Inside the Statue Wars
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John A. Macdonald. Egerton Ryerson. Queen Victoria.
For some, they're among the great heroes and nation-builders of Canada. For many others, they're racist imperialists and criminals, and the statues that commemorate them should be pulled from their pedestals and purged from public spaces.
Inside the Statue Wars delves into the heated battle over our public memorials and statues in Canada.
Statues may seem like ordinary, lifeless objects or dismissed as invisible street furniture, but recent events prove they are potent symbols.
Some say their removal is a long overdue reckoning and argue that statues are relics of a racist era which must be removed before we can reach reconciliation. Others insist statue toppling is vandalism and based on a dangerous distortion of history.
The documentary features a staunch Macdonald defender; a noted neuroscientist who explains why statues matter; charismatic Gen Z Indigenous leaders; and an activist dubbed the "Statue Slayer" for his role in smashing statues in two cities.
Inside the Statue Wars dives into the events that sparked these battles by revisiting some of the most dramatic topplings and explores what's next for the controversial statues that still stand.
