Samuel de Champlain monument will be re-installed in Orillia, with alterations

By The Canadian Press

OTTAWA — A much-debated monument to Samuel de Champlain will be re-installed in an Ontario town, but with significant changes.

The original monument in Orillia, northeast of Toronto, portrayed the French explorer along with several other figures, including four statues of First Nations people represented in a way some considered racist.

Only the figure of Champlain will be re-installed immediately, while the others will be the subject of further consultation, a working group announced Wednesday.

A plaque accompanying the monument will also be updated.

Additional monuments or signs will be created to accurately describe the history of Samuel de Champlain’s relationship with First Nations, the working group decided.

The working group had been consulting for eight months on the issue, and included the municipal government, Parks Canada, First Nations and other groups.

The Canadian Press

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