Rewriting history

Re: Strip first PM’s name from prize: historians, Dec. 20

The august Canadian Historical Association’s pronouncement that the name of Sir John A. Macdonald should be removed highlights the depths to which our intellectual associations have fallen.

The logical extension of this recommendation, if it should be approved and applied, would see every name that adorns a building, identifies a street, and/or commemorates a park replaced with nondescript numbers and identifiers. Are we as a society ready for all streets to be numbered, buildings lettered, and places of recreation simply noted by geographic location?

Every past luminary had faults, warts, and held ethical positions that might seem “wrong” in the 21st century. However, the notions espoused and implemented by Sir John A. Macdonald were held by and approved of by the vast majority of his peers. It makes no sense for any historical understanding to apply a modern mode to a past context — that past must be viewed and studied within its own narrative and we do a disservice to ourselves by attempting to rewrite our past via this form of removal, which only can only lead to a history devoid of debate.

The membership of the CHA must oppose this recommendation and might also suggest that those who advocate such historical revisionism step down to be replaced by those who more truly understand the role and place of the study of history, especially at the public school levels, in a modern evolving society. Jon Bradley, Beaconsfield, Que. Now that leftist radicals have decided to attack the founder of this country by having his name removed from a prestigious writing award, it may be time for adults to step in and end the nonsense. Manulife is the financial sponsor of the Sir John A. Macdonald contest, and awards $ 5,000 to the winner. What do you say, Manulife? Your shareholders and customers want to know. Lee Eustace, Toronto Those master intellectuals at Canada’s chief historical club really ought to read 1984. Andrew Gann, Toronto