Victims of Communism Monument

June 26, 2015

The location and size of the Victims of Communism Monument has become a ‘hot topic’. 

While Canadians for Veterans has no opinion on whether or not this monument should be erected, we expressed our concern that this monument would be larger than the National War Memorial.  We also concern that the location of the monument was inappropriate.

At the National Capital Commission (NCC) Board of Directors’ Public Meeting held on June 25, 2015, it was revealed that the design of the monument would be scaled down and would now reach a height of eight metres, instead of the original height of 14.3 metres.  The monument will now occupy 37 per cent of the lands west of the Supreme Court of Canada, down from original 60 per cent.

However, the location of the monument is still a cause of concern.  Originally, the monument was to be placed in the Garden of the Provinces and Territories which is located on the west side of Wellington Street across from Libraries and Archives Canada. 

After lengthy consultation with various stakeholders and members of the public, the Long Term Vision and Plan for the Parliamentary Precinct was adopted by the House of Commons (see Parliamentary and Judicial Precinct). 

In what seems to be a unilateral decision made by several Cabinet Ministers, the Long Term Vision and Plan for the Parliamentary Precinct (which includes the Supreme Court of Canada and the surrounding lands) has been amended.  The future Federal Court building appears to have been replaced with the site for the Victims of Communism monument.  This amendment was never brought to the House of Commons for approval.

This authoritarian decision appears to fly in the face of the democratic rights that Canadian men and women have fought and died for.  It also appears to represent the antithesis of what the Victims of Communism represents.

Canadians for Veterans will continue to monitor the situation and work to have the Victims of Communism monument relocated to the original location in the Garden of the Provinces and Territories.