He’s controversial, he’s been dead for more than 250 years, and he’s the founder of Halifax. He’s also immortalized in bronze, and has streets and parks named in his honour. But Edward Cornwallis’ legacy as the city’s founder is being overshadowed by his 1749 scalping proclamation.
Cornwallis, a British military officer, founded Halifax in 1749 during his tenure as governor of Nova Scotia. He also offered bounties to anyone who killed Mi’kmaq men, women and children.
The controversy over his legacy isn’t new, but it erupted recently when Halifax council announced it would hold a vote on removing his name from Halifax landmarks – including his statue.
The motion was defeated by a vote of 8-7, but some members of council believe the issue remains unresolved and will be back on the table in the near future.
On Friday morning, the CBC reported Edward Cornwallis statue was splattered with red paint by vandals.
