Canadian commemorations can be contested and tangled spaces, prescribing aspects of Canadian identity and national history. Through the use of the Underground Railroad monument in Windsor Ontario this article examines national discourses surrounding Canadian history and multiculturalism. Unveiled October 19, 2001 along with its international counterpart located in Detroit USA, the Windsor monument replaced earlier plaques recognizing the roles of America and Canada in providing safe houses for those escaping slavery in the 19^th century. Interpretations have changed over the years, but past perceptions are still evident upon analyzing the content on plaques dedicated to the Underground Railway in Windsor prior to monument in 2001. The site first saw commemoration in 1925 with a plaque focusing neither on the enslaved African Americans nor their cultural history, but on reinforcing pro-Empire sentiments and demonstrating Canada’s moral superiority. The plaque was rewritten in 1973 while incorporating bilingualism into memorials across the nation. Changes to the plaque’s text included decreasing the idea of morally superior Canadians, but it still focused on those aiding rather than on the fugitives themselves. In the mid-1990s, the tone of the rhetoric surrounding the Underground Railroad again shifted in line with broader changes to the dominant narratives in Canada. It is with these tones in mind that the 2001 monument was built. The evolution of the Windsor commemoration on the underground railway reflects the ethos of the period, particularly that of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, and their perception of the historical significance of the Underground Railroad for the Canadian nation.