Son of residential school survivors calls for Bishop Grandin Boulevard name change
As Michael Ginter walks along the path beside Bishop Grandin Boulevard in Winnipeg, he recalls the impact residential schools had on his family.
Ginter said he was not forced to attend a residential school, but his parents struggled to cope with their experiences. Ginter was removed from his home and adopted by a non-Indigenous family.
“I was angry. I fled to drugs, to alcohol to try and kill the pain, it didn’t work,” said Ginter.
The boulevard is named after one of the architects of the residential school system. Ginter said the name needs to change.
“Let’s not honour somebody that’s the head guy in charge of all the pain and the hurt,” said Ginter.
With the horrific discovery in Kamloops of 215 children buried at a former residential school site, Probe Research conducted a poll on renaming the boulevard in Winnipeg.
More than half (55 per cent) of Winnipeggers who took part in the poll said change the name, while 28 per cent said keep it and educate people on the issue.
There was 17 per cent who said just leave the name as is.
READ MORE: Majority of Winnipeggers in favour of renaming Bishop Grandin Boulevard: survey
There is now a push on at Winnipeg City Hall to replace the boulevard’s name with a new one.
“I think the time is now,” said Mayor Brian Bowman.
He put forward a motion for the city to consult with the Indigenous community and leaders, including with residential school survivors, to come up with the new name.
"To say there’s been a lot of dialogue would be an understatement. There’s been a lot on this which is welcomed,” said Bowman.
If he could make the decision alone, Michael Ginter has his own idea.
“We should rename the highway into the Orange Highway in honour of the children,” said Ginter.
EPC passed the motion to rename the boulevard and Grandin Street in St. Boniface.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
DEVELOPING Live updates from the Trump hush money trial: Stormy Daniels, bookkeeper testify
Adult film star Stormy Daniels is on the stand a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump’s hush money case continues in Manhattan. Follow live updates here.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
BREAKING Sheldon Keefe out as head coach of Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired head coach Sheldon Keefe. The team made the announcement Thursday after the Original Six franchise lost to the Boston Bruins in seven games in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Boeing 737 catches fire and skids off the runway at a Senegal airport, injuring 10 people
A Boeing 737-300 plane carrying 85 people skidded off a runway at the airport in Dakar, Senegal's capital, injuring 10 people, according to the transport minister, an airline safety group and footage from a passenger that showed the aircraft on fire.
Breast cancer screening should start at age 40, Canadian Cancer Society says
The Canadian Cancer Society says all provinces and territories should lower the starting age for breast cancer screening to 40.
Man accused of killing two children at Quebec daycare to stand trial in April 2025
The man accused of murdering two children and injuring six others after a city bus crashed into a Montreal-area daycare is scheduled to stand trial over five weeks beginning in April 2025.