region, said the project now incorporates an educational website featuring material on the prime ministers’ decisions and their impact on First Nations. He emphasized that Indigenous perspectives have been part of the discussion from the outset. “Obviously we're very happy that [the project] has found its footing once again,” he said.
Criticism from Indigenous Advocates
Benny Skinner, who uses they/them pronouns and led Saturday’s protest, argued that genuine Indigenous consultation has been lacking, describing the effort as “extremely insensitive and poorly thought-out.” Skinner contended that the project seeks an Indigenous endorsement merely to proceed. “They're looking for an Indigenous person to check off that it's fine so that they can continue to do this project the way that it is,” Skinner said. Nathan Scott, the sculptor of the newest statues, reported that none of the Indigenous individuals he has spoken with support the installation on these lands and warned that erasing contentious history would diminish national identity.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Obviously we're very happy that [the project] has found its footing once again,” — Don Bourgeois, chair of the board and president of Createscape Waterloo Region
- “They're looking for an Indigenous person to check off that it's fine so that they can continue to do this project the way that it is,” — Benny Skinner
These statements illustrate the tension between the project’s educational ambitions and the concerns of Indigenous communities and local activists.
