‘It’s time:’ Tribal Chief Arcand calls for renaming of Saskatoon road

Reconciliation Road.

That’s what Saskatoon Tribal Chief Mark Arcand is suggesting as the new name for John A. Macdonald Road, located in the Confederation Park neighbourhood.

Arcand stood in front of wâhkôhtowin School, explaining the school’s meaning in the Cree language talks about building relationships. And that’s the main gist of why Arcand wants the road’s name to change, to continue building those relationships.

“This school, through Saskatoon Public Schools, is teaching our children language, culture (and) identity that was taken away from our people when they attended residential schools, under the leadership of John A. Macdonald,” Arcand said in reference to Canada’s first prime minister.

“I’m going to challenge the mayor (and) city council: Within the next 14 days, call an emergency meeting. Make that public, that the Saskatoon Tribal Council is requesting that this name change happen immediately.”

It didn’t take long for a city response.

The street signs for John A. Macdonald Road and Cartier Crescent, pictured on June 10, 2021. (Brady Lang/650 CKOM)

Less than an hour after Arcand’s call to action, a statement from Mayor Charlie Clark was sent out. It detailed both Clark’s and Ward 3 Coun. David Kirton’s thoughts on the proposed changes, along with a promise to move the request to the council’s governance and priorities committee meeting on June 21.

That date is also significant — it’s National Indigenous Peoples Day.

“It’s time for this to happen,” Kirton said in an interview with 650 CKOM.

“This is the one name that triggers hurt and pain, more than any other name when it comes to residential schools. This is the man who began the whole system.”

Kirton said there are other names within the city that may also be renamed. He added there have been calls in the past to change the Macdonald road name in the Confederation area.

“With all of the names …. I don’t know. I don’t know when this discussion ends, and where it ends,” Kirton said. “I know there will be a lot of people that don’t want this name to change. But I don’t believe this will be the last name that will be discussed.”

Kirton added he didn’t mind the name Reconciliation Road, but that may change following consultation with the different groups.

In Clark’s statement, he outlines the renaming process will include public education and engagement that will unfold in the coming weeks. That could include consultation with Indigenous community leaders, including Elders, along with talking to those who live on the road.

The city is also looking at a wider community public education campaign, and a look at options to manage costs of changing these names.

As it stands now, though, Arcand described a bit more on how he sees the street.

He added when he first moved to the city 20 years ago, he didn’t have the knowledge to know what Macdonald’s actions did to Arcand’s ancestors.

“I wasn’t too familiar,” he said. “But when you start growing up and hearing the stories, now that I drive down here, I want to learn more. And I want to learn more from my family … A lot of our people are still not telling their story because of the wounds it opens up. And there’s a reason for that.”

Now, when Arcand drives down the road, he said he thinks he needs to do something as an Indigenous leader.

“It’s not to be disrespectful to anybody that lives on this street and in this community, it’s to do the right thing,” he said. “And I keep saying that to people. It’s not us versus them. It’s the right thing to do.”