Vancouver and Victoria mayors wants to rename Trutch Streets over namesake's racist history
The mayor of Vancouver is introducing a motion to rename Trutch Street over the namesake's history of oppressing and displacing Indigenous people in B.C.
Joseph Trutch served as the province's first lieutenant governor and as chief commissioner of lands and works, a role he used to dramatically reduce the size of Indigenous reserves.
His racist views of B.C.'s Indigenous population are well-documented. He's been quoted as describing most Indigenous people in the province as "utter savages living along the coast" in a letter to then-prime minister John A. Macdonald in 1872.
Kennedy Stewart said he's spoken to leadership from the Musqueam Indian Band and fully supports the push to rename the street, which runs across the city's Kitsilano neighbourhood.
"Joseph Trutch actively worked to marginalize Indigenous people and seize their lands," Stewart said in a statement. "There have been calls to do this for at least a decade and it's long past time to act."
The mayor said he'll be bringing forward his motion at the next city council meeting – a move supported by Musqueam Chief Wayne Sparrow.
“A hundred per cent we support the mayor in his endeavour,” Sparrow said in an interview with CTV News.
Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps is also in favour of renaming a Trutch Street in that city.
“We’re proposing to name it Truth Street,” she said. “I think it’s a very real possibility. Victorians, British Columbians and Canadians are appalled and want to do something."
It’s unclear what name could replace Trutch for the Vancouver street but Sparrow says making that decision in consultation with local First Nations would be ideal.
“Back in the day, our community wasn’t involved and didn’t have a say,” he said. “But with the leadership of the city council, provincial government and federal government, with reconciliation, it is something that we have entertained, and hopefully we can come up with a name that’s suitable for all of us.”
Petitions and campaigns have been launched in recent years to remove Trutch's name in both Vancouver and Victoria over his troubling history, but none have been successful.
In 2017, the University of Victoria agreed to rename Trutch Residence following a similar petition started by a student.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre will do 'anything to win,' must condemn Alex Jones endorsement: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is ramping up his attacks on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as he promotes his government's federal budget.
'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.
New evidence challenges the Pentagon's account of a horrific attack as the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan: CNN exclusive
New video evidence uncovered by CNN significantly undermines two Pentagon investigations into an ISIS-K suicide attack outside Kabul airport, during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
'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.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
Video shows suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
Pilot proposes to flight attendant girlfriend in front of passengers
A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow, and she said yes.
Ottawa injects another $36M into fund for those seriously injured or killed by vaccines
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Ex-SNC executive sentenced to prison term in bridge bribery case
The RCMP says a former SNC-Lavalin executive has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison in connection with a bribery scheme for a bridge repair contract in Montreal.