By Rebel News | Created at 2024-10-31 23:21:52 | Updated at 2024-11-07 02:42:15
6 days ago
Subhead:Internal Parks Canada communications revealed concerted efforts by Parks Canada to portray Bellevue House, the historic home of Sir John A. Macdonald, as a symbol of ‘white settlers.’#
A True North exclusive revealed a concerted effort by the federal government to negatively portray Sir John A. Macdonald’s historic home as “white settler” history.
An Access to Information request by the publication showed Parks Canada wanted to “decolonize” Canada’s heritage, including the Bellevue House exhibit.
On May 18, the agency reopened the National Historic Site with honourary “racism and sexism” tours as part of those efforts.
The Unpacking Macdonald tour examines “social class structures, racism and sexism in Victorian Canada while looking closer at some of Sir John A. Macdonald’s political decisions.” It refers to Bellevue House as “a place of contemplation on Canada’s colonial beginnings.”
It focused on a divisive narrative and colonial guilt, despite obvious public distaste for historical revisionism.
Federal revision of tour content follows the 2021 removal of a Library and Archives Canada web feature First Among Equals that honoured Macdonald and his successors in a “celebration of Canada’s prime ministers.”
Deletion of the web pages reflected a 2019 cabinet paper Framework For History And Commemoration that said official histories must address “colonialism, patriarchy and racism.”
Historica Canada later deleted a Heritage Minute featuring Macdonald, citing the residential school controversy.
Kelsey Bowles, a spokesperson for Parks Canada, told True North the newly-furnished exhibit was not an attempt to erase history.
“Parks Canada has not changed Sir John A. Macdonald’s history or the impacts of his legacy, nor have we tried to erase him from history,” said Bowles in an emailed statement. “Rather, we have updated how Sir John A. Macdonald is presented at Bellevue House.”
She notes their revitalization of the site’s programming is its first since 1967.
Among the documents includes internal deliberations on whether a doll of the prime minister, calling him the “super evil of all evils,” was appropriate to add to the exhibit.
Their communications were primarily focused on portraying Bellevue House as a symbol of “white settlers.”
“John A. Macdonald’s life at Bellevue House was constructed around deeply embedded colonial systems of class, power, and privilege,” reads the 2024 Bellevue House Renewal Furnishing Plan.
“As we enjoy the beauty of the orchard that stands before you, we can experience how even trees can be used to colonize a land. Apple trees, like these ones, were bred in Europe and brought to these lands to create ‘picturesque’ landscapes to suit settler ideals,” wrote Parks Canada staff.
However, some agency officials expressed discomfort with the lopsided approach.
“Engaging the visitor in critical thought about Macdonald’s legacies is even better. However, this needs to be done in a more balanced manner,” wrote Patricia E. Kell, executive director at Parks Canada’s Cultural Heritage Directorate.
Bowles told True North that stakeholder input spanning several years went into the refurbished exhibit, and that responses have been “open and positive” since May.
She notes the exhibit will continue to be updated.
“Parks Canada will continue to seek feedback from the public, stakeholders, the Community Advisory Committee, and outside experts on the interpretation of Bellevue House and will continue to add and adapt the visitor experience offer,” True North learned.
Alex Dhaliwal
Calgary Based Journalist
Alex Dhaliwal is a Political Science graduate from the University of Calgary. He has actively written on relevant Canadian issues with several prominent interviews under his belt.
