Mural Controversy Victoria BC Legislative Building

Quote from Wikipedia

In April 2007, members of the legislature voted to remove murals in the legislature lobby which depict scenes of B.C. history from 1792 to 1843. Artist George Southwell was commissioned to paint them in 1932 and they were completed three years later. ^[2]

At issue is the depiction of west coast first nation's people in a manner some regard as degrading. One painting titled Labour portrays bare-breasted aboriginal women hauling timber while a white man looks on. Another titled Justice shows a native leader standing before a judge. One interpretation of this latter mural suggests that the judge in question is the famous 'hanging judge', Matthew Begbie, suggesting the subjugation of natives to colonial law. However, Southwell's daughter claims that her father depicted the native leader standing before another judge, this one who in fact championed native rights.

Chief Ed John (himself a former cabinet minister in a prior New Democrat government) says the murals, remind him of how some traders treated First Nations women — not much better than prostitutes. ^[3]

Three of 71 members of the legislature voted against the motion to endorse a proposal to bring down the murals. Since the murals are painted on to the walls of the rotunda, the cost of removing them was estimated at $280,000. ^[4] The original 1991 report, first commissioned by the former New Democrat government, calls for the murals to be moved to a museum location where they can be put into better historical perspective.