I always wonder why certain people of our society wish to get rid of monuments and memories of our past politicians.
Looking back is always perfect, and hindsight is always correct. I do not believe that our forefathers wanted to do harm, and that they believed they were doing the right thing at the time.
Assimilation was the name of the game then, right or wrong. It did not work for the French population or the Indigenous community.
Our politicians made mistakes if we are looking back from the 21st century. I am sure that treaties would be negotiated differently today rather than in the 19th century, but we need to live with the mistakes of the past.
I dare any society to say that they were perfect and did nothing wrong over their history and do not regret some aspect of their past.
Let us look at the great things that our forefathers did in building the best country in the world, looking at things that way will help us admire their vision.
I believe President Kennedy would not have gone to Vietnam had he known the outcome, or that President Bush would not have invaded Iraq had he known there were no weapons of mass destruction.
It is time to stop accusing the past fathers of this country. If your society is perfect, then you can cast the first stone.
Paul Sauvé
Sudbury