Calls for Pembroke, Ont. mural depicting Catholic saint to be taken down
The City of Pembroke is reviewing one of the town’s 34 local murals, and whether it should be taken down in light of the ongoing findings of unmarked graves at residential school sites.
Painted in 1992, the mural titled “Marguerite d’Youville and Her Mission”, at the corner of Church Street and Pembroke Street West in downtown Pembroke, appears to depict a pair of nuns beckoning out to an Indigenous child.
D’Youville was born in Varennes, Quebec, in 1701, and is known as the founder of the Sisters of Charity of Montreal, the “Grey Nuns”. She was known for caring for the poor and sick, and had a sister community of grey nuns set up in Pembroke. Pope John Paul II canonized d'Youville in 1990, making her the first native-born Canadian to become a saint in the Roman Catholic Church. She died in 1771, about 100 years before the residential school system in Canada began.
An online petition calling for the mural to come down has about 15,000 signatures.
“I think it should be taken down and painted over, and with better representation of the First Nations,” says Nikoma Tennisco, an Indigenous member of the Pembroke community.
“I noticed it a long time ago,” Tennisco goes onto say, “I’ve been coming to this taco place (across the street) regularly and it’s definitely a trigger for Indigenous people and it’s misrepresentation of who we are and what we believe. And it represents all the hurt and everything that has happened.”
A red handprint can be seen on the mural titled 'Marguerite d’Youville and Her Mission' in downtown Pembroke.
The city says they are seeking feedback and recommendations from local Indigenous and community leaders on what to do with the mural. Mayor Michael LeMay added that it is crucial to be respectful of the concerns raised and the symbols the mural may represent.
“It’s a constant reminder of that not so rosy relationship we’ve had with the Catholic Church,” says Duane Gastant Aucoin, an Indigenous member of Pembroke’s diversity committee. “To me, it’s offensive but not to the degree of the Algonquin people because of their relationship with the grey nuns.”
Aucoin says the decision on whether the mural should come down is one that should not be made by majority.
“The Pikwakanagan people, whose land this is; whatever their wishes and regards to this mural, that’s what should be supported,” says Aucoin.
In the meantime, red handprints and markings have been put overtop of the mural.
Duane Gastant Aucoin, an Indigenous member of Pembroke’s diversity committee, stands next to the Marguerite d’Youville and Her Mission. A red hand print, placed on the mural in protest, can be seen. (Dylan Dyson)
“I can tell you, I thought about putting red hand prints on this mural when I discovered it,” says Aucoin. “Because that anger just had to go somewhere.”
“I think it’s actually a very polite handprint,” says Tennisco, referring to the markings as a form of protest. “There was only the two handprints, and that’s the truth behind what that painting represents.”
--
If you are a former residential school student in distress, or have been affected by the residential school system and need help, you can contact the 24-hour Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line at 1-866-925-4419, or the Indian Residential School Survivors Society toll free line at 1-800-721-0066.
Additional mental-health support and resources for Indigenous people are available here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.