{"id":70227,"date":"2025-04-25T08:15:24","date_gmt":"2025-04-25T12:15:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/?p=70227"},"modified":"2025-04-23T15:13:18","modified_gmt":"2025-04-23T19:13:18","slug":"op-ed-whats-in-a-name","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2025\/04\/25\/op-ed-whats-in-a-name\/","title":{"rendered":"OP-ED: What\u2019s in a Name?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Meaningful Change<\/h2>\n

For the first time, Toronto has an Indigenous-named federal riding: Taiaiako’n\u2014Parkdale\u2014High Park. This change, brought forward through the Federal Electoral Districts Redistribution process<\/a>, marks an important step in recognizing the deep Indigenous history of our city. Taiaiako’n was once an Indigenous village along the Humber River<\/a>, near what is now Baby Point. The Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission acknowledged this history and stated that the name change was made \u201cin a spirit of reconciliation,<\/a>\u201d recognizing the Haudenosaunee village and burial mounds in High Park.<\/p>\n

This milestone invites a larger question: how might Toronto extend this approach beyond electoral boundaries? Can we rename our city wards to honour Indigenous histories and reflect our ongoing commitment to truth and reconciliation? Other cities have already taken this step, demonstrating that such a process is both possible and profoundly meaningful. Edmonton has led the way in this regard, and there are valuable lessons we can learn from its approach.<\/p>\n

Learning from Edmonton<\/h2>\n

In 2020, Edmonton’s City Council was approached by Indigenous Elders and community members to consider renaming municipal wards with Indigenous names.<\/a> Council directed its administration and naming committee to explore this, and the result was a process led by Indigenous women, known as iyiniw iskwewak wihtwawin<\/em> (the committee of Indigenous matriarchs). The committee, composed of 17 Indigenous women from First Nations in Treaties 6, 7, and 8, as well as M\u00e9tis and Inuit representatives, was entrusted with the task of selecting names that reflected deep connections to the land and the diverse Indigenous histories of Edmonton.<\/p>\n

The naming process was guided by ceremony and community consultation<\/a>. Indigenous languages, histories, and cultures were honored through names such as Nakota Isga<\/em> (meaning “the people” in Nakota), Anirniq<\/em> (Inuit for “breath, the life in all things”), and tastawiyiniwak<\/em> (a Cree term for “the In-between people”). These names replaced previously generic numerical ward identifiers, embedding Indigenous knowledge into the city’s governance structure.<\/p>\n

Why Toronto Should Take the Next Step<\/h2>\n

Toronto has already begun incorporating Indigenous place names, from small laneways to larger streets and neighbourhoods. But ward names remain an overlooked opportunity for meaningful recognition. While we have made strides with initiatives like the City’s Reconciliation Action Plan (2022-2032)<\/a> (PDF), renaming our wards would demonstrate a tangible commitment to restoring Indigenous histories within the fabric of our municipal structures.<\/p>\n

The City’s Reconciliation Action Plan outlines several priorities, including:<\/p>\n