Your Stories, Our Histories

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Consultation has concluded


The engagement phase in the Your Stories, Our Histories project has now concluded. Thank you for taking the time to provide input into an updated cultural heritage strategy for Kingston. Staff are reviewing all input received and will report back to Council in the winter of 2020. You can learn more about next steps here https://www.cityofkingston.ca/city-hall/projects-construction/your-stories


Kingston, as a community, has evolved and changed over time. Help us shape the exhibits, programs, and spaces that the City of Kingston creates for residents and visitors by getting involved in Your Stories, Our Histories. Your feedback may be used to identify a list of themes, issues and topics that could be used to develop future programming that includes exhibits, events and educational offerings on-site at Kingston City Hall as well as across other City-owned sites.

As a subset of the Your Stories, Our Histories project the City also invited residents to offer their perspectives on Sir John A. Macdonald and how his history and legacy can be positioned within a broader understanding of local history. This consultation is now complete. Learn more about the actions arising from this consultation at https://www.cityofkingston.ca/explore/culture-history/history/sir-john-a

We are listening! Here is how to get involved:

In person:

  • Come chat with us! We will be in the community at special events throughout the spring and summer. Take a look at the key dates, then plan to stop by and visit with us.
  • Attend a workshop that dives into themes and ideas that matter. Sign up to express your interest and availability - we will contact you once we have finalized the dates and locations of these workshops.
  • Visit the Sir John A Macdonald room in Kingston's City Hall and leave a comment card.

Online:

  • Offer your input below. Share your story, thoughts and ideas on how we can make Kingston's history more inclusive.


The engagement phase in the Your Stories, Our Histories project has now concluded. Thank you for taking the time to provide input into an updated cultural heritage strategy for Kingston. Staff are reviewing all input received and will report back to Council in the winter of 2020. You can learn more about next steps here https://www.cityofkingston.ca/city-hall/projects-construction/your-stories


Kingston, as a community, has evolved and changed over time. Help us shape the exhibits, programs, and spaces that the City of Kingston creates for residents and visitors by getting involved in Your Stories, Our Histories. Your feedback may be used to identify a list of themes, issues and topics that could be used to develop future programming that includes exhibits, events and educational offerings on-site at Kingston City Hall as well as across other City-owned sites.

As a subset of the Your Stories, Our Histories project the City also invited residents to offer their perspectives on Sir John A. Macdonald and how his history and legacy can be positioned within a broader understanding of local history. This consultation is now complete. Learn more about the actions arising from this consultation at https://www.cityofkingston.ca/explore/culture-history/history/sir-john-a

We are listening! Here is how to get involved:

In person:

  • Come chat with us! We will be in the community at special events throughout the spring and summer. Take a look at the key dates, then plan to stop by and visit with us.
  • Attend a workshop that dives into themes and ideas that matter. Sign up to express your interest and availability - we will contact you once we have finalized the dates and locations of these workshops.
  • Visit the Sir John A Macdonald room in Kingston's City Hall and leave a comment card.

Online:

  • Offer your input below. Share your story, thoughts and ideas on how we can make Kingston's history more inclusive.

Tell your story

As we start this conversation, we need your help to ensure your stories help our histories to be as inclusive as possible.  Please share your stories that may be less well known but are important to capture.  If you don't have a story you can also share your thoughts and ideas about local history so we can capture a diversity of themes, issues and ideas that are worth exploring. 

Please remember that this is a safe space for you to share your thoughts, feelings and opinions.  By sharing, you are helping to foster a community conversation. We ask that if you are inclined to use strong language that you do so in a responsible, respectful manner. Words are powerful, so please choose them wisely. 

Thank you for participating.  Your feedback will form part of the City of Kingston's larger 'Your Stories, Our Histories' public engagement project.  Want to keep talking?  Want to get involved?  We encourage your continued participation in this conversation by signing up for the Your Stories, Our Histories e-mail list.

CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.
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    Preserve our history.

    by Snow, over 5 years ago

    "I do not think the purpose of a government is to right the past. It cannot rewrite history. It is our purpose to be just in our time" - Pierre Trudeau 

    I read this quote some time ago and it continues to resonate with me. Let's continue to learn from our history and be just in our time. Please leave our statues etc alone.

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    We must remember also when Sir John lived, and his culture.

    by Steve Ogden, over 5 years ago

    I feel I should in some way let folks know something about myself here. I'm a 66 year old, retired white guy. I was raised in the '50's and '60's in one of Canada's maritime provinces, and my parents' opinions were of necessity what I was taught. My Mom is a farmers daughter and my Dad was a somewhat poorly educated man.  I was told "Indian men are either drunk, screwing or both, and 99% of the women are whores. The rest of the women are nuns."  I'm so glad I've changed, at least some. I'm still alive, so that... Continue reading

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    Sir John A McDonald

    by KOBrien, over 5 years ago

    You cannot change history only learn from it. The City of Victoria took down his stature but did not change their name. If Sir John A. supported colonialism, Queen Victoria was an unrepentant imperialist and colonialist.It’s shocking that such progressive politicians can think well of themselves while keeping the city’s name honoring such a racist, imperialist and colonialist as Queen Victoria.

    As to his stature in City Park. Maybe the City would consider putting on a scarf each year for a period of time. Sorta like a Christmas Decoration. I do not think there would be much objection and it... Continue reading

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    Sir John A McDonald

    by Ptasse, over 5 years ago

    Let me begin by saying "Sir" John A, FIRST PM of Canada lived 1815-1891. In the 19th Century, there were many more wars than I thought involving French, English and Indigenous peoples. History states they were mistreated and therefore fought back. But it wasn't only the indigenous peoples, it was also the new homesteaders-some who were killed by indigenous people just for trying to settle or move to new territories. Right or wrong with today's vision, it was what was happening back then. Measures were taken to correct the situation and peaceful solutions were sought. The non-indigenous people thought they... Continue reading

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    Tell all the stories of Kingston

    by L Luciuk, over 5 years ago

    In August 2014 over 100 plaques were simultaneously unveiled across Canada recalling Canada's first national internment operations of 1914-1920. Under the terms of The War Measures Act (that would be deployed again during the Second World War against our fellow Japanese, Italian and German Canadians and, in 1970, against some Quebecois during the October Crisis) thousands of Ukrainians and other Europeans were needlessly imprisoned as "enemy aliens," forced to do heavy labour for the profit of their jailers, and subjected to other state sanctioned indignities, including disenfranchisement and deportation. This all happened not because of any wrong they had done... Continue reading

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    “The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.” ― George Orwell

    by deweycat, over 5 years ago

    We, as a nation, would not be what we are, and as a people, would not be who we are without the vision and drive of Sir John A. MacDonald. The proposition that we remove him from our history because, after the benefit of 150 years of hindsight, we can rightly question the merits of some policies conducted which concurred with the social mores of the time, puts on the edge of a very slippery revisionist slope. 

    Should we not then erase William Lyon Mackenzie King from statuary, text books, and elsewhere? After all, he did authorize the internment of... Continue reading

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    Don't deny our history - just let us learn to grow from it

    by johnsankey, over 5 years ago

    Sir John was a major contributor to founding our nation - 150 years ago! Canada, and some of the world, has evolved since then. Many people then considered as caring and responsible shared many of his views. True, he was far from perfect even by the standards of his time - reprobate, drunkard, 4-letter word expert, just to name a few.

    But, look at other nations! We in Canada have had more constructive and more representative federal governance than most other nations on our planet. We owe a good part of that to our first prime minister, not just in... Continue reading

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    Keep our history

    by DJL, over 5 years ago

    We need to keep and learn from our history not try to erase it. We can’t just keep and report on  “the good” or “the bad”  parts of our our ancestors whatever they may seem to be. That’s one-sided. We need to provide an overall education and picture of what our ancestors did. Then on balance, we can determine their place in history. I dare to say no one is perfect. Otherwise, we would likely not have anyone to name streets or parks after. 

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    Acknowledging history

    by Patti S, over 5 years ago

    I recently travelled to Germany and visited a work camp at Dachau.  Germany has found a way to acknowledge part of it's past that is painful to accept. I think we need to ensure that all aspects of history are acknowledged and taught. I think it is important to keep the statues of Sir John A. and the streets/schools named in his honour. I also think we need to find a way to acknowledge what happened to  indigenous populations. I don't know if there was ever a residential school in this area, but somewhere in Ontario (not necessarily Kingston) a... Continue reading

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    My Thoughts

    by leanneA, over 5 years ago

    I don't like the statues as it does put the person on a pedestal. Not that they did not make huge contributions to our history in a good way but we need to recognize the dark side. History is history, very important but important to understand the entire story. After really researching, listening and reading everything I can I am now more aware (and definitely not fully aware yet) of the past here in Canada, we need more education, learning and speaking the language, or at least the option is available. I for one would have loved to learn about... Continue reading