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
Western University researchers unlock potential 'cure' for ALS
New research out of London, Ont.'s Western University is shedding light on a potential cure for ALS, in which the targeting of the interaction between two proteins can halt or fully reverse the disease's progression.
Police release 3D images of young child found in an Ontario river two years ago
Police have released a three-dimensional image of a young child whose remains were discovered in the Grand River in Dunnville, Ont. almost two years ago.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Kamala Harris drops F-bomb during White House live-stream
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris used a profanity on Monday while offering advice to young Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders about how to break through barriers.
B.C. man fighting for refund after finding someone living at Whistler vacation rental
Edwin Mostered spent thousands of dollars booking a vacation home in Whistler, B.C., for a group skiing trip earlier this year – or so he thought.
Avs forward Valeri Nichushkin suspended at least six months
Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin was suspended for at least six months without pay and placed in Stage 3 of the league's player assistance program.
Collapsed Baltimore bridge span comes down with a boom after crews set off chain of explosives
Crews conducted a controlled demolition Monday to break down the largest remaining span of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
Security video caught admitted serial killer disposing of bodies in Winnipeg garbage bins
Security video caught admitted serial killer Jeremy Skibicki on multiple late-night outings, disposing of body parts in nearby garbage bins and dumpsters in the middle of the night.
Mortgage companies could intensify the next recession, U.S. officials warn
U.S. officials worry the next recession could be intensified by a cascading series of failures in the mortgage industry caused by crashing home prices, frozen financial markets and soaring delinquencies.