Frank Oliver plaque permanently removed by City of Edmonton
An often-vandalized memorial featuring the face of former MP Frank Oliver will no longer be displayed in front of Edmonton's Fairmont Hotel Macdonald.
The plaque was removed by city crews on June 10 as part of general maintenance in the area and a decision has been made to not put it back.
Oliver served as minister of the interior between 1905 and 1911 when the federal government enacted a number of policies targeting Indigenous land rights and restricting immigration.
"The city is committed to reconciliation with Indigenous nations and therefore we have no plans to replace the plaque of Frank Oliver," city spokesperson Mary-Ann Thurber told CTV News Edmonton Thursday.
"No decision has been made about what will happen to the bas-relief image."
The plaque had been covered in red paint at least twice in the last two years.
Frank Oliver died in 1933.
The controversy surrounding honouring his namesake heated up in 2020, leading the Oliver Community League to request that Edmonton rename the neighbourhood. In 2021, a shopping centre dropped "Oliver" from its name.
Thurber said the city is currently drafting a new policy for statues and memorials, which will be presented to council later this year.
"That policy will outline how the city supports the commemoration and recognition of individuals, events and organizations to ensure we stay up-to-date with and are reflective of our diverse and inclusive community values," Thurber wrote.
Local statues of Emily Murphy and Winston Churchill have also been smeared with red paint.
The spot where a Frank Oliver plaque used to be displayed on Jasper Avenue and 100 Street (John Hanson/CTV News Edmonton).
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Person on fire outside Trump's hush money trial rushed away on a stretcher
A person who was on fire in a park outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial is taking place has been rushed away on a stretcher.
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.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
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.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Tropical fish stolen from Beachburg, Ont. restaurant found and returned
Ontario Provincial Police have landed a suspect following a fishy theft in Beachburg, Ont.
U.S. FAA launches investigation into unauthorized personnel in cockpit of Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto
The U.S.’s Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a video that appears to show unauthorized personnel in the cockpit of a charted Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto.