MONTREAL After repeated demands and bouts of vandalism, McGill University has removed a statue of the school’s namesake James McGill. The university says it was removed from the school’s lower campus Friday after last week s act of vandalism added to previous damage. McGill (1744-1813) was a Scottish merchant who immigrated to Canada and became a furs and ammunition merchant. During his lifetime, McGill owned at least five Black and Indigenous slaves. A McGill spokesperson told CTV News the statue is being repaired and will remain out of the public eye indefinitely. Once it’s fixed, the university says it may be replaced in the lower campus or relocated somewhere else.
McGill kicked off its bicentennial (1821-2021) celebrations on March 31 by broadcasting its centrepiece event, “Celebrate 200: Launching Our 3rd Century,” live from the university’s bicentennial website. Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, MD ‘18, a frontline healthcare worker and professional football player, and Heleena De Oliveira, U3 Arts and president of the Black Students’ Network (BSN), hosted the event and also took part in 200-second challenges dispersed throughout the program.
In her opening remarks, De Oliveira recognized Shakorennawis Doxtador-Swamp, Oneida and Bear Clan, who performed the Iroquois social song “Rabbit Dance” during the land acknowledgement, and reflected on her time as president of the BSN.
The Black Student Union utilizes its social media to educate the Concordia student body
How four young women started the organization
Concordia students Amaria Phillips, Lorry Joseph, Tanou Bah and Ernithe Edmond were all shocked to see there was no Black club or union at Concordia University.
“We were like, ‘Wait a minute, there’s no actual like, Black club?’ It’s either Caribbean or African? But there’s not one for just Black people,” said Phillips.
For example, McGill, the other anglophone university in Montreal, does have a Black Student Network, which acts similarly to a union. Before the BSU initiative, this overarching support would fall under the Concordia Student Union’s responsibilities.
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