The backlash was swift, and seemingly void of thought. The Hudson Bay Company quickly removed from its downtown Montreal store a plaque initially displayed in 1957, dedicated to Confederate President Jefferson Davis, a Mississippi slave owner, who gave up his political career, his fortune and even his freedom to support slavery and white supremacy.

The plaque was placed on an external wall of the HBC store after being donated by the United Daughters of the Confederacy.The French text read: “To the memory of Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederate States, who lived in 1867 in the home of John Lovell, which was once here.”

The retail store supplied no reason for the unceremonious removal, but rumours abound that the recent attack in Charlottesville, Va., along with media inquiries and complaints by local residents underpinned the action taken.

The historical record is clear: Confederacy was about slavery and white supremacy, nevertheless in Montreal the plaque should have remained to remind us of our intertwined history with the U.S. We can express outrage over its continued existence. We can alter it with statements of our own. Or we can let it remain and reflect carefully on its history.

Notwithstanding, its removal, though somewhat abrupt, should have served as the foundation for a truly teachable moment foiled on account of seeming mismanagement.

The ensuing debate becomes complicated, raising serious questions and concerns about the United States and its history with Canada, especially Montreal.

Between 1861 and 1865 a civil war was fought between the United States of America and the Confederate States of America, a collection of 11 southern states that left the Union and formed their own country. The Southern states wanted to break away from the north and continue to use slavery. The North was antislavery.

Jefferson Davis was defeated by the United States in 1865, followed by the nationwide abolition of slavery.

On account of shoddy record keeping exact numbers are not known, but it is estimated that about 40,000 Canadians and Maritimers served in the war. Despite sympathy for the Confederacy, most fought for the North.

At the start of the war, what is now called Canada was made up of the British colonies of Canada West and Canada East (now Ontario and Quebec), and the Maritime colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, P. E. I and Newfoundland. Both Canadians and Maritimers were aware of the looming threat of the United States annexing or invading them, and owning all of North America.

These factors had caused Canadian and Maritime politicians to consider strengthening the weaker colonies by joining them into a richer, bigger and more defendable unit. The Civil War, for what it signified made the threat of American invasion more likely, while the number of political leaders who were anxious to cut support for the North American colonies increased. The time for unification, or Confederation, had arrived.

The Civil War ended in 1865 with many Canadians and Maritimers undecided regarding support for Confederation. In 1866, a group of Irish-American Civil War veterans called Fenians crossed the border in armed attempts to take Canada hostage in exchange for Ireland’s independence from Britain.

The Fenian Raid failed, but brought home to Canada a stark reminder that the U.S posed a threat to Canadian sovereignty and how vulnerable Canadians were. Support for Confederation was strengthened.

On July 1, 1867, Canadian Confederation came together just as the United States was clearing away the ashes of civil war, although Canadians would call the holiday Dominion Day until 1982. Canada was now an independent country.

President Jefferson Davis fled to Montreal after battling through a civil war to consolidate the United States as a unified nation, while in Canada we successfully united as a nation without gunfire.

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Removal of the plaque is not an acceptable act. We do not need to be influenced from afar to remember that the creation of Canada was influenced by the American Civil War. Jefferson Davis may have resided here, the reason being his story (history) to share.