Gatineau renaming street named after British general Jeffrey Amherst
The city of Gatineau is beginning the process to remove the name of British general Jeffrey Amherst from a residential street.
On the second National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the city announced it will rename Amherst Street in the Hull sector in 2023.
The city and Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation will launch a joint working committee to select a new name for Amherst Street. Three Anishinabeg names will be shortlisted for discussion by the joint working group, with a final name sent to Gatineau City Council for approval.
"We are very pleased that the City has embarked on the path of reconciliation and is moving away from the Amherst name," said Frankie Cote, band council member of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation.
"We encourage all citizens to educate themselves on why the names and statues of people like Jeffery Amherst, John A. Macdonald and Hector Louis Langevin are being removed across the country."
In September 2021, Council approved a motion to consider changing the name of Amherst Street, named after 18th-century British general Jeffrey Amherst. In May, Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg Chief Dylan Whiteduck met with city officials in May to confirm his community's interest in participating in the process.
Cote says the new name for the street will be in the Anishinabeg language.
"Although we are going to remove the Amherst Street name, we cannot erase the past," Mayor France Belisle said on Twitter in French.
"Today reminds us precisely of the importance of truth. We are taking an additional gesture of recognition to help maintain the Nation-to-Nation relationship."
Belisle says the new name will pay tribute to the Aboriginal heritage of the territory.
In 2019, the city of Montreal removed Amherst's name from a street, renaming it Atateken Street.
With files from The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.