REGINA -- The City of Regina will be consulting with the public over the Sir John A. Macdonald statue in Victoria Park, saying it recognizes the statue represents a harmful legacy.

The city said Tuesday that it will be reaching out to Indigenous elders, artists, community members and other cultural groups for guidance on responding to harmful legacies.

It said it wants to increase broader understanding of the city’s diverse histories.

Mayor Michael Fougere said the city has received complaints about the statue. He said city council will look at a number of options before it makes a final decision.

"We could leave it as is, remove it, put it somwhere else, or put a plaque on it to explain that history," he said.

With discussions of racism at the forefront, some members of the public have urged for the removal of statues and symbols that represent Canada’s colonialist past.

In 2017, people created a petition calling for the removal of the statue. The statue has also been vandalized previously.

 

People can provide feedback about the statue here.