By Jennifer Weir Churchill Counter-Memorial The plaque on the Churchill statue in Churchill Square in Edmonton, Alberta should read as follows: Sir Winston Churchill A man consumed by his desire for political and military power. Leading Great Britain into World War II, his drive for victory contributed to the loss of over 60 million human beings during the conflict. One of the “Big Three” allies, he and his cohorts divided the spoils of war without regard for the damage they were inflicting on those who were affected. His imperial goals led to the growth and prosper of the British Empire, though often at the expense of the colonized African and Middle Eastern nations. The monumental glorification of his achievements will not erase his mistakes. It is these failures that are memorialized here, the remembrance of which will hopefully inspire viewers to demonstrate more humanity than this man. The Text on the Churchill Statue Plaque currently reads as follows: NE Side: THE LIFE OF RT. HON. SIR WINSTON SPENCER CHURCHILL K.G., O.M., C.H., F.R.S. 1874 BORN BLENHEIM PALACE, NOVEMBER 30 1882-92 HARROW SCHOOL 1893-95 ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE, SANDHURST 1895 CUBA – SPANISH FORCES 1897 INDIA – MALAKAND FIELD FORCE 1898 SUDAN – OMDURMAN, KHARTOUM 1899-1900 SOUTH AFRICA – WAR CORRESPONDENT 1901-06 MP FOR OLDHAM 1906-08 UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE 1908-10 PRESIDENT, BOARD OF TRADE 1910-11 HOME SECRETARY 1911-15 FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY 1917-19 C.O. 6TH ROYAL SCOTS FUSILIERS 1919-21 MINISTER OF MUNITIONS 1921-22 SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR 1922-24 SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES 1929-39 “THE WILDERNESS YEARS” 1939-40 FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY 1940-45 PRIME MINISTER, FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY, MINISTER OF DEFENSE 1945-51 LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION 1951-55 PRIME MINISTER 1953 NOBEL PRIZE FOR LITERATURE 1955-64 MP – BACK BENCHER 1965 DIED JANUARY 25TH IN WAR: RESOLUTION IN DEFEAT: DEFIANCE IN VICTORY: MAGNANIMITY IN PEACE: GOODWILL NW Side: (Top Plaque) Statue unveiled by THE LADY SOAMES 24 May 1989 Bronze plaques unveiled by THE HON. NICHOLAS SOAMES, MP 22 September 1995 Sculptor Oscar Nemon (Bottom Plaque) ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Province of Alberta The City of Edmonton Columbia Melco Contractors Ltd. Duthie Newby Weber and Associates Ltd. Inland Cement Western Caison Woolfenden Hamilton and Brown Architectural Group SW Side: This Churchill Statue and Oxford Scholarship were made possible by the generous contributions of many men and women, societies and organizations PEARL HAWRELAK PORTER DR. JOE SIEGENBERG THE HOLE FAMILY MACLAB ENTERPRISES THE ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION, JASPER PLACE BRANCH THE ARMY, NAVY AND AIR FORCE VETERANS IN CANADA CHURCHILL UNIT 3 35 Names of individual donors (all Mr.’s, Dr.’s, LCol’s or Hon. Mr. Justice’s) IN MEMORIAM (5 male names) Canadian Corps of Commissionaires Canadian Imperial Bank of Canada The Legion of Frontiersmen Luscar Ltd Rotary Club of North East Edmonton Rotary Club of West Edmonton Royal Canadian Legion, Kingsway Br. Royal Canadian Legion, Norwood Br. The Westin Hotel SE Side: CHURCHILL

By Jennifer Weir

Churchill Counter-Memorial

The plaque on the Churchill statue in Churchill Square in Edmonton,

Alberta should read as follows:

Sir Winston Churchill

A man consumed by his desire for political and military power.

Leading Great Britain into World War II, his drive for victory

contributed to the loss of over 60 million human beings during the conflict.

One of the “Big Three” allies, he and his cohorts divided the spoils of war without regard for the damage they were inflicting on those who were affected.

His imperial goals led to the growth and prosper of the British Empire, though often at the expense of the colonized African and Middle Eastern nations.

The monumental glorification of his achievements will not erase his mistakes.

It is these failures that are memorialized here, the remembrance of which will hopefully inspire viewers to demonstrate more humanity than this man.

The Text on the Churchill Statue Plaque currently reads as follows:

NE Side: THE LIFE OF RT. HON. SIR WINSTON SPENCER CHURCHILL K.G., O.M., C.H., F.R.S.

1874BORN BLENHEIM PALACE, NOVEMBER 30

1882-92HARROW SCHOOL

1893-95ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE, SANDHURST

1895CUBA – SPANISH FORCES

1897INDIA – MALAKAND FIELD FORCE

1898SUDAN – OMDURMAN, KHARTOUM

1899-1900SOUTH AFRICA – WAR CORRESPONDENT

1901-06MP FOR OLDHAM

1906-08UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE

1908-10PRESIDENT, BOARD OF TRADE

1910-11HOME SECRETARY

1911-15FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY

1917-19C.O. 6TH ROYAL SCOTS FUSILIERS

1919-21MINISTER OF MUNITIONS

1921-22SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR

1922-24SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES

1929-39“THE WILDERNESS YEARS”

1939-40FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY

1940-45PRIME MINISTER, FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY, MINISTER

OF DEFENSE

1945-51LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION

1951-55PRIME MINISTER

1953NOBEL PRIZE FOR LITERATURE

1955-64MP – BACK BENCHER

1965DIED JANUARY 25TH

IN WAR: RESOLUTION

IN DEFEAT: DEFIANCE

IN VICTORY: MAGNANIMITY

IN PEACE: GOODWILL

NW Side: (Top Plaque) Statue unveiled by THE LADY SOAMES 24 May 1989

Bronze plaques unveiled by THE HON. NICHOLAS SOAMES, MP 22 September 1995

Sculptor Oscar Nemon

(Bottom Plaque) ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The Province of Alberta

The City of Edmonton

Columbia Melco Contractors Ltd.

Duthie Newby Weber and Associates Ltd.

Inland Cement

Western Caison

Woolfenden Hamilton and Brown Architectural Group

SW Side: This Churchill Statue and Oxford Scholarship were made possible by the generous contributions of many men and women, societies and organizations

PEARL HAWRELAK PORTER

DR. JOE SIEGENBERG

THE HOLE FAMILY

MACLAB ENTERPRISES

THE ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION, JASPER PLACE BRANCH

THE ARMY, NAVY AND AIR FORCE VETERANS IN CANADA

CHURCHILL UNIT 3

35 Names of individual donors (all Mr.’s, Dr.’s, LCol’s or Hon. Mr. Justice’s)

IN MEMORIAM (5 male names)

Canadian Corps of Commissionaires

Canadian Imperial Bank of Canada

The Legion of Frontiersmen

Luscar Ltd

Rotary Club of North East Edmonton

Rotary Club of West Edmonton

Royal Canadian Legion, Kingsway Br.

Royal Canadian Legion, Norwood Br.

The Westin Hotel

SE Side: CHURCHILL