The display of an 18th century French coat of arms at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa is insulting, and the artifact should be returned to Quebec City, says a French Canadian heritage group.**********
It hangs on a gate similar to the one where it would have been mounted in Quebec City before it was taken by British soldiers in 1759, following their defeat of the French on the Plains of Abraham.
A READER WRITES:
"When we lived in Ottawa, one of our neighbours and still good friend was a artisan (I say that because he paints, sculpts, does just about everything) who worked for the Dept. of Public Works. He's the guy who painted the graphics on the side of the confederation train in 1967."*
"Anyway, the Canadian government had a beautiful model of Quebec City done in 17xx something that the Quebec government wanted back. So the Canadian government commissions Joe to make a replica of the model and he does such a good job that when the Quebec guys came to pick up the original they couldn't tell the difference and still don't know today if they took the wrong one home."
"I believe that it is the original that is on display in the Museum of Civilization and the copy is in Quebec City."