N.B. to remove racist slur from mountain name
FREDERICTON – The New Brunswick government says it will undertake a 28-day consultation to rename a mountain that has an Indigenous slur in its name.
It says in a statement that people will be encouraged to submit suggestions via a website to rename the mountain in northern New Brunswick, which along with a nearby community and protected natural area is named with a derogatory term for an Indigenous woman.
The province has identified at least seven place names with the same derogatory term, but the statement did not address the province’s plans for the other racist place names.
A report in December from the provincial systemic racism commissioner said New Brunswick has more places named with the slur than any other province or territory.
Chief Ross Perley of Tobique First Nation says the slow pace of movement on the place names reflects the government’s record of failure to make reconciliation changes with Indigenous people.
He said the names replacing the slur should be Indigenous and should be decided in consultation with elders.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 2, 2023.
