‘Keep it short:’ John A. Macdonald Road residents have mixed emotions on name change

Keep it cheap and keep it short.

Those were two of the suggestions from residents on Saskatoon’s John A. Macdonald Road on Tuesday, less than 24 hours after council made its decision to change the road’s name.

Tanda Daughton is one of those residents, and someone who is very familiar with the road. She moved into her home around 1979. Her mother also lived across the street in prior years.

“I don’t care if it changes. I really don’t,” she said. “If this is what needs to be done for (the Indigenous community) to start to heal, and us as a country to start to heal, that’s awesome.

“I don’t think, that just because we’re the unprivileged ones that actually live on the road, (we) shouldn’t have to pay out of pocket for anything.”

Daughton mentioned things such as lawn titles, identification, her licence and Canada Post as factors that will play a part in the address change.

She said she had no problem with the name in years past, and she saw it as “just the name of a street.”

“I didn’t care who it belonged to … It was nothing for me,” she continued.

Russ Gowan, another resident who has lived on John A. Macdonald Road for the past 40-plus years, says those who are calling for the name change have “a valid point.”

“Probably honouring the man that you shouldn’t be honouring,” he said. “Go ahead and change it … I’ve heard that John A. Macdonald, I’ve heard the comment that he was nothing but an old drunk or whatever. So you wonder about things like that.”

Gowan said he didn’t know much about the history of residential schools and their link to Canada’s first prime minister until just recently, but said all the information coming now is good information to know.

Something both Daughton and Gowan agreed upon was if the name is changed, make it shorter.

“You have to wonder what name they’re going to choose,” Gowan said. “Keep it short. I’ve never liked (the name) John A. Macdonald … You’ve got to be careful sometimes (when filling out paperwork). Keep it short, like ‘Jack Road.’ ”

Gowan said he sees why the ‘Reconciliation Road’ name would be suggested by Saskatoon Tribal Chief Mark Arcand — who made the initial calls for the name change June 10 outside of the street’s lone school, wâhkôhtowin School — but Gowan said it’s still “pretty long.”

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Coun. David Kirton. (Submitted)

‘Now the real work begins:’ Kirton says residents won’t foot the bill

Ward 3 Coun. David Kirton tabled the original motion to change the name of John A. Macdonald Road. He’s also the councillor in the neighbourhood, and said he plans to door knock every single home in July.

“They didn’t ask for this. They shouldn’t have to face any financial costs. They’ll face a nuisance, and disruption. They’re going to have to make some phone calls,” he said Tuesday morning.

“But I’m going to thank them for that. I’m going to thank them for having to go through that disruption … I’m going to ask them to open their hearts to the Indigenous.”

Kirton answered the question on costs, and who will be footing the bill.

“We’re not talking anywhere near thousands of dollars. I think, probably, for each household, maybe $100,” he explained.

“I’m telling (constituents who live on the road) that Tribal Chief Mark Arcand has pledged to work with us to talk to agencies … for them to eat the costs of what that would normally cost a homeowner to change an address.”

Kirton explained Arcand and the city plan to work with agencies such as Canada Post and the province regarding Land Titles to see if they will waive the fees or cut any costs in the spirit of reconciliation.

“The residents of that particular road, in my mind, could be heroes. (They) could become huge allies of the Indigenous population here in Saskatoon,” he said.

Kirton added one example of why constituents need the road name change.

“Open their hearts to the Indigenous by removing a sign that a kukom doesn’t have to look at anymore when she takes her kids to that school and looks up and has to relive her residential school history,” he said.

The councillor said he knows there are mixed reactions to the name change, that some feel the city is shoving the name change down residents’ throats.

“Others don’t want their name changes. Others still don’t believe (this) is the right move. That debate’s going to carry on for a long, long time,” he said.

“There’ll be some education. There’ll be tough conversations. I’m going to be going out (to door knock) … I feel like I need to have that conversation.”

Kirton said he will be handing out leaflets with information on the change, his own information and a pledge that homeowners won’t have to worry about costs. A public engagement meeting is also expected in the future.

City administration is also working on its Legacy Review, according to Kirton. It is a large-scale review of all street names in Saskatoon. He said administration will look at all colonial names, and a report is expected to council by the end of the year.