In 1981, when Judge Matthew Begbie’s statue was placed in the New Westminster law courts courtyard, little thought, if any, was given by city leaders what the tribute could mean to First Nations people.
Begbie was but one of dozens of white European men of status who colonized B.C. and, for that, had their names placed on schools, streets and plaques.
Back in 1981, Begbie was revered by lawyers and honoured in Canadian history books. But that was then and this is now.
Judge Begbie was certainly a product of his times, but those times were neither just nor fair for all. In fact, the times were oppressive and discriminatory for the First Nations people and others. (And, to be fair, Begbie actually ruled progressively in some cases he heard.)
But does the removal of Begbie’s statue recognize the injustices he either wittingly or unwittingly was a part of, or does it merely provide a conscience-clearing for the well-meaning among us? Would the statue’s removal be a significant step in a continuing reconciliation process with the First Nations people and the Tsilhqot’in Nation in particular? Or would it really be a little like sweeping the dirty side of our colonial history under the carpet?
There is a strong pull for us to make this a black-and-white issue and just get rid of the statue. But Begbie does represent our history – both as an oppressor to the First Nations people and as a colonizer. To make him “disappear” seems just too easy.
We need to not remove history, or honour distasteful history, or cleanse history, but we need to provide as full and representative a history as we are able to provide at this point in time.
We need to do this to ensure that Begbie does not become a martyr to those who still revere his status. We need to do this to ensure that Tsilhqot’in history is fully told both in the context of Begbie’s world and, equally importantly, through the eyes of the Tsilhqot’in people.
We say leave Begbie there. But we say it with qualifications. Install a work by First Nations representatives and/or artists that reveals the impact of Begbie’s tenure. Perhaps it’s as simple as a square marble monument with the engraved written Tsilhqot’in history of that period. Perhaps it’s a tribute to Chief Ahan. Perhaps it’s none of the above.
But if a fuller history of Begbie’s impact cannot be revealed, then we say it is time for him to go. The full story needs to be visible, both to set the record straight and to keep us on a path that includes all of our stories.
