Skip to main content

“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

Aaron Gunn: It doesn’t mean we have to tear down our past ... and it certainly doesn’t mean we should be ashamed of the country we call home


Here in Montreal, the statue* of Canada’s first Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, has been defaced once again – it happened early in the morning of Thursday March 21st.

The results of which you can see right behind me and that the City of Montreal are doing their very best to clean up.

It’s just the latest in what’s become a routine assault on the father of confederation and the history of this country.

The truth is Canadians should be proud of their history and the central role Sir John A. had in shaping it.

He built this country, from the ground up. From confederation to the national railway his story and that of Canada’s is one and the same; a story of perseverance, determination and success against all odds. 

Was he perfect?

Statue of Sir John A. Macdonald
being torn down in Victoria
No ... but you’d be hard pressed to find a man born in 1815, who lives up to the expectations of today.

But that’s okay ... things change.

That doesn’t mean we have to re-write our history ... it doesn’t mean we have to tear down our past ... and it certainly doesn’t mean we should be ashamed of the country we call home.


Prior to his work for BC Proud, Aaron worked for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) where he founded and became Executive Director of the Generation Screwed initiative, fighting back against government debt and its impact on future generations.

He is an advocate for taxpayers and common sense. Throughout his work and notably in his role as Spokesperson for BC Proud, Aaron has been a voice for citizens across British Columbia and Canada.


*In 1895, the site chosen for installation of the monument to Sir John Alexander Macdonald was the south part of Dominion Square, positioning it as the focal point of a long perspective view.

In 1967, this part of the square was renamed Place du Canada, which was a perfect fit with the presence of the monument, Macdonald having been one of the Fathers of Confederation and Canada’s first prime minister.

CLICK HERE to read more about the sculpture of Sir John A. Macdonald
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

NDP Government Blames Everyone but Themselves

The federal government has announced new measures to support British Columbia's forestry sector, including $65 million in funding for projects across the province. While any support is welcome, it falls far short of the level of assistance other provinces have secured for key industries. Conservative Forests Critic Ward Stamer says the NDP government needs to take responsibility for its mismanagement of B.C.’s forest industry instead of trying to pass on the blame. Despite promising to create more jobs in the forest sector, the NDP government has overseen the loss of thousands of forestry jobs and 21 mill closures which have devastated communities. “If Premier Eby spent more time addressing the regulatory issues impacting the forestry sector than he did complaining about the federal government, we would not be in the position we are now,” said Stamer. “And instead of trying to place the blame for mill closures on Donald Trump, Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar should t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Tourists Rack Up $200M in Unpaid Health Bills While BC Patients Wait Years for Care

While British Columbians wait years for basic medical care, the NDP government has allowed non-residents to rack up $200.6 million in unpaid health bills since 2020-2021. New research from SecondStreet.org, obtained through a freedom of information request, revealed that people from outside Canada are coming to BC, receiving health services, and leaving without paying their bills.  The losses span every health region in the province. "British Columbians are not guaranteed timely access to healthcare, be it treatment or diagnostics, and this situation continues to deteriorate under the NDP," said Anna Kindy, MLA for North Island and Critic for Health. "Taxpayers are footing the bill for tourists' health treatments to the tune of over $200 million, enough to cover over 21,000 hip replacements in this province while British Columbians wait months to years for that surgery.” The research found BC has the worst record of any province in Canada examined so far. Under a dec...
Post a Comment
Read more

NDP Finance Minister Given "F" on Report Card by Canadian Taxpayers Federation

Peter Milobar, MLA for Kamloops Centres and Official Opposition Finance Critic, released the following statement in response to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation's 2026 Finance Minister Report Card, which ranked BC Finance Minister Brenda Bailey dead last among provincial finance ministers in Canada with an overall grade of "F":  "British Columbians didn't need a report card to know things are headed in the wrong direction. They see it every time they pay their bills, try to buy a home, or watch another government deficit pile up. But now an independent national organization has confirmed that NDP Brenda Bailey is the worst-rated finance minister in Canada. "After nearly a decade of decline under this NDP government, British Columbia has become a province where people pay more, government borrows more, and families get less in return. We have some of the highest debt in the country, repeated credit downgrades, and no credible plan to get our finances back on...
Post a Comment
Read more

Labels

Show more