A report was presented to Kincardine council around public comments on the Secord Monument.
In May, the municipality selected Dr. Laura Mae Lindo as the consultant for the task.
Lindo, an activist and educator based in Kitchener and former MPP for Kitchener Centre, said to council back in May that the purpose of the consultation wasn’t to ask members of the public what to do with the monument, but rather asked what they felt the next steps should be in deciding the next steps in the process.
The Municipality of Kincardine is home to two monuments dedicated to Dr. Solomon Secord, who was a long-time family physician and community member.
The monument in question was the sundial that had been placed in front of the Kincardine library branch. The monument had to be moved from its original place to accommodate the Downtown Dig last year, but there was concern that it belonged back near its original spot, given the inscription on the monument, which detailed Secord’s contributions to the community, but also mentioned his role during the American Civil War:
“To Solomon Secord, 1834-1910. Our family physician for 50 years. This memorial was erected by his loving friends. Served as a surgeon with the Southern Army during the American Civil War. All that lived he loved, and without regard for fee or reward, he did his work for love of his work and for love of his fellows.”
Lindo was tasked with holding an in-person consultation session with residents of the municipality and said that there was some issue with the idea of holding an in-person event. She says that many people who had signed up to meet with her face-to-face backed out as the date drew near, out of fear that they would be judged based on their opinions.
She told council, “This isn’t about race or racism in general terms. The conversations that are happening right now in the municipality are about the role of Black folks in this community, the space that they play, what their needs are,” says Lindo. “It’s very much attached to an idea of how Black people have been treated historically.”
She says that by historically, she means the part of history when Black people were legislated as property and their humanity stripped away.
“While it’s not understood as part of the Canadian historical record, the reality is that there are a load of historians who have done work on different ways in which Black people on Canadian soil both before it was called Canada when it was Upper and Lower Canada, and again when it became Canada, [they] were dehumanized by legislation,” says Lindo. “When it comes to that level of dehumanizing of a people, it stands to reason that when we have discussions that dismiss that part of the history, there will be tensions that will exist.”
The municipality hosted a survey, she was only given the comments without anyone’s information being shared so that it was anonymous. Lindo says that through this approach, she was given around 600 pages to read through.
Through the consultation, Lindo said that she found differing opinions on what the main issue surrounding the sundial was. Some felt that it was an issue of racism and that the municipality should be celebrating inclusion instead, while other people said that the purpose of the discussion should be focused on preserving local history.
She says that part of her findings included what she refers to as a “Fear of ‘Woke’ Ideologies”. In her report, Lindo says that “It is clear that some understand the connection between the conversations about the Secord Monument and racial injustice and/or equity and inclusion work being initiated by the Municipality of Kincardine, while others are struggling to see the connection between these two important ideas.”
The definition of the slang term “woke” is to be aware of and actively attentive to important societal facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice). The term was initially in reference to those who had previously been unaffected by social issues and are now “awakened” to them, but Lindo says that the term has been twisted to be used as a disparaging remark by those who do not agree with, or care to address such issues.
There were also thoughts shared by residents that the discussion felt like an issue that could see a rise of tensions between long-time residents versus newcomers to the community, garnering an “us vs them” mentality.
People who felt that that was the case were also asked what could be done to come to an agreement between those two groups.
Although the consultation was meant to engage with residents to have them to help decide the next steps for the monument, not all comments were appropriate responses. While introducing the item on the council agenda Wednesday evening, Mayor Ken Craig to a moment to share his thoughts on the matter.
“I’d like to comment that I have been saddened and offended by comments that some have expressed. Their attitudes and their ideologies that really do not reflect the values of this council and the values of this community to which we aspire. It is hard to have conversations about racial issues. They’re hard but they are necessary, as we respectfully build inclusive relationships now and more importantly into the future.”
At the end of Lindo’s presentation, she shared the main conversation points:
1. Need for Community Healing
2. Centring Black Voices
3. Challenges Tying Identity to a Legend, Myth, or Historical Recollection
4. The Municipality We Want to Be
5. Learn More, Do Better
6. Navigating Complicated Histories
There is also a second memorial monument dedicated to him, in Kincardine Cemetery, which reads:
“In memoriam to Solomon Secord, M.D. Erected by his friends to a man who was unalterably opposed to all forms of insincerity cant and hypocrisy. He loved children and animals and was rich in all things worth while. His life was devoted to benevolence and charity and he still lives in the affection of the people. His last words were “give my love to everybody.”
Discussions regarding the sundial monument began at the end of January 2023, when council decided to engage a consultant to complete the consultation with local residents.
In recent days, there have been several instances of anti-Black racism within the municipality. In a media release, the Municipality of Kincardine has condemned such sentiments.
Threats of vandalism have been received regarding the Afro-Centric mural at the Davidson Centre following what the municipality calls “its disingenuous affiliation to the discussion of the Secord monument.” Staff have shared such threats with the OPP.
