It was first in May 2021 that the idea for Powell River to change its name was brought forward to city officials in the coastal B.C. community.
What followed, however, were bureaucratic delays and heightened tension among residents, leaving some wondering if their recommendations toward reconciliation becoming more than just words would ever actually become reality.
For Harmony Johnson, changing the name of the community she is from 香蕉视频直播� which currently reflects a man whose main goal was to assimilate Indigenous people 香蕉视频直播� is not only a task that her chief, Hegus John Hackett, asked her to lead but also a way to reduce the harm of that legacy that undermines the dignity of Johnson and her fellow Tla香蕉视频直播檃min Nation members.
香蕉视频直播淲e don香蕉视频直播檛 want the name of the town and the interactions (of some community members) to undermine our dignity. We want to be who we are in our territories 香蕉视频直播� which we have since time immemorial 香蕉视频直播� and that香蕉视频直播檚 what we香蕉视频直播檙e trying to reclaim here,香蕉视频直播� Johnson told Black Press Media in a phone interview from her home in Tla香蕉视频直播檃min.
Johnson, who splits her time between North Vancouver and Tla香蕉视频直播檃min Nation, served as co-chair of a joint working group between the city and the Nation and created recommendations on how to implement such a monumental change.
But around the time of the 2022 municipal election, Johnson and the group called for a cooling-off period as tensions rose and divisiveness took hold in the community.
香蕉视频直播淲e have to issue warnings to our people, 香蕉视频直播楬ey, it might be hot in town because of the comments that have been made about your identity and your language.香蕉视频直播� It香蕉视频直播檚 horrible.香蕉视频直播�
It香蕉视频直播檚 now been three years since Tla香蕉视频直播檃min Nation香蕉视频直播檚 efforts first began, and there香蕉视频直播檚 not much to show for it in a way of tangible change, she said.
During a February council meeting, the city香蕉视频直播檚 mayor and council voted to kick the decision down the road to the next civic election.
香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e still kind of in the middle of, I guess, whether this is a decision or not. It香蕉视频直播檚 astounding. It香蕉视频直播檚 taking too long.香蕉视频直播�
Now, in 2024, Johnson wonders 香蕉视频直播渋f not now, when?香蕉视频直播�
Israel Wood Powell: The man behind the name
This isn香蕉视频直播檛 the first time the Nation has called for a civic body to update its name.
In 2018, the qathet Regional District underwent its renaming to rid of its connection to Israel Wood Powell, the namesake of the community
香蕉视频直播淓verybody had been quite proud of the fact that, you know, 香蕉视频直播楢ren香蕉视频直播檛 we so progressive? We have this agreement and we have a process by which our governments coordinate and work together.香蕉视频直播� That was a long effort to reach that place of creating a respectful protocol and a process for us to come together,香蕉视频直播� Johnson said.
Powell River is named after Israel Wood Powell. Born in Ontario in 1836, he was appointed as the superintendent of B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 newly formed Department of Indian Affairs in 1872.
For the next 17 years, he pursued 香蕉视频直播減olicies aimed at assimilating Indigenous peoples into settler Canadian society,香蕉视频直播� according to a document provided to the city. The year after he retired, a residential school opened in Kamloops and became one of the largest schools operated by Indian Affairs.
Ace Harry, 22, grew up on Tla香蕉视频直播檃min Nation and Powell River and recently returned to live there. She says a name change would fundamentally recognize the presence of her people and their children.
香蕉视频直播淩esidential schools were built upon the idea of denying the very existence of Native children. And today, our foster care system and child apprehension systems 香蕉视频直播� rely upon the ignorance of the general population to the very existence of these kids.香蕉视频直播�
Some people in the community have taken on the slogan, 香蕉视频直播淚 heart PR,香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播楶R香蕉视频直播� meaning Powell River 香蕉视频直播� by putting stickers on vehicles, as well as on a billboard in the city. That push, Harry says, seeks to deny and extinguish the very existence of her people.
香蕉视频直播淏ut again, that was explicitly taught for a very long time. It香蕉视频直播檚 going to require an incredible amount of work for any individual to deprogram those racist assumptions, let alone entire communities and especially at the pace that was being demanded.香蕉视频直播�
Racism was 香蕉视频直播榬ight below the surface香蕉视频直播�
First Nations across the country have called for name restorations 香蕉视频直播� from buildings and schools, to streets and even islands 香蕉视频直播� amid the 94 recommendations in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission香蕉视频直播檚 calls to action.
Following the name-change request in May 2021, the city and Tla香蕉视频直播檃min Nation established a joint working group, made up of elected officials and appointees to oversee a 香蕉视频直播渃ommunity conversation香蕉视频直播� about the proposal.
The working group conducted engagement meetings between March and June 2022, before releasing its final report on July 15, 2022. It included 11 recommendations.
What came next, however, was a 香蕉视频直播渇ire hose of racism,香蕉视频直播� Johnson said, leading to the group being forced to take pause. There was also the upcoming 2022 civic election.
香蕉视频直播淭rust and safety did erode at that time and has continued to feel very tenuous.香蕉视频直播�
The committee was worried for people香蕉视频直播檚 safety 香蕉视频直播� emotionally, culturally, psychologically and physically.
Johnson is an adjunct professor at UBC and studies racism for a living and has authored numerous reports on how racism intersects with inequities in health care. Reflecting on the response to the group香蕉视频直播檚 efforts was 香蕉视频直播減robably the most hurtful and overt processes where racism was just right there,香蕉视频直播� she said.
香蕉视频直播淚t showed that this is right below the surface and maybe we think that these polite forums where we have intergovernmental relations are making a difference 香蕉视频直播� and they are in some ways in some of those personal relationships. But the reality is is that is not everywhere in our society yet.香蕉视频直播�
In January of this year, the name-change project that had been seemingly put on pause was brought back to the forefront, during a council meeting that drew provincial attention.
On a Jan. 30 committee of the whole meeting, Coun. Jim Palm drew ire after using a made-up Tla香蕉视频直播檃min word to refer to what the city could be renamed to.
香蕉视频直播淪tep one is 香蕉视频直播楢re you in favour of a name change?香蕉视频直播� Yes or no. That香蕉视频直播檚 simple. You don香蕉视频直播檛 convolute it with 香蕉视频直播榃akawana香蕉视频直播� or whatever name comes out of Tla香蕉视频直播檃min. You just simply ask the question and get a response. Yes or no, and then we have a direction,香蕉视频直播� Palm said at the time.
The Nation denounced the comment a few days later, followed by similar statements from the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs and the First Nations Leadership Council.
B.C香蕉视频直播檚 Indigenous Relations Minister Murray Rankin said he was hopeful that Palm 香蕉视频直播� who had issued an apology to some news publications at that point 香蕉视频直播� would learn from the work the community, city and Tla香蕉视频直播檃min Nation had already put in.
While Palm香蕉视频直播檚 comments put a lot of focus on the ongoing process, not all of that attention has been good.
Since his Jan. 30 comment, letters started circulating in the community from 香蕉视频直播渃oncerned citizens.香蕉视频直播� One such letter, posted by the Nation on its website, said Tla香蕉视频直播檃min香蕉视频直播檚 香蕉视频直播渁ttack香蕉视频直播� on Palm was 香蕉视频直播渏ust one more unwarranted reason why reconciliation and your misconceptions of what the truth is, is causing division between people.香蕉视频直播�
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The city released a statement apologizing to the Nation, adding it wishes to 香蕉视频直播渃ontinue serious conversations about furthering all aspects of reconciliation.香蕉视频直播�
It香蕉视频直播檚 been more than three months. Johnson says there香蕉视频直播檚 a dichotomy in the community between the lack of safety in some areas and the tenseness associated with that, juxtaposed with the moments of caring for and celebrating one another.
But she says there is still support in the community, pointing to Sunday香蕉视频直播檚 memorial march for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and this past week香蕉视频直播檚 Nation assembly, which informs people of the work of Tla香蕉视频直播檃min.
Recommending against a referendum
On Jan. 16, the city tabled strategic priorities, including taking 香蕉视频直播渞eal steps towards a name change.香蕉视频直播� A month later, council voted to include the topic as a referendum in the 2026 municipal election.
This decision came despite one of the original recommendations from Johnson and the working group, which found that a referendum was not a necessary way to enact a renaming, as municipalities have most of the authority around renaming its city.
香蕉视频直播淚n many ways, referendums are demonstrated very clearly to be very harmful, and divisive exercises,香蕉视频直播� Johnson said, pointing to the then-B.C. Liberal香蕉视频直播檚 2002 referendum on First Nations treaty rights.
Elections 香蕉视频直播� including the upcoming provincial election in the fall 香蕉视频直播� will continue to be factors that shape the conversation, Johnson added.
香蕉视频直播淪ome of this is just like the tide: It香蕉视频直播檚 going to come in and change is going to occur and it香蕉视频直播檒l become normalized, and it香蕉视频直播檒l just become how we think about the place.香蕉视频直播�
Working toward reviving the Sliammon language
While it has been three years since this process first began, it remains in very early stages; possible names haven香蕉视频直播檛 yet been formally put forward or even recommended by the Nation.
Tla香蕉视频直播檃min chief Hegus John Hackett told Black Press Media in February that the ball is in the city香蕉视频直播檚 court, especially following Palm香蕉视频直播檚 comment.
香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 a lot of speculation from the city that we香蕉视频直播檙e gonna rename it something that香蕉视频直播檚 hard to pronounce, and I think that香蕉视频直播檚 kind of where Jim Palm香蕉视频直播檚 mockery might be coming from.香蕉视频直播�
Hackett says Tla香蕉视频直播檃min is a progressive nation and efforts are being made to revive their language, Sliammon.
香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e trying to re-establish place names. And with that work, it香蕉视频直播檚 really brought our community together in a positive way.香蕉视频直播�
Last August, Ace Harry lost her grandmother, the second-oldest speaker in Tla香蕉视频直播檃min Nation and 香蕉视频直播渙ne of the biggest powerhouses of knowledge that we had left.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 really kind of shoved my face into the urgency of the kind of issues that we香蕉视频直播檙e working with.香蕉视频直播�
For Harry, though, she has 香蕉视频直播渓ukewarm feelings香蕉视频直播� toward a renaming, pointing to 香蕉视频直播渄arker problems coming at a much faster pace,香蕉视频直播� such as climate change.
香蕉视频直播淭here are just other issues that I think would force settlers and their children to reckon with the existence of Indigenous people that aren香蕉视频直播檛 completely focused on language.香蕉视频直播�
Names changes elsewhere in Canada
Powell River isn香蕉视频直播檛 the first municipality to look into name changes or restorations of previous names.
There are several communities in B.C. that have also changed various landmarks and buildings, including and that was named after a federal Indian Agent for the West Coast of Vancouver Island and was involved in the operation of the Alberni Indian Residential School.
In Cowichan, officials are looking to .
The Village of Daajing Giids (formerly Queen Charlotte City) restored its traditional Haida name in July 2022.
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Daajing Giids Mayor Lisa Pineault said the process took about three years from when the village was asked by Skidegate Haida Immersion Program to change the name. The change was just one request that the program has been working on for many years.
And more than a decade before that, the name Haida Gwaii was restored to the grouping of more than 150 islands off of B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 north coast. Meaning 香蕉视频直播淚slands of the People,香蕉视频直播� Haida Gwaii had already been in use for years leading up to the official restoration.
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The Regional District was gifted the word qathet 香蕉视频直播� meaning working together 香蕉视频直播� by Tla香蕉视频直播檃min Nation in June 2017. By the following year, the province had issued its official approval for the requested name change.
The Geographical Names Board of Canada says between 2023 and 2024, British Columbia rescinded the names of nine geographical features, as the names contained 香蕉视频直播渧arious derogatory terms.香蕉视频直播� Those features are currently undergoing renaming processes.
Halfway across the country, Tom Terry was part of a group in the Ontario community of Sioux Lookout that pushed to rename an island that had inherited a derogatory English name for Indigenous women.
It is now known as Equay Minis, meaning Woman Island.
He says the group received minimal push back. But fighting for that progress is important.
香蕉视频直播淲hen the colonial governments proceeded with their efforts at mapping land, often the Indigenous names, if they were difficult to pronounce 香蕉视频直播� they were often discarded, and new names were provided in their place.香蕉视频直播�
Indigenous place names are often rich in history, evoking a legend, personal experience or even a humorous story. A name should resonate with people, he says.
香蕉视频直播淲hen Indigenous people talk about the relationship with the land, that香蕉视频直播檚 a very genuine, very rich relationship which many non-Indigenous people have a hard time appreciating and respecting or acknowledging and understanding.香蕉视频直播�
A hope for an easier path forward in the future
Johnson hopes it only becomes easier and streamlined to make these important changes in the future.
香蕉视频直播淭he first thing to go through is often not the fastest.香蕉视频直播�
B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 Municipal Affairs Ministry works with local governments and First Nations with the understanding that each community will approach the decision differently; the province香蕉视频直播檚 oversight is to ensure the process is collaborative, the ministry said in an emailed statement.
For Johnson, that streamlined process will help better the lives of Indigenous people and help curb the deeply-rooted systemic and institutionalized colonialism.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 glad that Tla香蕉视频直播檃min is on the forefront of this. I香蕉视频直播檓 proud of the work that we香蕉视频直播檝e done as a joint working group. I香蕉视频直播檓 anxious to see that work come to fruition and I hope that that work creates a path 香蕉视频直播� an easier path 香蕉视频直播� for others in in the work that they香蕉视频直播檒l need to undertake.香蕉视频直播�
As an educator, Johnson likens the need to streamline these kinds of processes to the work done in adding carved out curriculum dedicated to normalizing conversations about racism, colonialism and Indigenous languages.
香蕉视频直播淚 think this is just a matter of time for that generation to be to be the leaders of tomorrow that are making the changes naturally, without question. But I do think that there香蕉视频直播檚 barriers we can remove today so that we don香蕉视频直播檛 have to wait 20 years for that generation to do the right thing.香蕉视频直播�
