RM of Gimli planning on renaming roads names with colonial ties
In a first of its kind for the municipality, the RM of Gimli is forming a committee whose sole purpose is for reconciliation.
Its first task is to recommend name changes for four local roads, all of which have ties to colonialism; Colonization Road Arnes, North Colonization Road, South Colonization Road, and Colonization Close.
The roads in question were at one time a single route, but as communities expanded and the land use changed the road was broken up into sections.
“That word colonization is just a memory of the genocide that was taken place against the Indigenous people of Canada by all these settlers,” said area councillor Cody Magnusson. “It’s a word that for so many people, not only Indigenous people, but anyone that understands that history can and should find deeply offensive for what it represented in our history.
Last week, RM of Gimli Council approved a motion put forth by Magnusson to form the reconciliation committee. It followed a petition started by a local businessman, signed by about 1,000, people asking for the names to be changed.
Mayor Lynn Greenburg said the issue has been raised before, but in light of the recent discovery of the remains of 215 Indigenous children near a Kamloops residential school, the issue gained traction. He said council is in favour of changing the road names, but is waiting on the committee’s recommendations.
“Some people say don’t touch anything, just leave it the way it is, there’s nothing wrong with it, others say it should be changed,” said Greenburg.
The committee has yet to form, but Magnusson was surprised by how many people have volunteered to take part.
“My goal for the committee is to have a balanced mixture of representatives from the Indigenous community, both locally and maybe some organizations from the surrounding area, as well as non-Indigenous members from the community,” said Magnusson.
The roads will be renamed in the spirit of reconciliation, according to Magnusson, and in keeping with local Indigenous history.
The RM of St. Clements is in the middle of a similar process, and will help serve as a guide for the new committee.
Once the name recommendations have been finalized, the committee will move on explore any other opportunities in the spirit of the calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.