More than 130 experts have issued a joint statement to defend the legacy of Canada’s first prime minister amid increasing calls for removal of monuments in his honour and attacks on his name in academia.  The statement, signed by historians, policy experts, and thought leaders, is a joint project of the Friends of Sir John A. Macdonald and the Macdonald-Laurier Institute (MLI), that urges governments, historians, teachers, media, and so on to ensure Canadians have access to “a balanced view of our common past and the people who made us.” “All Canadians deserve to hear the full story about Macdonald, the founding of Canada, and Canadian history generally,” the statement reads. “Only then can we form reasoned views about that historical record.” Ryerson University professor Patrice Dutil, one of the organizers of the initiative, said concerns about the continual attacks on Macdonald while ignoring his contributions to Canada is what …