With all the famous and notable Canadian achievers from all walks of life and major events through our history, you would think they would exercise their brains just a little harder and label this intersection with something Canadian rather than an obscure term from Ghana.
Marty Fruchtman, Toronto
Why Ghana?
I believe that a renaming of Dundas Square is an effort at racial reconciliation. It is too costly to rename the entire Dundas Street — that money should go to affordable housing, homeless shelters and Indigenous communities.
But why renaming the square Sankofa? Sankofa originates in what is now Ghana and refers to "the act of reflecting on and reclaiming teachings from the past which enables us to move forward together."
It doesn't make sense for Canada, in the light of Indigenous reconciliation and inclusiveness, to bring Ghana into the picture.
The square should be renamed with Indigenous Peoples and racial reconciliation in mind.
You might be interested in
Walter Segers, Toronto
Indigenous name would be better
The city begins its meetings with a land acknowledgment. If we are renaming something in the city, shouldn’t we at least have chosen an Indigenous name as part of our ongoing commitment to truth and reconciliation with the Indigenous Peoples of this land?
Joe G. Wong, Toronto
In 20 years, most people won't careÂ
It’s puzzling that some Torontonians can’t bear to think of anything being named for Dundas but have no problem with a Ghanaian name. Ghana was the place from which many Black people, kidnapped from the interior of the continent, were sold into slavery by their fellow Africans.
I would think that that constant reminder of a painful past would be more galling than the memory of a man who helped to make slavery illegal in Scotland and who got Wilberforce’s abolitionist bill passed by the Commons (with added motions that would have ended the slave trade almost immediately) even if managing a war against Napoleon prevented him from somehow forcing the Lords to also accept that bill.
But no matter. In a generation or two, most people who give the matter thought will imagine it was named for some guy from who knows or cares where.
Anita Dermer, Toronto
Why not a referendum?
Had a referendum had been made, would Torontonians have agreed on renaming the stadium to Rob Ford Stadium? I for one would not, given the international scandal he caused. Councillors appear to want to sweep that disgraceful legacy under the carpet.
Alan Pellettier, Scarborough
Deciphering the naming game
If they can name a stadium after a drug addict, why are they down on Henry Dundas who started the end of the slave trade?
Double standard?
Ron Pfander, Katrine, ON
Toronto councillors are a bunch of hypocrites
Can anyone explain why Toronto is removing the name Dundas from because of his political actions to slow the abolition of slavery, yet Toronto council has the nerve to rename a public stadium Rob Ford Stadium, after a scandal plagued former mayor and known drug abuser?
I dare say Toronto council are a bunch of hypocrites and phonies. Please voters make note of what politicians voted for this travesty.
Ken Perkin, Scarborough
