Emails show behind-the-scenes bickering over Cornwallis statue

The controversyover a statue of Edward Cornwallisreached a boiling point this summer as protesters gathered in a downtown Halifax park,threatening to topple the bronze figure. But emails obtained by CBCNewsshowthat behind-the-scenes discussions betweencity councillors were also fraughtwith tension.

Hundreds of pages ofemailsrelated tothe Cornwallisstatuewere sent tocouncillorsand city staff over atwo-week periodbeforeand after a plannedJuly 15protest, which ultimately ended with the statue instead being symbolically draped in a black cloth. CBCNova Scotia received copies of the emails through a freedom-of-information request.

Cornwalliswas a military officerand governor of Nova Scotia who founded Halifax for the British in 1749. That sameyear, he issued a bounty on the scalps ofMi'kmaqpeople.

The city has had to grapple with the increasingly divisive debate around how to reconcileCornwallis'ssignificant role inHalifax's history with his brutalpastone that's been playing outacross the country about a number of figures in our history books.

History of Edward Cornwallis statue in Halifax

7 years ago

Duration 1:49

The controversy over Halifax's Edward Cornwallis statue reached a boiling point this summer as protesters threatened to topple it.

Ahead of the July 15 protest, concerns were raised about the possibility of vandalism or violence, resulting inMayor Mike Savage deciding the day before the event to have city workers shroud the statue.

According to an email sent to councillors just after the event,the mayor said the idea had been raised by the protest's organizers. "Much preferable to an attempt to tear it down," Savage wrote.

'Lack of communication'

The move was applauded by Couns.Shawn Cleary, Tony Mancini and Steve Craig,as well as regional Assembly of First NationsChief Morley Googoo, who sent the mayor a note of appreciation.

"Your leadership today was crucial to ensure our people were not injured or have to encounter another bad experience," wrote Googoo, of Waycobah First Nation.

But a number of councillors were upsetthat theywere not told about the shroudingbefore it happened. Coun. Tim Outhit said he found out about it by watching a video on hisphone in a coffee shop.

"There will be lots of reasons given for why this was done to keep the peace, but the lack of communication to council is disappointing and unusual," he wrote.

Outhit's response created a series of repliesthat included a heated exchange between Couns. Waye Mason and David Hendsbee.AfterHendsbee suggested the tarp should have been "red"instead of black and asked for a "peace pipe," Mason accused his colleague of racism.

"When you use race or ethnic based words that way, it is racist," wrote Mason."You should seek cultural competency training."

Hendsbee later clarifiedthe red tarp comment,saying the colour reference was actually about the Liberal Party.He also defended himself, saying he grew up in a culturally mixed area and has strong black and Acadian communities in his district.

"I do my best to serve all interests," said Hendsbeevia email."Pick any word and I'm sure it canbe dissected any way one wants it to be."

When contacted by CBC News, neither Mason nor Hendsbee wanted to comment further on the emails.

Public divided

A number of the emails from the public to the mayor and the city councillors over the same two-week period were also strident.None ofthe members of the public were identified in the documents.

There were 75 emails urging the municipality to remove the statue, calling it a "blight," "offensive"and a representation of "colonial genocide."One insisted Halifax was becoming known as the "Mississippiof the North."

But there were also 33 emails frompeople opposed to taking the statue down. They called the idea "political correctness gone wild"and insisted Cornwalliswas "not the monster"he was being portrayed as.Others were adamant thatthe municipalityshould not try to "erase history."

About 15 people suggestedcompromises: moving the statue to a militarymuseum, the Citadelor Victoria Park.Others thought the statue could stayif the plaques were changed or a new statuewas added representinga Mi'kmaq chief or an Indigenous family.

But oneemailnoted that the Cornwallis debate had been an issue for 31 yearsand therewas no easy answer that wouldsatisfy both sides.

"I personally will never agree that a statue of Mi'kmaq be placed in ashared park with Cornwallis,"said the writer, who sent the email tothe mayor's assistant onJuly 12.

Mayor Savage had called for calm in the lead-up to the planned protest, cautioning that knocking down the statue could set back progress onreconciliation efforts with Mi'kmaqpeople. In an interview with CBC News this week, he again stressed that the process was ongoing.

"I'd like to see a solution that brings us closer together and not further apart," he said."I'm not naive about what's going to happen. But I think there's an opportunity and, at the very least, we have to try."

Earlier this month, Halifax Regional Council agreed to create an expert panel to dealwith the Cornwallisstatue, as well the recognition and commemoration of Indigenous history. Panel members are expected tobe named in November.

The municipality also plans to hire an Indigenous adviser tobe posted within the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.