Add Ridgeway names to Books
Sign on the House of Commons websitePetitioners ask the Government of Canada to add the nine militiamen killed at the 1866 Battle of Ridgeway and others who died of wounds or disease in Fenian Raids to Canada’s Books of Remembrance.
Why we would sign this petition
- It would officially honor the nine militiamen and others who died in the 1866 Fenian Raids, recognizing their sacrifice in Canada’s military history.
- It aligns with existing practice of listing individuals who died defending territories before Confederation, ensuring consistency in commemoration.
- Permanent inclusion in the Books of Remembrance secures long-term, national recognition rather than only local memorials.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Historical verification may be complex; confirming names and eligibility for inscription could require extensive research and evidence.
- Adding entries may set a precedent prompting many similar claims, stretching administrative resources and requiring clear selection criteria.
- Some may prefer alternative commemorations (local monuments, museum exhibits) that could better contextualize the 1866 campaign than national inscription.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
Petition to the Government of Canada The Battle of Ridgeway was fought on June 2, 1866, in what is now Fort Erie, Ontario, by Canadian militiamen defending the territory and people of what would become Canada; Nine Canadian militiamen were killed during the Battle of Ridgeway, and additional Canadians later died from wounds or disease contracted during the 1866 Fenian Raids campaign; Those who died during the campaign were among the first combat dead of what would become the Canadian Army; The service and sacrifice of those Canadians are not presently commemorated in Canada’s Books of Remembrance in the Memorial Chamber on Parliament Hill; Canada’s Books of Remembrance already commemorate individuals who died defending territories that became part of Canada before Confederation or before their entry into Confederation; and Permanent recognition in Canada’s Books of Remembrance would ensure that the Canadians who gave their lives during the 1866 Fenian Raids campaign are appropriately honoured as part of Canada’s military history. We, the undersigned, Citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to formally recognize the nine Canadian militiamen killed at the Battle of Ridgeway, together with the additional Canadians who died from wounds or disease contracted during the 1866 Fenian Raids campaign, by including their names in Canada’s Books of Remembrance, as befits their sacrifice defending our nascent country.
Government response
No government response is available yet.