(Submitted Photo/ChangeTheBill.ca)

By Derek Craddock

THE $20 QUESTION

Who should be the face of Canada’s $20 Bill?

Feb 18, 2023 | 9:00 AM

As the next chapter in the British Commonwealth unfolds in the coming months, some are wondering if royalty should continue to adorn Canadian money.

Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait has graced the $20 bill for decades, but with King Charles III set to be crowned in May, the question becomes will he replace his late mother’s image on the banknote?

Many Canadians believe the answer to that question is no, and in fact, an Indigenous icon should finally have its place on the bill.

That move would follow a similar one in Australia as that country announced recently an Indigenous Australian will replace the queen on that bill, with a date and name to be released soon.

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Last month, the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) started a petition, called Change The Bill, calling for an Indigenous design of the $20 bill along with examples. So far, over 13,000 people have signed the petition on change.org.

The NWAC provided samples of what they believe the $20 banknote should look like with an array of colours, designs and historical First Nations figures.

(Submitted Photo/ChangeTheBill.ca)

Bobby Cameron is Chief of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations in Saskatchewan. He believes the campaign to have a First Nations person represented on the is a great step toward recognizing the original peoples of the land.

“It’s a great idea, a good opportunity to recognize Treaty Indian people.”

Cameron noted that Treaty Indian is the term used in the original treaty negotiations and documents, which is why he still uses the name to this day.

As for who he believes should be on the bill, Cameron noted there are many historical figures to recognize including the original trappers of the north. He also believes that Marie-Anne Day Walker-Pelletier is also a prime candidate.

Walker-Pelletier was the longest-serving chief in Canadian history, serving Okanese First Nation in Saskatchewan from 1981 to 2020. She already has the Order of Canada and a commemorative stamp to her name.

“There are many worthy candidates to grace the $20 bills or other bills,” Cameron said. “We would focus on the $100 bill. Why stop at the $20 bill?”

Former Prime Minister Robert Borden currently stands on the $100 bill.

Regardless of who is on the $20 bill, Cameron said First Nations people need to be given the recognition they deserve, given that they helped the early settlers when they arrived in Canada.

“Guess who taught them? Guess who showed them how to survive and eat? The Indian people of Canada, the original people,” said Cameron. “That’s how kind they were and they’re still kind.”

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derek.craddock@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @PA_Craddock