Unveiling of Chief Peguis monument facing delays

The creation of a monument that will honour Chief Peguis and the 1817 treaty he signed is facing delays.

The monument, which will include a statue of Chief Peguis on the grounds of the Manitoba Legislative Building, was initially expected to be unveiled this September on the 160th anniversary of Chief Peguis’ death. However, the group involved in creating the monument said it is taking longer than they expected.

“Our group had never been involved in a project of this type on the grounds of the Manitoba Legislative Building, which is a very important place for all Manitobans and subject to many different requirements,” said John Perrin, co-chair of Friends of the Peguis Selkirk Treaty Inc.

Perrin explained that the statue is only in the beginning stages of being sculpted and will take a year until it’s finished.

He added that next summer they will have the landscaping and plinth ready for the statue, with the unveiling now scheduled for September 2025.

Perrin said the monument is meant to commemorate the Peguis-Selkirk Treaty, but also to contribute to reconciliation.

“It will be a very important addition to Winnipeg’s landscape environment,” he said.

The total cost of the monument is just over $1 million, with a $500,000 contribution from the province.