So, british mumsnet, how do you feel about statues of Queen Victorian and QEII torn down in Canada?

[Evangeli]

www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-57693683

While we're talking about statues, curious to hear opinions on this. Are you shocked, outraged or just "meh"? I feel this is different from the slaver captain who was torn down last year (in Plymouth?) or the military/politician men who have been toppling across Canada- it feels even more iconoclastic?

Personally I'm anti-monarchist, so it's all good to me, but would like to discuss it. fwiw, I grew up in the UK but immigrated to Canada as an adult.

'People who destroy things are lacking in intelligence'

Like the suffragettes?'

Yes. The UK isn't the only place to have had suffragettes you know, and others weren't as militant. I have no time for people who destroy the property of others, whatever their cause.

From what I am seeing people in canada don’t know about the statues as the news media is not reporting that the statues came down, and or they don’t really care. I think it’s weird the media here aren’t reporting on it. Also the findings of the children’s bodies in the old schools/children’s homes hasn’t rattled people too many either. I’m shocked but it seems Canadians must have known they were buried somewhere, now they just know where they are buried. Again not much response from people. I am not sure what to think of the responses tbh.

I'm all for statues of slave traders being removed and if people in Canada (and anywhere else) want to remove statues then they're more than entitled to do so. Why have a 'memorial' (don't think that's the right word) for someone who you feel has done you wrong? Quite right to get rid of them.

Like many previous posters, my shock and outrage is directed towards the deaths of children, and the terrible history of residential schools. I don't particularly care about statues.

I'm not in favour of statues just being torn down. Moving some to museums so the historical context of why they were put there and what they represent, how attitudes have changed (or things come to light) and why they have been moved. Public statues in a street or park or other public place can be a celebration of someone, that for whatever reason we do not want to celebrate now.

I feel sad for HM seeing those photos.

The schools were run by the Catholic Church that has a vile history of running institutions where women and children were shamed and abused behind closed doors for centuries. They are still peddling their abusive nastiness in some places.

The mistreatment & deaths of children have unsurprisingly produced a demonstration of anger and grief. Just in the wrong direction.

Didn’t know about it and couldn’t care less!

Tbf as a Brit, fairly used to finding atrocities in the name of the British most places I visit.
However, when visiting Canada I was genuinely shocked at terrible treatment by them of the Chinese. And I only found out about it through a statue in Toronto.

@Evangeli

www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-57693683

While we're talking about statues, curious to hear opinions on this. Are you shocked, outraged or just "meh"? I feel this is different from the slaver captain who was torn down last year (in Plymouth?) or the military/politician men who have been toppling across Canada- it feels even more iconoclastic?

Personally I'm anti-monarchist, so it's all good to me, but would like to discuss it. fwiw, I grew up in the UK but immigrated to Canada as an adult.

Somebody if it know in a place I don’t know doesn’t like a lump of, what? Metal? Rock? That I’ve never heard of.

Why should I feel anything at all?

Sorry, clicked on this thread by mistake, and don’t get what the OP is on about at all.

It’s a complete non event here

For me the history of Britain is as much the history of colonial Britain and the Empire as it is the island that we live on. I'm proud to be British and rightly ashamed of parts of our history & the pulling down of those statues are IMO a great thing, a meaningful act of resistance.

I don’t give a fuck about the statues. I’m more concerned about all the remains of indigenous people being found. It’s about 1000 isn’t it? Mainly children and more and more keep being uncovered. The people of Canada, especially direct descendants of those who grew up in those “homes” have every right to be angry with what’s been discovered. I hope they get answers and some kind of closure.

Nothing

Yes I'm sure my ancestors none of whom have lived in Canada are to blame for those deaths - it's history according to social media.

I thought Canadians were very conservative and did not do this sort of thing. Is it the heat wave there that's changing their character?

I happen to think the Queen is ok, but it's not my country. Can't get excited about it I'm afraid.
It's a symbol they're pulling down and I'm sure she won't take it personally.

Their country, their statues, their choice.

Not outraged at all. In fact, I'm almost quite pleased.

Imperialist expansionism by European nations led to attempts to annihilate indigenous peoples, and created the culture which led to appalling acts some of which that have only recently come to light.

I'm a republican too, so kings and queens hold no special status for me.

I'm not in favour of statues being torn down, and I am confused as to why they think the current Queen had anything to do with the death of those children.

Victoria might have presided over similar policies, although she didn't really have any power and I doubt any of it was her idea, although I'm not sufficiently well informed to know - however I suspect male politicians had much more to do with it. And I also agree with the pp who said it's not great to have even fewer statues of women.

I'd prefer efforts to go in improving the here and now, not making pointless gestures against the wrong people.

I'm British and pro-monarchy.

Don't give a flying fig about the statues. I can understand the anger at the mass graves and those poor children.

Canada has an enormous European population - half the provinces are French FFS! It’s a shame that the people who think pulling down a statue of a dead Queen and a living Queen is forward thinking are the same people who believe men can magically turn into women, and don’t actually give a damn about First Nations women who are locked up in prisons with men, or who are treated like shit by their employers, or who have had their land taken away from them by the government in order to drill for oil…
Canada is the most backwards thinking nation I’ve ever been to whilst claiming to be the most forward thinking.

@LakieLady

Not outraged at all. In fact, I'm almost quite pleased.

Imperialist expansionism by European nations led to attempts to annihilate indigenous peoples, and created the culture which led to appalling acts some of which that have only recently come to light.

I'm a republican too, so kings and queens hold no special status for me.

And continues to take place even now!

, and don’t actually give a damn about First Nations women who are locked up in prisons with men, or who are treated like shit by their employers, or who have had their land taken away from them by the government in order to drill for oil…

Or the many who disappear....

I'm a bit mixed , I was glad about the Coston Statue because it was a symbolic act of the moment and possibly the same happened in Canada , but I would hate for wholesale destruction of statues because it just becomes meaningless vandalism.

@HmmmmmmInteresting

Your options are qwhite interesting...'shocked, outraged or meh'. Not expecting anybody to be supportive or happy. Check your bias

Check my bias? Jog on mate. Don't try to get me to change my values and morals and join the woke brigade via catchy quips.

I really couldn't care less. What I do care about though is that if the UK Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill is enacted it could mean someone receiving a longer sentence for defacing a statue than a rapist receives. Women literally mean less than a lump of stone or metal. Meanwhile, just 1.4% of rape cases recorded by police in the UK result in a charge, and fewer still are successfully prosecuted. Let's keep the focus on the important issues. Whether an historic statue has been torn down is neither here nor there when viewed within this context.