Throne speech promises new legislature statue, teases plans for toppled Queen Victoria

The Manitoba legislative grounds will get a new statue on its front lawn, while the future of the historic Queen Victoria statue toppled by protesters three years ago has not yet been carved in stone.

The news came in the NDP government’s throne speech delivered Tuesday.

In the speech, the NDP government said it will commission a new statue for the front lawn of the Manitoba Legislative Building.

“I think there's an opportunity here to send a values message about who we are as Manitoba,” said Premier Wab Kinew.

The statue will depict a mother and child bison – Manitoba’s provincial symbol – and will serve as a reminder of the harms in the residential school era.

“It also evokes and acknowledges the history of residential schools and the bond between parent and child that were harmed in that era,” Kinew said.

This new statue will fill the now-vacant space where the historic Queen Victoria statue once stood. It was toppled by protesters on Canada Day in 2021, who covered it with red paint and removed its head.

The former PC government had deemed the statue beyond repair and rejected the idea of replicating it. However, there may still be a future for the piece.

“I think it's important that we preserve the statue and what took place in the living memory of our province,” Kinew said.

On Tuesday, the NDP government announced it will convene a group of cultural institutions, museums, and heritage experts to determine “the best way to display and honour this historic monument.”

“I want this to be presented in a historically relevant context,” Kinew said.

He said the statue will likely be displayed in its current condition, as he was told the statue is beyond repair.

No design or budget has been determined for the new statue. Kinew said this announcement is just the start of the process.