Edward Cornwallis task force hears clashing views

Halifax's task force looking into how to commemorate Edward Cornwallis heard conflicting recommendations from the public Tuesday night.

The second of four sessions was held at Saint Mary's University and about 40 people attended.

The statue of the city's controversial first governor was taken down 18 months ago and put into storage.

Some of the presenters at Tuesday's session were adamant the statue be returned to its original setting in a south-end park or to another public space.

"He does warrant public recognition for establishing Halifax and protecting the settlers he brought with him," said Len Canfield.

Others were just as convinced that Cornwallis should not be honoured with a statue or a street name.

"What we really celebrate when we celebrate Cornwallis is his ignorance, his arrogance and his casual disrespect for human life," said Joy Woolfrey.

There were also a number of calls for more museums to highlight the shared past between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.

"The Mi'kmaq people [should] be gifted a space downtown to build a museum that would include their accounts of their history, " said Raven Davis.

The task force will hold another session Thursday at the Millbrook First Nation.