Sir John A. Macdonald statue to be removed from Victoria City Hall

A statue of Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada’s first prime minister, will be removed from the steps of Victoria City Hall.

Mayor Lisa Helps says the move is a gesture of reconciliation.

Helps says says Macdonald should be celebrated as Canada’s first prime minister.

But adds it’s important to note that he was a “key architect” of Canada’s residential school system.

The decision to remove the statue followed months of deliberations and consultation with local Indigenous chiefs and councils.

The removal will take place Saturday.

Helps says the statue will be stored until the city finds an appropriate way to put Macdonald into the right context.

A cleansing, blessing and healing ceremony will be held after the statue is removed.

A plaque explaining its removal will be installed in its place.