Toronto City Council has been grappling with the idea of changing the name of Dundas Street and everything else named after one Henry Dundas. He was a Scottish politician from the late 18th and early 19th Century. Dundas has been recently vilified because he introduced a motion to stall abolition of slavery. From what I’ve read, it seems Dundas was an abolitionist, but he wanted a gradual process: “this trade must ultimately be abolished, but by moderate measures which shall not invade the property of individuals, nor shock too suddenly the prejudices of our West India Islands.”

Council decided in the end to take a name-changing “lite” approach. They passed a motion to change the name of Yonge-Dundas Square, a place to go if, for instance you want to hear a guy with a bullhorn fix your spiritual failings – to Sankofa Square. Sankofa is apparently a concept from Ghana, all about reflecting on and reclaiming teachings from the past. Council will also going to change the name of the Jane-Dundas library and some other landmarks and follow it up with a public education campaign. They stopped short of re-naming the street because this effort would apparently cost well over $12 million, and the City has been cash-strapped. As for the Town of Dundas, that is not a Toronto problem.

At the same time, and in fact at the same Council meeting, our City Council decided to name the football stadium at Centennial Park after controvercial former mayor, Rob Ford. How about instead we learn our lesson from the past and simply stop naming stuff after politicians? I’ve heard Council members on the radio say it is appropriate to have a Rob Ford Stadium because the former mayor, who became famous around the world due to his bizarre behaviour, and now equally famous drug problem, loved his football and loved coaching youths, and was after all a mayor of our fair city.

Instead of naming things after politicians I have some suggestions:

Name stuff after:
species of butterflies, birds, trees, etc
numbers
colours
dog breeds
mathematics theories
musical terms (I’m on-board with naming streets after fiddle tunes too)
Anything but politicians