MLHS urged to seek legal counsel – with generous help from Brian Scott

The decision, without open public consultation, of the Comox Town Council taken on the same day as CBC viewers watched ISIS demolish history in Mosul and Nimrud, to demolish Hamilton Mack Laing’s Canadian heritage, may quickly be snowballing into a Canadian heritage “cause celebre.”

Canadian heritage artist, Brian Scott, whose many well-known paintings celebrate the history of the Comox Valley is one of several prominent local artists who have recently voiced their concern over the arbitrary and iconoclastic decision of the Town of Comox to demolish a vital piece of the Comox Valley’s, and British Columbia’s history. As an environmental precursor, Mack Laing who became a recluse after the death of his wife in 1945, and his dear friend Major Alan Brooks in 1947, has historical links with founding members of the Canadian environmental movement, such as Farley Mowat.

Brian Scott, who like Haig-Brown before him has developed his art out of an uncanny ability to listen to and memorialize the voices of pioneers, has developed a stunning multi-faceted visual narrative of the Comox Valley’s cultural history. Taken aback by the Town Council’s insensitivity to the importance of Canadian culture as well as to the well-documented crucial historical role that pioneers like Mack Laing have played in shaping Canada’s history, and conscious of the need to pass this on as a cornerstone to the values we hand to future generations, Brian Scott is making a very generous donation to the Mack Laing Heritage Society to pursue options in the defense and promotion of Canadian culture.

The Town of Comox’s decision to arbitrarily demolish some of the last remains of its history is drawing a growing spontaneous outrage over the wanton destruction of both of Hamilton Mack Laing’s heritage homes, “Baybrook” (1922-1950) and Shakesides (1950-1982), from a growing number Canadians from all walks of life, as well as historians, writers and artists, including Briony Penn, whose recent biography of Ian MacTaggart-Cowan, brings to light some of Mack Laing’s role as a teacher and friend of MacTaggart-Cowan.

To the outrage of well-known BC historian, Dr. Richard Mackie, having first tried to erase the memory of the naturalist artist and writer Hamilton Mack Laing, in 2013 the town initially tried to deny that he had resided at Baybrook, where he spent his most productive years, and then tried to deny the heritage value of his home. Having failed to provide a sound rational argument for not complying with Mack Laing’s stated request in his will, the town has now moved to protect the influential local moneyed interests of residents overlooking the building sites, by denying any obligations to Mack Laing’s will and the very generous donations he made to the Town of Comox..

A donation event and photo-op will be held at the Brian Scott gallery Friday March 20 at 11:30 am.

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