Boards around Sir John A. Macdonald statue at Queens Park removed [Video]

After five years, the boards surrounding the statue of Sir John A. Macdonald on the grounds of Queen’s Park in Toronto have been removed.

The hoarding was first erected after the statue of Macdonald was covered in paint during a protest in 2020. Other similar incidents were occurring across the country at the time.

MacDonald’s role in the creation of residential schools, where thousands of Indigenous children were forcibly placed, abused and even died, sparked protests and calls for the removal of similar statues in 2020.

Meanwhile, a number of schools across the province have also been renamed over the past several years.

MacDonald, who was the first prime minister of Canada, is also credited as the father of confederation.

The decision to remove the boards around the statue was made last month by the Legislative Assembly’s Board of Internal Economy.

However, when asked about the move last week, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he was pushing for it.

“I’ve been working on …