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Or sign-in if you have an account.Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre speaks during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Thursday, June 18, 2026. (PHOTO BY HYUNGCHEOL PARK/Postmedia)If Orillia’s statue of Samuel de Champlain is due to be melted down, then the Conservative Party should lead the opposition to its destruction.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorPoliticians and media in Quebec have certainly noticed the farce in neighbouring Ontario, with MPs from the Bloc Québécois and the province’s media decrying the assault on the Father of New France, and explorer of the land that would become Orillia and Simcoe Country.In 2017, Champlain’s statue was first removed, starting a nearly decade-long Kabuki performance of reconciliation measures, modifications, delays, and vetoes. On May 21, Orillia mayor Tom McIsaac ordered that Champlain’s statue be returned to its plinth in Couchiching Beach Park.This newsletter from NP Comment tackles the topics you care about. (Subscriber-exclusive edition on Fridays)By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againShortly after the latest return, Orillia’s city council voted 6-3 on May 29 to remove it once again, and place it in “neutral” storage. McIsaac warned that it could be melted into a large lump of bronze. The idea of “neutral” storage is ridiculous. Dumping a towering figure of Canadian history into a musty basement is not a neutral statement in any way.There are many on the Canadian right who are still skeptical about expending time and resources on the culture war. Like it or not, the culture war is going to be fought by the left. Standing by and doing effectively nothing as they rewrite history cedes the whole ground to them. In-turn, handing them this cultural cache without a fight only enriches the left’s legitimacy and power in the eyes of Canadians, just like any other dominant storyteller.Champlain’s importance to this country cannot be overstated. Through great personal effort and loss, he secured a foothold in what became Canada by founding Quebec City in 1608. He crossed the Atlantic Ocean 27 times, explored six future provinces, and five American states.On July 1, 1867, the Dominion of Canada came into existence, but that could not have happened without Champlain and New France. Committing to a sustained effort to champion Champlain should be an obvious summer move for Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre.Throughout his time heading the party, Poilievre has repeatedly defended Sir John A. Macdonald, promising to “reinstate Sir John A, his statues, and his name” and to stop the war on Canadian history.Defending Macdonald alone is not enough, for our history is not a one-man cult. Canada has a full pantheon of heroes, and they should not be in museum basements or dingy storage facilities. Poilievre’s Quebec lieutenant Pierre Paul-Hus publicly denounced Orillia’s decision, promising that Conservatives would honour those who built Quebec.However, Pierre Paul-Hus represents a riding in the Quebec City region. Where are the local Conservatives in and around Orilia? Adam Chambers represents Simcoe North, the riding that includes Orillia. Four other Conservative MPs represent the rest of the ridings in Simcoe County, and they have been silent on the matter.The first serious defence of Champlain should have come out of Ontario. It is not as if Champlain was out of place in Orillia, for the explorer had documented history in the area as part of his travels. The fates of Anglo Canada and French Canada are connected, and the same people that cheered on Champlain’s erasure are the same ones who cheer the assaults on Macdonald’s name,Poilievre did finally address the matter on June 19, posting online that “Samuel de Champlain was one of the greatest founding fathers of Canada. We must put an end to this wave of statue demolitions. On the contrary, we must celebrate Canada’s history. Let us tell our stories, sing our songs, and pay tribute to those who built our magnificent country. That is how we will build a stronger Canada.”Those are fine words, but it would be better if he took the gloves off. Let there be no hand-wringing about the sanctity of the decisions of local governance with regards to Orillia and its city council. Poilievre and several Conservative MPs in Alberta have criticized new noise restrictions planned for the Calgary Stampede, despite it technically falling well outside their jurisdiction.Federal MPs are not prohibited from commenting on affairs beneath their level of government. They have a substantially more powerful voice than most provincial and municipal politicians, and can help bolster and lead all sorts of grassroots movements.By what right do local councillors get to erase a national founder?Poileivre should go to Orillia before Canada Day, stand with Pierre Paul-Hus and the Simcoe-area MPs, and demand that the statue be preserved and confidently displayed, not hidden, sold, or melted down.Poilievre would hardly be the first Conservative leader to make such a move. As party leader, Andrew Scheer aggressively spoke out against the removal of monuments dedicated to Sir John A. Macdonald. Erin O’Toole did much the same.Former federal cabinet minister and Alberta premier Jason Kenney has condemned the topplings as the “vandalism of our history”.Furthermore, Quebec is paying attention to what happens to one of their foundational figures, and the Conservatives can show their commitment to the province. Since 1867, the Conservative party and its predecessors have only won two majority governments without a large share of seats in Quebec.In last year’s federal election, the Conservative party’s usual tactics failed to make meaningful inroads, winning 11 seats and less than a quarter of the provincial vote. Great importance is attached to language and identity in Quebec, and defending one of the fathers of the Quebec nation, and conserving his honour is as conservative as it gets.July 1 is approaching, and Champlain belongs to Quebec, Ontario, and the whole country. The Conservative party can mark the occasion by loudly defending one of the men who made Canada possible.National Post Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.