Decision to delay return of Champlain Monument gets mixed reviews – OrilliaMatters
Indigenous history can be depicted ‘without the monument’ of Champlain, says local First Nations educator
News of Parks Canada’s decision to defer the return of the Champlain Monument to Couchiching Beach Park is getting some mixed reactions.
The federal agency announced Thursday the delay was “to allow for additional progress on the implementation of the Samuel de Champlain Monument Working Group recommendations.”
The statue was removed in 2017 for repairs and restoration. Since then, there has been growing opposition to its return.
The working group released a list of recommendations last year, one being “that additional interpretive signage/pieces be developed and created with the participation of First Nations representatives to tell a historically accurate story of Samuel de Champlain and his relationship with First Nations.”
