In the name of Peace and Friendship: Former Cornwallis Park in Halifax gets a new name
The Halifax Regional Municipality took a significant step on the path toward reconciliation Monday, hosting a renaming ceremony for a park that used to pay tribute to the city's founder, Edward Cornwallis.
A sizable group of largely invited dignitaries gathered under the midday sun for the event, which culminated with the unveiling of a new sign, designating the space as Peace and Friendship Park.
Technically, the official change took effect earlier this month after a unanimous vote by council following a long awaited task force report that came out last year.
The task force, a joint initiative between regional council and the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi'kmaq Chiefs, concluded public commemoration of Cornwallis - the British officer accused of practising genocide against the local Indigenous population, is incompatible with current values.
Mi'kmaq Elder and Historian Daniel Paul, who spent decades drawing attention to the issue was happy to attend the event.
"When I set out in the late 1980s to get it done, I had one goal, and that was to stand here today in this park with a new name and the statue gone," Paul told CTV News.
"I feel very happy about it. I think it's an achievement for all communities, not only for the Mi'kmaq community, but for the Caucasian community and for all others in Nova Scotia."
A large statue of Cornwallis, erected as the centrepiece of the park in the 1920s, was hastily removed by city crews in January 2018 amid fear protesters might pull it down.
City officials confirm to CTV News that the statue remains in "secure storage", although it may eventually wind-up in a municipal museum, if the city decides to build one.
Council has directed city staff to undertake a museum strategy.
"I don't really think it should be displayed in public in a manner that idolizes him," said Paul. "Maybe someday in the futures, perhaps a museum."
Speakers at the event noted the name change was a step in the right direction.
"The Mi'kmaq must have a presence throughout, and have opportunities to share," said Chief Deborah Robinson from Acadia First Nation, representing the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi'kmaq Chiefs. "Our side of history. Our culture. And our heritage."
Halifax Mayor Mike Savage suggested the name summed up the municipality's strategy toward reconciliation.
"Peace and Friendship Park recognizes we can work together to recognize a wrong, and that we're not bound to our history so much as we are informed by it's lessons," he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
The Indian couple killed in a wrong-way police chase crash on Highway 401 earlier this week has been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
2 charged after police find 'concerning and diverse' explosives at Manitoba home
Winnipeg police say they have arrested two people in their 20s after a large amount of explosives were found in a home outside of Winnipeg, Man.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Spain abolishes national bullfighting award in cultural shift
Spain scrapped an annual bullfighting award on Friday, prompting a rebuke from conservatives over a backlash against a centuries-old tradition they see as an art form but which has run into growing concern for animal welfare.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.