Doug Ford says he pushed to free Sir John A. Macdonald statue at Queen’s Park

Premier Doug Ford says he encouraged efforts to remove a wooden structure that, for five years, has hidden the statue of Sir John A. Macdonald on the Ontario Legislature’s front lawn, saying the province has to support Canada’s first prime minister and stop worrying about the past.The decision to reveal the statue, pushed by Progressive Conservative and Liberal members of a legislative committee earlier this week, has reignited debate about Macdonald’s tainted legacy at a time when the province is facing new tensions with First Nations.