Orange paint poured on Brother Antoine statue at Campus Saint-Jean
"Canada needs to reconsider what reconciliation really means," Emma Snow says.
Leah HennigOrange paint was poured over the statue of Brother Antoine on the grounds of the University of Alberta’s Campus Saint-Jean (CSJ) on September 28, nearing the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
On October 6, CSJ administration issued a press release about the incident. CSJ “takes this act of vandalism very seriously,” the statement read.
The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) is seeking public assistance in identifying the suspect.
Brother Antoine was a lay member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate: the congregation that founded CSJ and was instrumental in the administration of Canadian residential schools.
“The fact that this incident occurred during the observance of National Day of Truth and Reconciliation highlights the painful contrast between our past and our present commitment to confronting this difficult legacy, particularly in the context of the truth, reconciliation and indigenisation process initiated by the CSJ community.”
CSJ said it’s committed to “fostering constructive and respectful dialogue” on such issues with students, staff, faculty, and Indigenous partners.
Société historique francophone de l’Alberta calls on CSJ dean to “exercise clear moral leadership”
In a statement released on October 3, the Société historique francophone de l’Alberta said that the act “divides and distracts from the sincere process of reconciliation underway in Canada.”
The statement described Brother Antoine as “a humble, charitable, and respected person.”
“In a spirit of true reconciliation, we believe that the legacy of individuals like Brother Antoine must be recognized in all its complexity, but also honoured for the values of humility, generosity, and dignity he embodied.”
The society called on the Dean of CSJ, Jason Carey, to “exercise clear moral leadership” and publicly denounce the act.
The statement also listed demands. These include restoring the statue, increasing its security, and implementing “increased educational initiatives on the work of Brother Antoine.”
The Gateway requested comment on these demands from the U of A and was sent a copy of CSJ’s public statement.
This vandalism “is harmless in comparison to the pain and destruction caused by the current provincial and federal governments,” Snow says
Emma Snow, Indigenous Students’ Union (ISU) vice-president (external), gave a statement to The Gateway about the vandalism. Snow is a member of the Métis Nation within Alberta, Otipemisiwak.
In her statement, Snow highlighted Brother Antoine’s role in residential schools.
“Far too often, those who have committed acts of genocide and aided in the violent imperialist colonialization of this land are celebrated as historical figures, while Indigenous children, communities, histories, cultures, languages, and traditions are still under attack.”
Snow emphasized the ongoing harm caused by residential schools, the Sixties Scoop, and the child welfare system.
She also highlighted that Independent Assessment Process (IAP) files containing residential school survivors’ testimonies are set to be destroyed by 2027. These files will be destroyed unless survivors opt to keep their files for themselves or consent to have them preserved by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.
“These colonial efforts attempt to erase Indigenous Peoples from Canada’s history, but we refuse to have our stories written for us.”
“After one decade, only nine of 94 calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada have been addressed. Canada needs to reconsider what reconciliation really means,” Snow said.
“I don’t know who vandalized the statue, but with the current political environment, it is harmless in comparison to the pain and destruction caused by the current provincial and federal governments.”
