Statue of Queen Elizabeth repaired and reinstalled at Manitoba legislature, 2 years after vandalism
A bronze statue of Queen Elizabeth that was toppled and damaged by protesters two years ago was put back in its place Friday on the grounds of the Manitoba legislature after a lengthy set of repairs.
The statue, almost three metres high, landed face first when it was hauled to the ground on Canada Day in 2021 by demonstrators following the discovery of suspected unmarked graves at a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C.
"The face was pushed in, the arm was scraped, and the whole base was totally crooked, too," Charles Brunet, the third-generation owner of Brunet Monuments, recalled Friday as he and a crew of workers reinstalled the statue under a sweltering sun.
The repair, done in conjunction with a Saskatchewan company contracted by Brunet, also involved sandblasting and giving the statue a new protective coating.
"I'm so elated. I'm so excited. She is up, she is looking good. She's solid, too," he said with a chuckle. "I won't be called again, I hope."
The work was partly personal for Brunet, who had worked on installing the statue decades ago. It was originally in a less-prominent spot near the Manitoba Museum and was relocated to its current position -- a garden beside the lieutenant-governor's house on the east side of the legislature -- in 2010.
"We're so happy that's she's back in her home," he said.
The statue is now also more secure. There are more rods connecting the statue to its large base and also more rods linking the base to the monument's concrete foundation. The statue was created in 1968 by renowned artist Leo Mol, who is honoured with an entire sculpture garden in Winnipeg's Assiniboine Park.
It was one of two monuments toppled by protesters in 2021 over the deaths of children at residential schools.
A statue of Queen Elizabeth II was toppled Thursday, July 1, 2021. (Source: Gary Robson/CTV News)
The second -- a larger statue of Queen Victoria that stood prominently near the main entrance to the legislature grounds -- had its head removed and was damaged beyond repair.
The area where that statue stood is now an open stretch of grass, and the Progressive Conservative government has indicated it may remain an open place for public gathering instead of housing a monument to any one individual.
"There's a huge area for people to assemble now," James Teitsma, minister for government services, said Friday.
"We just want to make sure that the Manitoba legislative grounds are welcoming, are beautiful, and also reflect our shared stories and our history."
Although the statues were toppled in an area covered by security cameras, no one was ever charged with the vandalism.
Arlen Dumas, who was grand chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs at the time and was at a separate event, said he did not condone the toppling of the monuments. But he said people needed to keep in mind what was happening to Indigenous communities as they were dealing with the legacy of residential schools.
The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs did not immediately respond to an interview request Friday.
There are many other statues on the legislature grounds, including monuments to Metis leader Louis Riel and Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko.
The government is planning to have a memorial to Chief Peguis and other signatories of the first treaty in Manitoba put up in the near future. It would be the first monument to a First Nations person on the grounds.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2023
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10,000 Zantac lawsuits in U.S.: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Watch fighter jet pilots pummel fake enemy ship off coast of Philippines
The United States and Philippines held annual joint-training drills just off the Southeast Asian nation’s western coast on Wednesday. Military forces sunk a 'mock' enemy warship – the BRP Lake Caliraya, which was a decommissioned tanker made in China.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his head more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.