William McDougall (1822-1905) National Historic Person
© William James Topley / Library and Archives Canada / 1936-270 NPC
William McDougall was designated as a national historic person in 1943.
The Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada reviewed this designation in 2024.
Reasons for designation
McDougall is recognized as one of the Fathers of Confederation because he represented Canada West as a delegate to the Charlottetown, Quebec, and London conferences of 1864-66, which provided the basis for Confederation in 1867.
An ardent proponent of westward expansion and agricultural development, McDougall guided resolutions through parliament in 1867 to incorporate Rupert’s Land and the North-Western Territory into Canada. In 1868, he travelled to London with Sir George-Étienne Cartier to negotiate the sale and transfer of the North-West to Canadian sovereignty, to be made effective December 1869.
In 1869, as lieutenant-governor of the newly incorporated western territories, McDougall contributed to and escalated conflict and crisis at Red River. His anti-Métis, anti-French and anti-Catholic views made him unwilling to consult with the residents of the Red River Settlement regarding the region’s entry into Confederation. Such failures in communications were leading causes of the Red River Resistance.
Review of designation
The Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada is reviewing designated national historic persons, events and sites for their connection to the history and legacy of the residential school system. This review responds to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action 79, which calls on the federal government to commemorate the history and legacy of residential schools.
Reviews are undertaken on an ongoing basis to ensure that designations reflect current scholarship, shifts in historical understandings, and a range of voices, perspectives and experiences in Canadian society.
In 2024, this designation was reviewed due to colonial assumptions in the commemorative plaque text. The original text, approved in 1975, recognized McDougall as a Father of Confederation and referenced his role in negotiating the transfer of Rupert’s Land and the North-Western Territory into Canada. The original text references his role leading to the Red River Resistance, however it did not elaborate on his unwillingness to consult with Red River inhabitants regarding the region’s entry into Confederation.
New reasons for designation were developed that elaborate on McDougall’s role as Lieutenant Governor of the western territories and in escalating conflict at Red River. A new plaque will not be prepared as the limited text of a plaque does not allow for adequately communicating this complex history.
Sources: Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, Minutes, December 2022; June 2023.
The National Program of Historical Commemoration relies on the participation of Canadians in the identification of places, events and persons of national historic significance. Any member of the public can nominate a topic for consideration by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.
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