Column · 15 October 2026
2 min read · 1 read
Give Us Back Our Cross
Lifted off by a crane for a restoration slated to last a year, possibly two, the Mount Royal cross has left an empty tower atop the mountain. Vague promises, a stretchable timeline, a Catholic heritage that keeps fading: many Quebecers fear it will never return. I'm calling on the City to put a return date in writing.
A few days ago, a crane lifted the Mount Royal cross off its base. All that remains atop the mountain is an empty steel tower. For many Montrealers, the sight was painful, and it raised a question no one at City Hall seems to take seriously: what if it never comes back?
We are told everything is under control. The electrical wiring has reached the end of its life, the base needs reinforcing, and the bill comes to nearly $3.8 million. We are told the work will take about a year. Then, reading the fine print, we learn it could stretch to the end of 2027, or even into 2028. When a public project begins with an elastic timeline, citizens have every right to worry.
This cross is not mere decoration. It recalls Maisonneuve's vow in 1643, when the young colony was nearly swept away by floodwaters. It was erected in 1924 by the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste, which means by the Quebec people themselves. Believer or not, it is part of who we are. It has watched over the city for more than a century.
My fear does not come from nowhere. In 2022, a group publicly demanded its removal. In 2019, the crucifix was taken down from the Salon bleu of the National Assembly. Our churches are becoming condos, our street names are changing, and our Catholic heritage recedes a little more each year in the name of neutrality. Meanwhile, many Quebecers see other religious expressions, Muslim ones in particular, taking up more and more room in public space, right down to street prayers. They feel that secularism is applied strictly to our heritage and very cautiously to everything else.
My point is not aimed at our Muslim neighbours. They have every right to practise their faith. What worries me is our institutions' lack of courage. I fear political leaders who would rather avoid controversy than stand by who we are. And I fear this "temporary" removal could one day become a convenient way to avoid reopening the debate.
So I am asking for little, but I am asking clearly. I want a written commitment from the City of Montreal setting a reinstallation date. I want regular public updates on the progress of the work. And I want a homecoming ceremony worthy of what this symbol represents.
The cross was destroyed once, in 1653, and it was raised again. Our ancestors did not abandon it. It is up to us to make sure that, within two years, it shines over Montreal once more.
Emmanuelle Beauchamp
