Councillors call for renaming of Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway

WARNING: This story contains distressing details.

Three Ottawa city councillors whose wards includethe Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway are calling on the federal government to launchan Indigenous-led process to rename the road as soon as possible.

Macdonald was a Father of Confederation who was electedCanada'sfirst prime minister in 1867, leading his party to victory six timesbefore his death in 1891.

During that time, Macdonald'sgovernment enforced policies thatstarvedIndigenous peopleto force them from their land, outlawedtheirceremonies and centralized and expanded aresidential school systemthat took generations of children from their families and triedto wipe out their cultures, as detailed duringthe Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

The legacy of those schools was unearthed again last week whentheTk'emlps te SecwpemcFirst Nation announced a searchhad confirmed the presence of the remains of 215 children buried at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School in British Columbia.

Estimates of the number of children who died after being forced to attend the residentialschools rangefrom 4,100 to more than 6,000.

WATCH | Renaming the Ottawa River Parkway in August 2012:

Parkway renamed

12 years ago

Duration 1:51

The Ottawa River Parkway has been renamed the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway by the NCC.

Road renamed in 2012

On Wednesday, Ottawa city councillors Jeff Leiper, Theresa Kavanagh and Catherine McKenneypublisheda letter reflecting on last week's discovery andcalling on the federal government to rename the parkway, which runs west of downtownalong the Ottawa River.

"As First Nations people across Canada demand justice for the ways they have been repeatedly failed by our governments and institutions, the need for renaming this prominent area in the nation's capital is evident," they wrote.

The councillors are asking the federal government to follow the example of Charlottetown, where councildecided unanimously this week to remove a statue of Macdonald from the P.E.I. capital's downtown.

"That mass grave of 215 children has horrified Canadians coast to coast to coast," Leiper told Radio-Canada in an interview Wednesday afternoon.

"I think we likely have an opportunity here to do some soul-searching and remove that traumatizing name from the many, many places in which it is located."

In Ottawa, the federal government would be involved because the parkway is managed by the National Capital Commission (NCC), a Crown corporation that manages many roads, paths, parks and other spaces in Ottawa and Gatineau, Que.

Ottawa councillors push for renaming of Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway

3 years ago

Duration 1:09

Coun. Jeff Leiper says the name of Canadas first prime minister, whose government enforced racist policies, should be removed from buildings, roadways and parks in the city in light of the discovery of 215 children buried at a former residential school in B.C.

Name on parkway 're-traumatizing'

The parkway was renamed for Macdonald in 2012afterOttawa historian Bob Plamondon, who went on to serve on the NCC's board,pushed the city to rename Wellington Street onParliament Hill after Macdonald.

Renaming the former Ottawa River Parkway was seenas a compromise, and the NCC's chief executive officer said at the time no other names were considered.

Leiper noted that the parkway runs along the shores of a "very spiritual gathering place" for the Algonquin Anishinaabe people, and havingMacdonald's name on parkway signageis "re-traumatizing every time people see it."

• Residential school survivors in Kitigan Zibi saddened but not surprised by news from B.C.

"I think that it is important that we not celebrate a history of injustice," said Leiper.

"And at this point, I think it's beyond debate."

Support is available for anyone affected by the lingering effects of residential schools, and those who are triggered by the latest reports.

A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide support for former students and those affected. People can access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419.