The discussion around a controversial project intended to honor Canadian politicians is reignited.

A public meeting was held Tuesday evening to discuss the fate of “Prime Minister’s Road” in Wilmot Township. The project began in 2013 when a group of citizens raised funds to recognize Canada’s political past. Their vision included 22 bronze statues representing Canada’s prime ministers. The Prime Minister’s Way was originally supposed to honor 150 years of Confederation, but instead became mired in controversy.

History of the path

In 2013, Kitchener’s Victoria Park was suggested as the original location for the project, but city council rejected the idea after receiving strong opposition from the community.

In 2015, Wilfrid Laurier University considered hosting the project on its Waterloo campus. A few months later, the school reversed its decision and removed a statue of Sir John A. MacDonald after a petition highlighted his role in the residential school system.

In 2016, the Prime Minister’s Trail found a home in Wilmot Township after council unanimously approved the installation of 22 statues in front of Kilbride Castle in Baden. That year, the statue of Sir John A. MacDonald was installed.

Wilmot council made the decision to host the project without public consultation. Then-Mayor Les Armstrong said the public wasn’t consulted because the township wouldn’t pay anything.

In subsequent years, statues of Sir Robert Borden, William L. Mackenzie King, Lester B. Pearson and Kim Campbell were installed.

In the spring of 2020, the statue of Sir John A. MacDonald was splashed with red paint. In July of that year, the council voted to launch a public engagement process on the project. In the fall, the council voted to remove the statue and place it in storage. Four more statues were scheduled to be installed that year, but work was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and then postponed again due to the review.

In 2021, a report by the First Peoples Group recommended immediately removing existing statues from the Prime Minister’s Trail and halting any future expansion or investment.

The completed statues remain in storage to this day.

Finding a Way Forward

Wilmot Township hired a consulting firm, Lura Consulting, to reopen the conversation around the project. The first public meeting took place Tuesday evening.

“It’s become a process where people disagree,” said Denise Soueidan-O’Leary, co-leader of Lura Consulting.

Some people at the meeting were concerned about the way decisions about the project were communicated.

“I was pretty disappointed to hear that the statues disappeared almost overnight,” said resident Don Kasta.

“I think the decision-making process is the fundamental issue,” said Barry Wolfe, another resident.

Lura Consulting representatives said working with the community was a priority.

“We want to hear what people feel, what they have to say, and we will start to do our analysis and determine the possibilities for solutions,” said Benny Skinner, co-leader of Lura Consulting.

Some residents at Tuesday’s meeting said they would like to see the statues return, but with more emphasis on education and understanding.

“When the statues come back, and I hope they do, time and effort will be put into interpretation,” Kasta said.

At this point, there is no specific time frame for when a recommendation can be made to council.

In the meantime, there will be monthly public meetings and another public engagement event on March 5.